Plant Systematics

Systematics is the study of diversity. In particular, it focuses on describing and classifying species. Recently, classifications following phylogenetic (evolutionary) relationships have been attempted. Plant systematics is a science that includes and encompasses traditional taxonomy; however, its primary goal is to reconstruct the evolutionary history of plant life. It divides plants into taxonomic groups, using morphological, anatomical, embryological, chromosomal and chemical data. However, the science differs from straight taxonomy in that it expects the plants to evolve, and documents that evolution. Determining phylogeny the evolutionary history of a particular group is the primary goal of systematics. The history of plant systematics—the biological classification of plants—stretches from the work of ancient Greek to modern evolutionary biologists. As a field of science, plant systematics came into being only slowly, early plant lore usually being treated as part of the study of medicine. Later, classification and description was driven by natural history and natural theology. The professionalization of botany in the 18th and 19th century marked a shift toward more holistic classification methods, eventually based on evolutionary relationships. The focus of the present book is consolidate the information on the principles of plant systematic, include detailed discussion on all major systems of classification, and significantly, also include discussion on the selected families of vascular plants, without sacrificing the discussion on basic principles.