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• The classification of organisms into respective groups has become an essential part of modern science
• Every day, modern-day biologists discover new species of organisms that require proper description, naming, and classification
• Taxonomy


  The classification of organisms into respective groups
• Taxonomy


  • Identification of unique/distinctive characteristics of a specific taxon relative to other taxa
  • Discussion of the historical timeline of the development of taxonomy as a field of science
  • Enumeration of significant taxonomists who contributed to the field and description of their contributions
• Functions of Taxonomy


  • Identification
  • Description
  • Classification
  • Nomenclature
• Taxonomic descriptions


  Can be based on morphology, behavior, and genetic data
• Plant habit


  An illustration of the plant's form, appearance, and morphology
• Nomenclature


  A set of rules that are followed in properly naming organisms
• Taxonomy


  Deals with the proper groupings of organisms based on their morphological, genetic, and evolutionary relatedness
• Systematics


  Takes taxonomy a step further by attempting to determine evolutionary relationships between organisms
• Shen Nong, an emperor from around 3000 BC, wrote one of the early written taxonomic accounts focused on medicinal plants
• Shen Nong


  Considered the father of Chinese medicine who documented and identified hundreds of medicinal herbs
• Shen Nong's work "Divine Husbandman's Materia Medica" documented a total of 365 medicines from identified plants and animals
• In the Middle East (1500 BC), early Egyptians created illustrations of medicinal plants that were hand-painted on the wall and provided local names
• Aristotle


  • Introduced the dichotomous concepts of taxonomy
  • Summarized his works in early taxonomy in the History of Animals where he classified organisms based on their similarities
  • Described the "ladder of nature" (Scala Naturae) where life forms can be ranked into an organized system
• Theophrastus


  • Described 48 species of plants that he grouped according to growth form in his work "De Historia Plantarum"
• Dioscorides


  • Described around 600 species and tried to classify plants based on their medicinal properties in his work "De Materia Medica"
• Plinius


  • Described plants and provided them with Latin names in his work "Naturalis Historia", several of which are still recognized today
• Caesalpino


  • Considered as the "the first taxonomist" who wrote "De Plantis" containing 1500 species of plants classified based on growth habit, fruit, and seed form
• Bauhin Brothers


  • Wrote "Pinax Theatri Botanici" in 1623 which recognized the concept of genera and species as major taxonomic levels
• John Ray


  • Established the concept of species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy and published "Methodus Plantarum Nova" identifying 18000 plant species
• Joseph Pitton de Tournefort


  • Published "Institutiones Rei Herbariae" containing around 9000 species from 698 genera, emphasizing classification of plants based on genera
• Carolus Linnaeus


  • Started the modern botanical and zoological taxonomy, earning him the moniker "Father of Taxonomy"
• Linnaeus' works and contributions

  • Systema Naturae
  • Species Plantarum
  • Binomial Nomenclature System
  • Documentation of Species
• Taxonomic descriptions can be based on morphology, behavior, and genetic data
• Taxonomy deals with the identification of organisms
• Carolus Linnaeus established the concept of species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy
• Scientist


  • Aristotle
  • Bauhin Brothers
  • John Ray
• Contribution


  • Aristotle's early classification system
  • Recognized the concept of genera and species
  • Established the concept of species as the ultimate unit of taxonomy
• Taxonomy is the science of classifying and naming organisms
• Taxonomy deals with the following functions: Identification of organisms, Naming of organisms, Classification of organisms
• Evidence of early taxonomy can be seen in China and Egypt, where early civilizations documented and identified medicinal plants
• Significant taxonomists who contributed major works in the development of the field

  • Aristotle
  • Theophrastus
  • Dioscorides
  • Plinius
  • Caesalpino
  • Bauhin Brothers
  • John Ray
  • Joseph Pitton de Tournefort
  • Carolus Linnaeus