What is Plant Taxonomy?

Plant Taxonomy is the branch of botany that identifies the noval or unknown plant species, classify them into various group on the basis of evolutionary relationship and similarities. Plant Taxonomy is also about describing them and provide a name that is known as nomenclature. Objective of plant taxonomy is to segregate and arrange them in similar group that shows relatedness on genetic level.

Also Read: Plant kingdom

Plant taxonomy classifies and provides the name to the new species at taxonomical level, which is written below.

• Kingdom: Different living beings are divided into different kingdoms based on certain characteristics. For instance, plants, fungi and animals. Kingdom classification is the highest rank in taxonomic category.
• Phylum: Phylum is situated below the kingdom classification and based on phylum plants are divided into 13 different phyla, which includes
  • Anthocerotophyta (Common name: Hornworts)
  • Bryophyta (Common name: Mosses)
  • Charophyta (Common name: Charophytes)
  • Chlorophyta (Common name: Chlorophytes)
  • Cycadophyta (Common name: cycada)
  • Ginkgophyta (Common name: Ginkgo, maidenhair tree)
  • Glaucophyta (Common name: Glaucophytes)
  • Gnetophyta (Common name: Gnetophytes)
  • Lycopodiophyta (Common name: Clubmosses, Spikemosses)
  • Magnoliophyta (Common name: Angiosperms)
  • Marchantiophyta (Common name: Liverworts)
  • Pinophyta ( Common name: Conifers)
  • Pteridophyta (Common name: Horsetails, ferns)

• Class/Order: It was first introduced by Joseph Pitton de Tournefort (French botanist) in 1684. It is situated below phyla and above order.
• Family: Those plants have similar characteristics are divided into families. Family of plants is recognised by the end letter of name. For instance, ceae at end of name may belong to family Proteaceae that include Protea, Leucospermum and Leucadendron.
• Genus: Genus is the first half of the scientific name of the plant and it always written in italics.
• Species,Subspecies and variety: Scientific name of the plant consists of genus at first and second half is species of the plant. Different species having same characteristics are situated into same species. Subspecies and varieties are variation within the species level. Such as Solanum melongena var. Arka harshita.

Plant taxonomy is the branch of science that deals with plant identification, name, classification, and description. Plant taxonomy is associated with plant systematics. Plant systematics is the study that evaluates the relationship between plants and their evolution at higher levels while plant taxonomy deals with handling specimens whether it is known or unknown species.