Taxonomy and Systematic Botany

Taxonomy and Systematic Botany

Plants are the prime companions of human beings in this universe. Plants are the source of food, energy, shelter, clothing, drugs, beverages, oxygen and the aesthetic environment. Taxonomic activity of human is not restricted to living organisms alone. Human beings learn to identify, describe, name and classify food, clothes, books, games, vehicles and other objects that they come across in their life. Every human being thus is a taxonomist from the cradle to the grave.

Taxonomy has witnessed various phases in its early history to the present day modernization. The need for knowledge on plants had been realized since human existence, a man started utilizing plants for food, shelter and as curative agent for ailments.

Theophrastus (372 – 287 BC), the Greek Philosopher known as “Father of Botany”. He named and described some 500 plants in his “De Historia Plantarum”. Later Dioscorides (62 – 127 AD), Greek physician, described and illustrated in his famous “Materia medica” and described about 600 medicinal plants. From 16th century onwards Europe has witnessed a major developments in the field of Taxonomy. Some of the key contributors include Andrea Caesalpino, John Ray, Tournefort, Jean Bauhin and Gaspard Bauhin. Linnaeus ‘Species Plantarum' (1753) laid strong foundation for the binomial nomenclature.

Taxonomy is no more classical morphology based discipline but become a dynamic and transdisciplinary subject, making use of many branches of botany such as Cell Biology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Ecology, Pharmacology and also Modern Biotechnology, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics. It helps to understand biodiversity, wildlife, forest management of natural resources for sustainable use of plants and eco restoration.

Differences between Taxonomy and Systematics