![Various forms of taxonomic literature incorporating description, illustrations, identification
keys, photographs etc. are useful for proper identification of unknown plants. Some of these
are among the oldest and most complicated literatures of science.
‘Shen-nung pen ts'ao ching’ (Divine Husbandman's Materia
Medica), i.e. the Materia Medica of the mythical emperor, Shen-
nung [c. 2696 BC] of China.
Theophrastus [370–285 BC], the ‘Father of Botany’, was a
student of Aristotle and Platon. He wrote a classification of all known
plants in his ‘De Historia Plantarum’, which contained 480 species.
Pedanius Diocorides [c. 40–90 AD],
the Greek physician, pharmacologist
and botanist in his ‘De Materia
Medica’, described about 600 species
of medicinal plants.
Some pre-Linnean
literature](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/3avishek-florarevisionmonograph-190920164406/85/Flora-Revision-and-Monograph-2-320.jpg)
![‘Colóquios dos simples e drogas he cousas
medicinais da Índia’ was published on 10 April
1563 (in Goa) by Garcia de Orta, a Portuguese
Jewish physician and naturalist, a pioneer of
tropical medicine.
Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Drakenstein
or Van Rheede [1636–1691], the then Dutch
Governor of Malabar, published ‘Hortus
Malabaricus’ (1678–1703) in 12-volumes
describing 740 plants of the region.
Charak, the great Indian medicine
man as back as in 125 AD,
described several plants (more
than 500) in his book - ‘Charak
Samhita’.
‘Thesaurus Zeylanicus’ is a book with
botanical descriptions and illustrations
by the Dutch
botanist and physician Johannes
Burman which was published in 1737.
One of the earliest authors was
Andrea Caesalpino [1519–
1603] in Italy, who is sometimes
called "the first taxonomist". In
1583 he wrote ‘De Plantis’, a
work that contained 1500
species.
Joseph Pitton de
Tournefort [1656–1708]
constructed a botanical
classification that came to
rule in botanical taxonomy
until the time of Carl
Linnaeus. In 1700 he
published ‘Institutiones Rei
Herbariae’, in which around
9000 species were listed in
698 genera. He is known as
the ‘Father of genus
concept’.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/3avishek-florarevisionmonograph-190920164406/85/Flora-Revision-and-Monograph-3-320.jpg)
![Some Linnean and post-Linnean
literature
Linnaeus published
‘Species Plantarum’, the
work which is now
internationally accepted as
the starting point (1753) of
modern botanical
nomenclature. The book
contains account of over
7,300 species.
‘Flora Lapponica’ is an account of the plants of Lapland
written by Carolus Linnæus [1107–1778] – ‘The Father of
Taxonomy’.
George Bentham
[1800–1884] wrote
‘Flora Hongkongensis’
(1861), ‘Flora
Australiensis’ (1863–
1878), ‘Revision of the
genus Cassia’ (1871)
etc.
William Roxburgh [1751–1815], considered as the ‘Father of Indian
Botany’ published ‘Plants of the Coast of Coromandel’ (1795–
1820), ‘Hortus Bengalensis’ (1814). Roxburgh’s ‘Flora Indica’ was
posthumously published first in 2 volumes (1820–1824) and later in 3
volumes (1832) with about 2600 species.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/3avishek-florarevisionmonograph-190920164406/85/Flora-Revision-and-Monograph-4-320.jpg)
Skip to main content
AB
Uploaded byAvishek Bhattacharjee
PPT, PDF15,625 views
Flora, Revision and Monograph
The document discusses the various forms of taxonomic literature essential for plant identification, including floras, revisions, and monographs, alongside historical contributions from significant botanists throughout history. It outlines methodologies for creating taxonomic accounts, emphasizes the importance of accurate citations, and mentions the role of herbaria in supporting research. Additionally, it distinguishes between different forms of taxonomic literature and provides guidelines for effective classification and description of plant taxa.
