Modern Methods In Plant Taxonomy

The science that finds, identifies, classifies, describes and names plants is called plant taxonomy. It is closely associated with plant systematics. Plant taxonomy facilitates an organized system for the cataloging and naming of specimens. Identification, classification and description are the main goals of plant taxonomy. Plant identification is a process of identifying an unknown plant by comparing it with previously collected specimens or through an identification manual. Plant classification is the practice of placing known plants into categories or groups to show some relationship. Giving a formal description of a newly discovered species usually in the form of a scientific paper using ICN guidelines is called plant description. This book provides significant information about this discipline to help develop a good understanding of plant taxonomy and related fields. Coherent flow of topics, student-friendly language and extensive use of examples make it an invaluable source of knowledge. This book will prove to be immensely beneficial to students and researchers in this field of study.

The basic aim of this manual is to provide useful resource materials for training young students and faculties working in the area of plant systematics. The manual provides updated information on basic as well as applied aspects of plant systematics on various groups of plants like Algae, Lichens, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms. 1 to 3 describe the various approaches and methods to study microbial and fungal diversity, which is basically a very useful precursor to the students and young researchers. 4 and 5 provide deals with the multi-dimensional approaches in Lichen systematics. The book progresses upwards through the plethora of information on the diversity and systematics of Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms ( 6-10). 11 to 15 contain on the plant methodological details identification, approaches and methods of Flora, revision, monograph and development of herbarium. This information is very important for the students and young faculties who intend to pursue their researches in plant taxonomy. 14 and 15 particularly provide all the relevant information on the International Code of Plant nomenclature including cultivated plants. These s per se are very significant for the amateur as well as serious readers of plant taxonomy. Plant taxonomy and biosystematics is a dynamic subject, as it derives information from various other disciplines like palynology, seed morphology, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, etc. We have, therefore, broaden the scope of this book by including the s on palynology, seed morphology, molecular systematics, biostatistics, ecological and remote sensing methods for diversity analyses, and pharmacognostical tools for identification of herbal drugs ( 16-22). The knowledge and information on these applied aspects of biology in relation to taxonomy will certainly infuse the interest in readers, who are pursuing plant taxonomy as their scientific pursuits. 23 and 24 describe the various methods of characterization and evaluation of ornamental and medicinal plants. The last (25) of the book provides the information about CSIR-NBRI Botanic Garden and its various repositories, which could be of great interest to the readers from the perspectives of plant conservation.