1. E- CONTENT
Commissioner of Collegiate Education
Government of Telangana

2. © Commissionerate of Collegiate Education, Government ofTelangana
COURSE:
B.Sc (Life Sciences)
YEAR:
II YEAR
SEMESTER:
III SEMESTER
SUBJECT:
BOTANY
TOPIC: 1.4 SYSTEMS OF CLASSIFICATIONS
1.4.2 ENGLER & PRANTL’S
CLASSIFICATION
COURSE DETAILS
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ENGLER & PRANTL’S SYSTEM OF
CLASSIFICATION

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Heinrich gustav adolph engler (1844 – 1930)
karl A E prantl (1849 – 1893)
Both were German Botanists
Published a phylogenetic classification based on
evolutionary trends.
 23 volume work(1887 – 1915)
 Die naturlichen pflanzenfamilien (= the natural plant
families).
 Classified algae to angiosperms
 303 families of flowering plants
Introduction:

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Salient features :
In this system, the plant kingdom was divided into 13 Divisions in
an evolutionary sequence
Divisions 1 to 12 deal with Bacteria , Algae , Bryophytes and
Pteridophyta.
The 13th Division is named as “Embryophyta Siphonogama’’
includes all seed producing plants.
A summary of the original work was published and subsequently
revised by many botanists as Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien and
published in several editions.

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The system has been revised by Gilg in 1936 and underwent several
changes.
The last (12th edition) of Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien was published by
Melchoir (1964).
The system now recognizes 17 Divisions in plant classifications.
This system is still used in many American and European herbaria.
The 12th edition of the “Syllabus” (Melchior, 1964), the dicots were placed
before monocots.
They distinguished between primitive and advanced conditions.
In the revised edition, the total number of 344 families are accomdated
under 62 orders , as against 303 families and 55 orders of the earlier edition.

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Seed plants were divided into two subdivisions:
Sub-division: 1.Gymnospermae (Naked ovules / seeds )
Further divided into 7 orders
from Cycadofilicales to Gnetales
Sub-division: 2.Angiospermae (Enclosed ovules / seeds )
Divided into 2 Classes namely 1.Dicotyledonae
2.Monocotyledonae

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Outline of Engler & Prantl Classification
Plants
13. Embryophyta
Siphanogamia
1-12. Bacteria -
Pteridophytes
Divisions
SubDivisions Gymnospermae Angiospermae
Monocotyledonae
11 orders,45 Families
Dicotyledonae
SubClass
Class
Archichlamydeae
33 orders,206families
Metachlamydeae
11 orders,52 families

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Class 1.Monocotyledonae - 11 orders and 45 families
First order is Pandanales –possesses unisexual , naked flowers
Starts from family Typhyaceae
Last order is Microspermae , with Orchidaceae as the family
Class 2.Dicotyledonae - Further divided into 2 sub classes.
Sub-class 1:Archichlamydeae
flowers are achlamydous or mono/Di chlamydous
Petals are mostly free (polypetalous condition)
Sub-class 2:Sympetalae or Metachlamydeae
petals are fused (gamopetalous)

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• In sympetalae, the petals are fused (gamopetalous).
• Archichlamydeae has 33 Orders and 206 Families. The first order
being Verticillataeand Casuarinaceae as the starting family. The
last order being Umbelliflorae with Cornaceae as the last family.
• Sympetalae has 11 Orders with 52 Families. The first Order
being Ericales with Clethraceae as the starting family.
• The last order is Campanulales with Asteraceae as
the last family.

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1. The classification incorporated evolution and was the beginning of
phylogenetic classifications.
2. The system classified all the plant families from the algae to angiosperms.
3. Gymnosperms were considered primitive and placed before angiosperms.
4. The taxa were fully illustrated, described along with identification keys upto
family level in Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien, up to genus level in Die
naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien and for many families along with their species in
Das Pflanzenreich.
5. The description of families also contained information on embryology,
anatomy and geographical distribution.
Merits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification

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6.The classification was very elaborate, extensive and is still followed in many
herbaria and floras of the world.
7. The polypetalous condition was considered primitive than gamopetalous
condition which is also the present phylogenetic view.
8. The Polypetalae and Monochlamydeae of Bentham and Hooker’s
classification were merged into a single subclass Archichlaymdeae which
resulted in proper placement of many families. For example family
Illecebraceae is combined with family Caryophyllaceae. Families
Amaranthaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Caryophyllaceae are included in the
same order Centrospermae.
9. Families Compositae and Orchidaceae in dicots and monocots respectively
are considered advanced are placed at the end of each group.

14. Demerits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification
1. The classification though not intentionally was more natural and less phylogenetic.
2. The classification equated simplicity of structure with primitiveness and did
not recognize the simplicity due to evolutionary reduction. Thus the
classification was not phylogenetic in true sense.
3. Monocotyledons were placed before dicots but this placement was reversed
in the 1964 edition of Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien.
4. The naked flowers of Amentiferous families were considered primitive, but
evidences from floral anatomy, wood anatomy and palynology suggest these are
not primitive but simple due to the disappearance of perianth and evolutionary
reduction.
5. Unisexual flowers were treated as primitive, but evidence from floral anatomy has shown
that the unisexual condition is derived from bisexual condition by suppression of either
androecium or gynoecium.

15. 6. Monochlamydeous flowers (one whorl of perianth) were treated primitive
over dichlamydeous flowers (distinct calyx and corolla) which is not accepted
by modern taxonomists.
7. Angiosperms were considered to be polyphyletic in origin, but modern
taxonomists regard angiosperm to be monophyletic in origin.
8. Ranales are considered primitive by modern taxonomists, but they have
been placed after Centrospermae at a position not accepted by modern
taxonomists
9. Helobieae consisting of primitive groups have been placed between two
advanced orders Pandanales and Glumiflorae.
10. Araceae in Monocotyledons are derived from Liliaceae, but Araceae have
been placed before Liliaceae, a position not accepted by modern taxonomists

16. COMPARATIVE ACCOUNT
OF
BENTHAM & HOOKER CLASSIFICATION
AND
ENGLER & PRANTL CLASSIFICATION

17. B&H CLASSIFICATION
1. It is a natural system and mostly
used for practical purposes.
2. It is based on A.P de Candolle’s
system (1818)
3. Classification is based on single
and mostly artificial characters; so
closely allied families are separated
widely.
4. Flowering plants have been
divided into 202 families.
5. Dicots are kept before Monocots.
6. Gymnosperms are placed in
between Dicots and Monocots.
E&P CLASSIFICATION
1. It is a more or less phylogenetic
and proposed after the theory of descent.
2. It is mainly based on Eicher’s system with the
notion that the absence of perianth is a primitive
character.
3. Classification is based on well-defined
characters.
4. Flowering plants have been
divided into 280 families.
5. Monocots are kept before Dicots.
6. Gymnosperms are placed
separate from Dicots and Monocots.

18. 7. Dicots are divided into three
sub-groups : Polypetalae; Gamopetalae;
Monochlamydae.
8. Dicots are further divided into Series and Cohorts.
9. Monocots divided further into series and orders.
10. Monocots start with the
Micro- spermae and end with Glum-aceae.
11. Bentham and Hooker began with families having pentamerous
flowers which were supposed to be
primitive and ended in Monochlamydeae
having flowers with one whorl of perianth
orperianth altogether absent.
12. Important publication
Genera plantarum (1862-1883)
7. Dicots are divided into two
sub-groups: Archichlamydeae;
Metachlamydeae (Sympetalae).
8. Dicots are not further divided.
9. Monocots are not further divided.
10. Monocots start with the order
Pandanales and end with Microspermae.
11. The families are arranged according to
increasing complexity of flower. Primitive
forms are those having bract like perianth or
naked flowers.
12. Important publication
Die naturlichen Pflangen families (1887-1915).

19. 13. It deals with the classification
of seed plants.
14. No reference is drawn regarding
the evolution of angiosperms.
13. It deals with the classification of
the entire plant kingdom from algae
to angiospermae.
14. They believe that angiosperms
are evolved in polyphyletic manner
from hypothetical gymnosperms
(protoangiosperms) like Coniferales.

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15. Dicotyledons begin with Ranales.
This system is based on the dogma
of fixity of species.
Differences are more emphasised
than resemblances in recognising
seveal large artificial groups like
Monochlamydae
16. Polypetalae is subdivided into 3
series: Thalamiflorae, Disci-florae &
Calyciflorae. Polypetalae has 15
orders, which start with Ranales
and ends with Umbellales. The first
family is Ranunculaceae and last is
Cornaceae.
15. In dicotylendons, Amentiferae
(Casuarinaceae, Piperaceae, Salicaceae
etc.) are regarded as primitive and are
placed before families such as
Magnoliaceae,Ranunculaceae etc.
16. Archichlamydeae is subdivided into
31 orders; starting with Verticillatae
and ends with Umbelliflorae. The first
family is Casuarinaceae and the last
one Cornaceae.

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17. Gamopetalae is subdivided into
3 series: Inferae, Heteromerae and
Bicarpellatae. It has 10 orders;
starts with Rubiales and ends with
Lamiales.
The first family is Caprifoliaceae and
the last one Plantaginaceae.
18. The family Curcurbitaceae
showing gamopetalous condition is
placed in the order Passiflorales
almost at the flag end of Polypetalae.
17. Sympetalae is subdivided into 11
orders;
start with Dispensiales and ends with
Campanulatae.
The first family is Diapensiaceae
and the last one Compositae.
18. Cucurbitacae has been elevated to
the rank of order Cucurbitales and
placed at the end of Sympetalae.

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19. The evolved family Compositae is
placed in the beginning of
Gamopetalae under Asterales.
20. The most advanced family
Orchidaceae is placed at the
beginning in the series Microspermae
21. Gramineae is considered as the
most advanced family; placed at the
end of monocots under the series
Glumaceae.
19. Compositae is palced at the end of
Dicotyledonae under the last order
Campanulatae of Sympetalae.
20. Orchidaceae is regarded as the most
advanced family. The family is placed at
the end of Monocots under the order
Microspermae.
21. Gramineae is not given proper place
under fourth order Glumiflorae of
Monocots in between Helobiales
and Princeps.

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22. Many closely related families were
kept apart, and unrelated distant families
were put together;
for example in dicotyledons the family
Euphorbiaceae is placed under
Monochlamydeae though it is related to
Malvaceae of the Polypetalae; In monocotyledons the primitive family
Hydro- charitaceae and the highly evolved
family Orchidaceae are placed together on
the basis of seed characters only, similarly
closely allied families Liliaceae and
Amaryllidaceae are placed apart from each
other.
22. On the assumption that in flowering
plants the absence of perianth is a
primitive features;
Hence families having perianthless
and unisexual flowers are regarded as
primitive and are placed
before the families having perianthed
and bisexual flowers.

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23. Defect with this system is the
retention in Monochlamydeae
a number of orders which show
affinities with biseriate perianth.
Among Monocots more emphasis
has been given to relative
position of ovary and the characters
of the perianth in determining the
affinities.
23. Defect with this system is that
Amentiferae are being regarded as most
primitive and precede such
petaliferous families as Ranunculaceae
and Mangoliaceae.
Amentiferae is not only an artificial
assemblage of several families, but they
are probably a reduced rather than
a primitive group as indicated
in systemEngler’s .

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