This document provides an overview of the history and importance of systematic botany. It discusses how systematic botany evolved from early classification attempts by ancient tribes and scholars like Aristotle and Theophrastus to the modern system developed by Carolus Linnaeus in the 18th century. Key developments include Linnaeus introducing the hierarchical classification system and binomial nomenclature, as well as contributions from Lamarck, Haeckel, Darwin, and others who advanced evolutionary understandings of classification. Systematic botany remains important for understanding biodiversity, evolution, and identifying important plant species.

1. WELCOME TO THE AMAZING
WORLD OF SYSTEMATIC BOTANY
DR. SUSHAMA RAJ R. V.
V.T.M. N.S.S COLLEGE
DHANUVACHAPURAM

2. SYSTEMATICS
Derived from the latinized Greek word“systema”.
Can be defined as “scientific study of the kinds,
diversity and interrelationships of organisms”.
It is the study of diversity and natural relationships of
organisms.
Carolus Linnaeus : Father of modern Taxonomy

3. IMPORTANCE
Presents a vivid picture on biodiversity.
Gives valuable information regarding phylogeny of
life, mechanism of organic evolution and role of
natural selection.
Reveals interrelationships among and between
different kinds of organisms.
Brings to light the evolutionary implications of

4. IMPORTANCE
Cont...
Provides convenient method for understand extinct
organisms.
Provides a simple universal system for identification
and classification of organisms and Biological
nomenclature..
Prepares an inventory of the flora and fauna.
Helps in study of economically important organisms

5. SYSTEMS OF CLASSIFICATION : Historical
Development
As ancient as human civilization.
Oldest discipline of plant science.
Tribes from India, China, Egypt and Babylonia –
knowledge about edible and medicinal plants.
“Brujos” tribe from tropical America – recognize 1000s of
valuable plants.

6. EARLY WORKS
Description about various plants in ancient literature from India.
Also seen classification of plants.
Aristotle (Father of Biological Classification):first serious attempt to
classify plants.
Theophrastus (Father of Botany) : 200 books- Description of plants in
“The Causes of Plants”, classification based on habit etc.
Pliny : Compiled “Historia Naturalis”, mostly devoted for medicinal
plants.

7. MIDDLE AGES : b/w 5th and 15th Centuries A.D.
Albert Magnus (De Vegetabilis) : Best remembered naturalist.
Otto Brunfels (Herbarium Vivae Eicones) : beginning of modern Taxonomy.
Jerome Bock (New Kreterbuch) : description of 567 species with habit based
grouping.
Leonhard Fuchs (De Historia Stirpium) : description of 487 species of
medicinal plants.
Jean Bauhin (Historia Plantarum Universalis): description of 5000 species.
Gaspard Bauhin (Phytopinax, Prodromus Theatri Botanici and Pinax
theatric Botanici)

8. PRE-LINNAEAN PERIOD
John ray (1627-1705) : British Naturalist.
 Introduced the term “species” in its modern sense.
 Classified plants into two such as “Herbae” and “Arborae”.
 Arborae was further classified into Monocotyledons and
Dicotyledons.
 Historia Generalis Plantarium – listed many 1000s of plants.
 Synopsis Methodica Animalium Quadrupedum et Serpentini Generis.
– Animal Classification.

9. LINNAEAN PERIOD
Swedish Naturalist Linnaeus (Karl von Linnae, 1707-1778).
 Father of Modern Taxonomy.
 Introduced hierarchial system of classification and Binomial system
of nomenclature.
Michael Adanson (1727 - 1806)
 Classification based on many characters.
 Later developed into numerical classification.

10. LINNAEAN PERIOD
Jean Baptiste de Lamarck (1744-1829).
 French naturalist and first to advance a scientific theory of organic
evolution.
 Arranged organisms from simple to complex groups on the belief
that complex organisms have evolved from simple one.
 Identification of plants.
 Presented different groups of animals in the form of a branching
group, making the beginning of the phylogeny in systematics.

11. POST-LINNAEAN PERIOD
Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919)
 Phylogenetic trees.
 Suggested Protista.
 Three kingdom classification
Charls Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace
 Independently postulated evolution and natural selection.
 Started phylogenitics.

12. POST-LINNAEAN PERIOD
Julian Huxley & Hubbs (1930) : Proposed “New Systematics”
Camp & Gilly (1943) : Introduced “Biosystematics”
Earnst Mayr (1942) : Modified species in to “group of interbreeding natural
populations”. This led to the emergence of “population taxonomy”.
Whittaker (1969) : Five Kingdom Classification.
R. T. Moore (1974) : introduced term “dominium”.
C. R. Woese and G. E. Fox : introduced “domain”.

13. THANK YOU