Plant identification
Encyclopedia
Plant identification is the process of matching a specimen plant to a known taxon
. It uses various methods, most commonly dichotomous keys or multi-access key
s. The natural key systems use morphological characteristics that can be compared with known databases to achieve typically the plants' genus. Characteristics observed include general character,structures of stems, roots and leaves, embryology and flowers.
One of the most significant and useful systems known as Genera Plantarium was devised by George Bentham
(1800–1884) and Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
(1817–1911) who were British botanists working for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the latter part of the nineteenth century. They devised the system in a 3 volume work. In this they presented a formal system for describing plants, which considered species with similar characteristics. A total of 202 groups were described, which they called "orders" - now known as families. The system was renowned for being very practical and quite accurate at plant identification, but has been proven to have little relationship to plant evolutionary history or phylogeny. Plant taxonomy and its study by computer programme was first introduced by Morse (1974) and successful botanical dichotomous keys now use numerical computer systems.
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
. It uses various methods, most commonly dichotomous keys or multi-access key
Multi-access key
In biology or medicine, a multi-access key is an identification key which overcomes the problem of the more traditional single-access keys of requiring a fixed sequence of identification steps. A multi-access key enables the user to freely choose the set and characteristics that are convenient to...
s. The natural key systems use morphological characteristics that can be compared with known databases to achieve typically the plants' genus. Characteristics observed include general character,structures of stems, roots and leaves, embryology and flowers.
History
Plant identification has evolved over hundreds of years and depends to a large extent on what criteria and whose system is used. Plant identification implies comparisons of certain characteristics and then assigning a particular plant to a known taxonomic group, ultimately arriving at a species.One of the most significant and useful systems known as Genera Plantarium was devised by George Bentham
George Bentham
George Bentham CMG FRS was an English botanist, characterized by Duane Isely as "the premier systematic botanist of the nineteenth century".- Formative years :...
(1800–1884) and Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker
Joseph Dalton Hooker
Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker OM, GCSI, CB, MD, FRS was one of the greatest British botanists and explorers of the 19th century. Hooker was a founder of geographical botany, and Charles Darwin's closest friend...
(1817–1911) who were British botanists working for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the latter part of the nineteenth century. They devised the system in a 3 volume work. In this they presented a formal system for describing plants, which considered species with similar characteristics. A total of 202 groups were described, which they called "orders" - now known as families. The system was renowned for being very practical and quite accurate at plant identification, but has been proven to have little relationship to plant evolutionary history or phylogeny. Plant taxonomy and its study by computer programme was first introduced by Morse (1974) and successful botanical dichotomous keys now use numerical computer systems.
Taxonomy
This is the branch of botany which deals with plant identification, nomenclature and classification. The term, first coined by French botanist A. P. de Candolle (1813. Carolus Linnaeus,a Swedish botanist uses the term 'Systematics' which now includes identification, nomenclature and evolutionary relationships.- Alpha Taxonomy. Is the identification and classification of only morphological characters (Turill 1938)
- Beta Taxonomy involves not only gross morphological features but also genetic, anatomical, cytological, palynological (study of pollens and spores), physiological and other characters, grouped into the study of Biosystematics (Turill 1938)
- New systematics (Julian Huxley 1940) takes into consideration plant identification and grouping collected through multiple branches of science