PLANT AND ANIMAL TAXONOMY

TOPIC: INTRODUCTION TO PLANT TAXONOMY

MR. AJIPE JOHN OLAOLU

ND II SLT (P/T)

DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY,

SCHOOL OF SCIENCE,

YABA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

YABA, LAGOS.
 OUTLINE
• The concept of Taxonomy.
• The aims of Taxonomy.
• Challenges of Taxonomy.
• The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy.
• Classification of plants.
• Conclusion and Questions.
 The concept of Taxonomy.
• Taxonomy refers to the scientific disciple which deals with the study and description of the
variations of organisms, the investigation of the causes and the consequences of the variation
and the manipulation of data obtained to produce a system of classification.
• It is the study of the organisation of organisms according to their differences and similarities.
• The diversity of living organisms in the world makes pertinent to recognize and classify them
into easily comprehensible groups, based on the similarities and differences.
• Taxonomic practice thus involves the organisation of the variety of plants and animals in an
ordered manner.
• Taxonomy and systematics has been ascribed synonyms, but the fact is that whereas
taxonomy is synthetic, the various lines of evidence that constitute it are known as systemic
lines of evidence from micromorphology, macromorphology, histochemistry, cytology etc,
are hybridized to produce an acceptable taxonomic scheme.
• Therefore, taxonomy is a scientific study aimed at producing a system of classification of
biological organisms based on the totality of their co-relative continuities and discontinuities.
 The concept of Taxonomy, cont’d
• Taxonomy is basic to other sciences and at the same time, dependent on them.
• It synthesis and obtains information from various fields of science – anatomy,
cytology, chemistry, physiology, biochemistry, etc.
• The information enable it to achieve a classification that as much as possible
expresses the naturalness of plants, reflecting the similarities and differences.
• Biological classification is essential because biologists as well as others need
to have a reference system for the plants they work with.
• These work with named entities as a reference point and in which a lot of
assumptions are based.
• Hence it is important that the taxonomist classifies plants in most generally
useful manner, because a sound classification and the information that go
with it can suggest a host of fundamental biological problems that deserve
investigation by biologists in numerous fields.
 The aims of Taxonomy.
• Taxonomists aimed at
• Providing a convenient method of classification and communication.
• Providing a classification which as far as possible expresses the
natural relationships and the organisms and
• Detecting evolution at work, discovering its processes and interpreting
it results.
• Taxonomy is functionally referred to as the science that includes
identification, nomenclature and classification of biological objects.
 Challenges of Taxonomy.

• The great challenge today is how to preserve the plant life of the world.
• We need to learn more about these organisms which are basic to our survival, and
how to store and retrieve the vast amount of information on plants for man’s use.
• It is the primary duty, and one of the major problems, of the taxonomist to
incorporate this body of knowledge into the taxonomy of plants so that this
storehouse or data bank of information and classification can be efficiently and
effectively used.
 The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy.
• Taxonomy is functionally referred to as the science that includes
identification, nomenclature and classification of biological objects.
Identification.
• Identification refers to the determination of a taxon based on continuous
co-relative character with another and already known organism.
• It is the determination that a plant belongs to a particular group that has
been a-prior determined or assigning a plant to a particular taxonomic
group – ultimately to the species.
• The exercise may be accomplished with the aid of a literature or by
comparism with any organism of known identity, in a case, where the type
species has not made appearance in scientific literature.
• No name is needed in identification process.
 The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy, cont’d
Nomenclature.
• Nomenclature is the study of the system and methods of naming organisms and the
construction, interpretation and application of the regulations governing this system as
contained in the international code of nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN).
• The international code of nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants recognized only a
single valid name (binomial) for each species.
• The nomenclatural code established the procedure and the system to be adopted for
determination of the valid name to be ascribed to a particular plant specimen.
• The nomenclature scheme universally adopted for naming plant is Binomial system.
• In this system, each plant species is given two names: the generic name and the specific
epithet.
• The generic name constitutes the genus to which it belongs.
• The first letter of the word is always written in capital letter. The specific name then
follows in small letter for example, Zea mays.
The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy, cont’d
The international code of nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN).
• It is a set of rules and recommendations dealing with the formal botanical names that are given to
plants, fungi, and a few other groups of organisms “all those traditionally treated as algae, fungi or
plants.”
• It was formerly called International code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN). The name was
changed at the international Botanical congress in Melbourne, Austria, in July 2011, as part of the
Melbourne code which replaces the Vienna, Austria code of 2005.
• Generic and specific names are usually printed in italic, but where it is not possible they are written
ordinarily and underlined but when they appear as a tittle of a paragraph or in a list, they are
written like ordinary words.
• The normal practice in taxonomic operation is to insight the authority after the specific name
before comma or full stop. For example, Voacanga african Stapt.
• The twelve ranks of hierarchical taxonomic units recognized by the International code of
Nomenclature for algae, fungi and plants (ICN) are:
• Kingdom, Division, Class, Order, Family, Tribe, Genus, Section, Series, Species, Varieties and
Forms.
 The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy, cont’d
The characteristic ending of some of the units.
S/N Taxon Plant Fungi Algae
1 Division phyta mycota phyta
2 Sub-division phytina mycotina
3 Class opsida mycetes phyceae
4 Sub-class idea mycetedae phycidae
5 Order ales
6 Sub-order ineae
7 Family aceae
8 Sub-family oideae
9 Tribe eae
10 Sub-tribe inae
The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy, cont’d
Classification.
• Classification is the ordering of plants into a hierarchy of classes.
• It is the ordering of organisms into groups (or sets) on the basis of
their relationship, that is, of their associations, contiguity, similarity, or
all of these.
• Classification is the production of a logical system of categories each
containing any number of organisms, with shared characteristics
which allows easier reference to its components.
• It is the placing of organisms (plant) or group of organisms (plants) in
groups or categories according to a particular plan or system an in
consonance with a nomenclatural system.
 The basic terms in Plant Taxonomy, cont’d
Types of classification.
Artificial classification.
• A strictly utilitarian system based on habit, colour, form or
other characters of a singular type.
Natural classification.
• A system based on form relationships.
Phylogenetic classification.
• A system supposedly based on racial history relationships; one
presumably based on common evolutionary descent.
 Classification of plants.
Plants are classified into two major groups.
• Cryptogamic or lower plants.
• Phanerogamic or higher plants.
Cryptogams.
• They are also referred to as the lower plants.
• They are the non-flowering plants, they do not produce
flower, fruits and seed.
• Examples include Bacteria, algae, fungi, mosses and
liverworts (Bryophytes), Pteridophytes.
 Classification of plants, cont’d
Phanerogams.
• The Phanerogams or the Spermatophytes are the flowering plants.
• They are the seed or the seed bearing plants.
• Examples includes mango, pawpaw etc.
• They are further divided into two; Gymnosperms and the Angiosperms.
• These two groups differ in their reproductive morphology.
• However, they have similar vegetative morphology consisting of leaves, stems and
roots
Gymnosperms.
• They produce cones and naked seeds.
Angiosperms.
• They produce flowers, fruits and protected seeds.
Classification of plants, cont’d
Classification of plants, cont’d
 Conclusion and Questions.
•What have you been able to learn or gain
from this topic; Introduction to
taxonomy?
•What are your conclusions?
•Are there questions?
•Thanks for your participation!
•See you in the next class.