Chapter 1

PRINCIPLES OF
PLANT
CLASSIFICATION

AGR122
PLANT SCIENCE
OUTLINE:
 Plant taxonomy and importance of taxonomy
 Plant kingdom classification (Plantae); nomenclature
and classification; Angiosperm, gymnosperm
 Angiosperm classification and characteristics;
dicotyledonous and Monocotyledonous, Growth
types (Determinant, Indeterminant, Monocarpic,
Polycarpic, Annual, Biennial, Herbaceous Perennial,
Woody Perennial)
 Classification hierarchy: kingdom, phylum/division,
class, order, family, genus, species
At the end of this topic, the student should
be able to:
1. DESCRIBE binomial system of nomenclature
by using specific examples

2. CLASSIFY an organism in domain, kingdom,

phylum, class order, family, genus and
species

3. DESCRIBE the two major plant classes

PLANT TAXONOMY: DEFINITION & BACKGROUND
 Taxonomy is a science that deals with naming, describing and classification of all living
organisms including plants.
 Classification is systematic grouping organism based on behavioral, genetic and
biochemical variations.
 Organisms are classified into similar categories namely kingdom, phylum, class, order,
family, genus and species.
 The organisms are classified by biologist into taxa (singular, taxon).

 Taxa = the name for one category or group of organism at one level or rank in the
taxonomic hierarchy scheme
 Taxonomy began about 300 years B.C by Theophratus (370-285 B.C)

 He classified plants by their texture or form (herbs, shrubs, trees, annual, biennial,
perennial) = Father of botany
 Carolus Linneaus (1707-1778) is the founder of taxonomy (father of taxonomy) till today.

 He devised a system of categorizing plants that led to the modern taxonomy or

nomenclature of plants.
 He is the one who developed a procedure to name and organize species.
TAXONOMIC COMPONENTS
1. Classification: Plants are arranged into groups of similar
characteristics. The groups are considered as categories or taxa
and form the taxonomic system.

2. Identification: To identify and derive the name of an organism by

referring to an existing classification.

3. Nomenclature: To provide a scientific name to an organism.

4. Description: To describe the characteristics of a taxon e.g. a

family.
PLANT TAXONOMY
 Plant taxonomy is the science that finds, identifies, describes, classifies, and
names plants.
 Plant taxonomy is closely allied to plant systematics

 "Plant systematics" involves relationships between plants and their evolution,

especially at the higher levels,
 "plant taxonomy" deals with the actual handling of plant specimens.

 Three goals of plant taxonomy are:

1. Plant identification = the determination of the identity of an unknown plant
by comparison with previously collected specimens or with the aid of
books or identification manuals. The process of identification connects the
specimen with a published name. Once a plant specimen has been
identified, its name and properties are known.
2. Plant classification = the placing of known plants into groups or categories
to show some relationship. Scientific classification follows a system of rules
that standardizes the results, and groups successive categories into
a hierarchy (taxonomic hierarchy)
3. Plant description = a formal description of a newly discovered species,
usually in the form of a scientific paper using ICN guidelines. The names of
these plants are then registered on the International Plant Names
Index along with all other validly published names.
IMPORTANCE OF TAXONOMY
1. To arrange elements or taxa of plants into a more systematic manner so
that they can be better understood and could be used easily and more
effectively.
2. Give the universal name (scientific name) to the organism/plants

3. To manage and arrange data or information and knowledge about plants.

4. Support the organic evolution theory where the biologist can find the
natural connection among the organism
5. Study other field/ area such as morphology, anatomy and physiology

6. Find the connection between individuals and the individual with the
environment efficiently and systematic
7. Able to distinguish between beneficial and harmful varieties

8. Develop strategies for protection and conservation of endangered

species.
9. To indicate the source and genetic relationship (phylogenetic), ancestry
and origin of plants.
10. To indicate the distribution and habitat of plants on earth and their
benefits.
 TAXONOMIC HIERARCHY
KINGDOM • The highest level in a classification/taxonomic

•A group of organisms constructed on similar plan and thought to be evolutionary

related
DIVISION /PHYLUM •Based on similarities characteristics observed on a few elements or organs and
several other morphological and anatomical characteristics (hereditary
characteristics)

• A group of related order

CLASS • Separation is based on important basic differences that exist
between the groups

• Separation is based on a more convincing genetic relationship

ORDER
which earlier had been detected at the class and division level

• Based on more characteristics compared to order, class and division eg:

FAMILY morphological characteristics or reproductive organs) comprising several
to many genera

•A class kind or group marked by common characteristics or by one common

characteristics
GENUS •Involves more similarities characteristics including a closer family relationship
•Phylogenetically, new genus arises and separates from the same parental origin

• A category of biological classification ranking immediately

SPECIES
below the genus or subgenus
TAXONOMIC HIERARCHY
TAXONOMIC HIERARCHY
PLANT KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION
• Plantae is the plant kingdom which includes all plants on the earth.
• They are multicellular eukaryotes.
• consist of a rigid structure that surrounds the cell membrane called the cell
wall.
• have a green coloured pigment called chlorophyll (photosynthesis).
• they have an autotrophic mode of nutrition.
• Level of classification is based on the following three criteria:
1. Plant body – whether the body has well-differentiated structures or not.
2. Vascular system - whether the plant has vascular system for
transportation of substances or not
3. Seed formation – whether the plant bears flowers and seeds or not; if it
does, then whether it is enclosed within fruits or not.
• Considering all these factors, the plant kingdom has been divided into five
subgroups:
a. Thallophyta – Algae (aquatic)
b. Bryophyta - Mosses and Marchantia
c. Pteridophyta - Ferns, horsetails, Marsilea
d. Gymnosperms - Pines, deodar, redwood,
e. Angiosperms - flowering plants
PLANT KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION
PLANT KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION:

 Gymnosperms are plants that have

well-differentiated plant body,
vascular system and they bear
seeds.
 The term is derived from Greek
words, gymno: naked and sperma:
seed.
 The seeds of gymnosperms are
naked which means they are not
enclosed within a fruit.
 The perennial, evergreen woody
trees belong to this group.
 Pines, deodar, redwood, etc. are few
examples.
PLANT KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION:
ANGIOSPERMS
 Angiosperms are also seed-bearing plants with well-
differentiated plant body.
 The word is derived from Greek
words: angio: covered and sperma: seed.
 Seeds of angiosperms are enclosed inside the fruits.

 Angiosperms are commonly known as flowering

plants.
 Examples include the Mango tree, pomegranate
plant, etc.
 Seeds germinate from embryonic leaves called
cotyledons.
 Depending on the number of cotyledons present in
seeds, angiosperms are divided into two:
1. monocotyledons (or) monocots
2. dicotyledons (or) dicots.
 PLANT KINGDOM: PLANTAE
 The important phylum is
Angiospermatophyta
 Are divided into 2 main classes:
 Monocotleyledon
 Dicotyledon

 The main characteristics of

Angiospermatophyta:
* Flowering and fruiting
* Seed produced in ovary that develop to
fruit
* Complex vascular tissue (xylem and
phloem)
PLANT KINGDOM CLASSIFICATION
ANGIOSPERM CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION
 Angiosperm is the most- important subgroup of plants, whose seeds are
coated and developed in an organ or ovary.
 Our major food, fibre, spice and beverage crops are flowering plants
(angiosperms).
 Also used as medicinal plants and the respondent flavour species, latex
products like rubber etc.
 These plants are also utilized in making perfumes, soaps and cosmetics
from their oils.
 Characteristics:
 The reproductive organ is flower and double fertilization takes place.
 Are saprophytic, symbiotic and parasitic. Some are autotrophic also.
 Normally appear on land but few are aquatic.
 The vascular tissues are extremely well developed.
 Angiosperm is classified into two categories:
1. Monocotyledonous
2. Dicotyledonous
ANGIOSPERM CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION:
DICOTYLEDONOUS
 These plants have two seed leaves.

 Have veins forming a network in their

leaves.
 Roots well developed – tap root

 Almost have all the hardwood tree species,

pulses, fruits, vegetables etc.
 Examples: Pea, potato, sunflower, rose,
banyan, apple, neem etc.
 Characteristics:
 seed have two cotyledons.
 In the vascular part cambium exists.
 The flower of the plant has multiples of
four or five petals.
 These dicots plants have secondary
growth.
ANGIOSPERM CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION:
MONOCOTYLEDONOUS
 Leaves of these plants are much longer rather than broad.

 Stems of monocot lack cambium and hence they increase

little in girth except palm tree.
 Examples: Maize, wheat, rice, onion, sugarcane, barley,
banana, coconut etc.
 Characteristics:
 In the seed of these plants one cotyledon is found.
 Their leaves have parallel venation.
 The roots of these plants are not developed – fibrous
root
 The flowers are trimerous i.e have three or multiple of
three petals.
 In the vascular part, cambium doesn’t exist.
 Vascular bundles are scattered throughout the cross
section of the stem;
 Secondary growth from a vascular cambium is absent
 Pollen grains have one opening.
 Examples: grasses, lilies, greenbriars, palms, yuccas,
and sedges.
MONOCOT VS DICOT/EUDICOT
ANGIOSPERM CLASSIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION:
GROWTH TYPES
 The evergreens are plants that retain living leaves at all times (all year round).
 Woody plants can also be grouped as deciduous or evergreen.
 Deciduous plants are those without leave during winter in temperate climate or
during the dry season in the tropical climate.
 Indeterminate growth is growth that is not terminated
 Determinate growth is the growth stops once a genetically pre-determined structure
has completely formed.
 A plant that grows and produces flowers and fruit until die is called indeterminate.
 Monocarpic plants are those that flower, set seeds and then die
 Polycarpic plants are those that flower and set seeds many times before dying.

Annuals
 These are plants that complete their life cycle, seed – plant – seed during a single
season. They are normally herbaceous.

Biennials
 These are plants that require two years to complete their life cycle. They are normally
herbaceous.

Perennials
 These plants that are long lived, more than two years and are usually woody or
herbaceous.
NOMENCLATURE SYSTEM
 Nomenclature : Nomen = name and calare = to call by name

 Is a system of giving names to living organisms OR the naming of

organisms and the taxa to which they belong
 It functions to provide labels (names) for all taxa at levels in the hierarchy
of life
 Also refers to the correct usage of scientific names used in taxonomy.

 It is based on the: Binomial system/ Binomial nomenclature/ Linnaeus

system/ Biological nomenclature
 Nomenclature is important in order to provide the correct name for a plant

 The naming activity is under the control of the “International Codes of

Botanical Nomenclature” (ICBN) published by the “International
Association of Plant Taxonomy” (IAPT)
 The codes are revised at every “International Botanical Congress”
 NOMENCLATURE SYSTEM
 There are no fixed rules for naming taxa other than genera and
species, certain conventions are followed.
 These rules are not fixed and have many exceptions:
1. The phylum/division name for plants usually ends with ‘phyta’
2. The order name for plants usually ends with ‘ales’
3. The family name for plants ends with ‘ceae’
4. The order name for insects usually ends with ‘tera’
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
 Linnaeus developed a two-word naming system called
binomial nomenclature
 There is a standard system of naming species by giving two
part names
 In the binomial nomenclature system, each species is assigned
a two-part scientific name
 The scientific name is always written in italics or underline
 The first name is the generic name which is called the genus
(genera) and it has an initial CAPITAL letters.
 The second name is the specific name, the species and it has an
initial small letters.
BINOMIAL NOMENCLATURE
 Both the genus and species name are written in Latin because that was the language used
by scientists during Linnaeus’s time
 The third elements in the binomial nomenclature is the name of the person who formally
gave the name
 Oryza sativa L. , Oryza sativa Linn. (Binomial)

 Oryza sativa subsp. indica (Trinomial)

 Bupleurum falcatum ssp. eufalcatum var. hoffmeisteri (Quadrinomial)

 Cultivar taxonomic category:

 Oryza sativa cv. Mat candu
 Oryza cv Mat candu
 Padi kv Mat candu

 For species that have been named earlier it is adequate to name the species from then on
using only the first letter of the generic name: Solanum melongena, S. melongena
 For specific name consisting two words, a hyphen is needed between the two words:
Hibiscus rosa-sinenesis
 If the specific name is not known: Rosa sp. or Rosa spp. (if many species)

 Scientific name in capital letters and italised is also accepted: CARICA PAPAYA, HEVEA
BRASILIENSIS