With the publication of the second volume of the series ‘Malesian Seed Plants’, entitled ‘Portraits of Tree Families’, I would like to refer to the Introduction of the first volume, ‘Spot-characters’ for a historical background and an explanation of the aims of this series. The present book treats 111 families of Malesian seed plants that at least have one tree species with a diameter at breast height of over 10 cm or a height of more than 10 m. This explains why a family such as the Compositae is included, with only one tree species ( Vernonia arborea), while the other Malesian members of this family are predominantly herbaceous.