Introduction to Systematic Botany

Systematic Botany for B.Sc. Botany Students.

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 biodiversity.

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 and growth of applied biology.

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 5 th and 15 th 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 B auhin ( Historia Plantarum Universalis ): description of 5000 species. Gaspard Bauhin ( Phytopinax , Prodromus Theatri Botanici and P inax 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