This dictionary will present all currently accepted generic, specific, sub-specific and variety names of trees, excluding fossil and more recently extinct taxa, hybrids and cultivars. Only the indigenous trees of a continent, those wild species that were natural elements of the spontaneous forest vegetation before the arrival of Europeans or other colonizers, are included.

Each generic entry includes the family to which it is assigned, the synonyms of the Latin name, and the English, French, Spanish, trade and other names. For the English and French names the standard name is listed first, followed by other available names with, in parentheses, the countries where they are used. Where appropriate, names in additional languages are also included.

Each infrageneric (species, subspecies, variety) entry includes, in addition, the distribution, height, type of foliage, ecological characteristics and main uses of the tree when available.

In this volume only taxa indigenous on the North American continent are included, considered in a geographical, not in a political sense. This means from Alaska and Greenland to Panama, including Caribbean, but excluding Hawaii.