B. Sc.

Part I Botany, Sem-II, Paper – IV

UNIT-1 (a):- Introductory Taxonomy and ICBN

 Introduction:-
 Plant taxonomy is the term used for ‘Lawful arrangement’ or ‘arrangement by rules’.
 Plant taxonomy means classification of plants following certain rules or principles.
 The term ‘Plant taxonomy’ was initially used by A.P. de Candolle in 1813 and at that time, it had
restricted meaning as ‘ the theory of plant classification’
 The branch of taxonomy which deals with the identification, nomenclature and classification of
Angiosperms is called taxonomy of Angiosperms.
 The angiosermous plants are shows distinct diversity; for study of these plants there is necessary to
arrange them in groups of suitable sizes, with the help of some definite rules or plans or laws.
 Now days, taxonomy is considered as “a branch of plant science, which includes (i) the
Identification of plants (ii) their Nomenclature or Naming and (iii) their proper Classification.
 Classification of plants is a necessity to study the number of plants available in the world.
 Nowadays, ‘Plant Taxonomy’ is also called as ‘Systematic botany’.
 The term ‘Taxon’ is used in plant science for the first time in 1948 by H. J. Lam and was adopted
by International Botanical Congress (IBC) in 1950.
 Taxon means a category or group of any rank within the classification system.

 Functions of Taxonomy:-
The taxonomy is defined as ‘a branch of botany that deals with study of
Identification, Nomenclature and Classification of plants’. Thus the important functions of taxonomy
are Identification, Nomenclature and Classification of plants.
The classification of plants is not possible, unless they are properly identified
by observing the characters and they are named for the sake of convenience and for communication
of ideas about them.

1. Identification:-
 Identification is essential for any type of study of plants.
 Biologist must know what organism they are working on. If identification is wrong the value of
work is zero.
 Morphological characters observed in the all the part in the given species is sufficient for
identification.
 Identification is recognizing an unknown specimen with an already known taxon, and assigning
a correct rank and position in an extant classification.
 Identification is carried out by comparing unknown specimen with already identified and
preserved specimens stored in the herbarium.
 Generally, the identification is carried out by using flora; flora has proper keys, descriptions and
illustration of different species.
  Another method of identification is the specimens (photographs) may also send to an expert in
the field of identification of plants.
 When the morphological characters of the specimens which does not match with description
given in flora or in the preserved specimen, then the specimen is considered as new record.

2. Nomenclature:-
 ‘Nomenclature means naming the taxon correctly’.
 The term Nomenclature means determination of a correct name of an identified plant.
 Once the taxon is identified, it become necessary to scientific naming of plant.
 The naming of the plant must be as per rules of ‘International Code of Botanical Nomenclature
(ICBN)’.
 The nomenclature rules are framed by ‘International Botanical Congress.’
 If the taxon is new for plant kingdom, then new name will be given to that taxon and then it
added in to existing list of already known plants.

3. Binomial Nomenclature:-
 The plants are named different countries in different language, due to local names or common
names. To avoid this confusion the botanist given scientific names to all known plants i.e. only a
single name in all over the world.
 The standardized botanical names are in Latin language.
 The binomial nomenclature system is introduced by scientist Gaspard Bouhin.
 The Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus is regarded as the father of taxonomy, as he used
binomial nomenclature for naming organisms.
 According to binomial nomenclature every plant should name with two parts; first name is
generic (genus) name and second name is specific (species) name.
e.g. Rosa indica – (Rosa is genus, indica is species)
 To complete the name, the author’s name in abbreviated from should be added at the end.
e.g. Rosa indica L. (L. means it is abbreviated name of author of this plant i.e. Carl Linnaeus)
 All binomial names have to written according to rules of ICBN.
 Genus must begin with a capital letter while the specific epithet should begin with a small letter
and should be typed in italic typing font or underlined when written by hands.
4. Classification:-
 Classification is arrangement of plants in small or large groups on the basis of similar or
dissimilar characters.
 The ultimate objective of classification is to arrange plants in such a way as to give us an idea
about the sequence of their evolution from simpler to complex.
 The groups of plants are then arranged according to their levels into categories in a sequential
manner.
 When a group includes individuals with similar morphological characters it is named as
‘species’.
 Group of species is names as ‘Genus’
 Group of different genus are comes together and produce large group named as ‘Family’.
 Categories (groups) from a series with definite hierarchy.
 In classification system Division, Class, Order, Family etc. are the major categories placed at
higher level in classification because they include large no. of groups.
 In classification system Genus, species, Varieties are the minor categories placed at lower level
in classification because they include less no. of groups.
 There are basically three kinds of classification systems viz. artificial, natural and phylogenetic.
 Taxonomic ranks Example of taxon
Kingdom - Plantae
Division - Magnoliophyta
Class - Liliopsida
Order - Arecales
Family - Arecaceae
Genus - Cocos
Species - nucifera
 Salient features of International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN):-
 The plants are named different countries in different language, because of its local names or
common names. To avoid this confusion the botanist given scientific names to all known plants i.e.
only a single name in all over the world.
 The process of scientific naming is framed by International Code of Botanical Nomenclature
(ICBN). But, the now it is changed in to International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi
and plants (ICN).
 International Botanical Congress (IBC) is held at Melbourne in July 2011, where ICBN
becomes converted in to ICN.
 To make changes in the ICN after each six years an IBC held and all elected members (elected by
IBC) are cast their votes and propose a change.
 The important salient features of ICBN are as follows
 A) Principles, B) Rules and Recommendations C) Provision for modification of code.
A. Principles :-
1. Botanical Nomenclature is independent of zoological and bacteriological nomenclature.
2. The application of names of taxonomic group is determined by means of nomenclatural type i.e.
by type method.
a. Holotype : The specimen or element used by the author or designated by him as the
nomenclatural type.
b. Isotype : It is duplicate copy of the holotype. During collection several plant species are
collected. At that time one is selected as holotype and rest are considered as isotype.
c. Lectotype : It is a specimen selected by competent worker from original material when no
holotype was designated or missing.
d. Syntype : It is one of the specimens used by the author when no holotype was designated. A
syntype can be one of two or more specimens that were all designated as types.
e. Neotype : It is a specimen selected to serve as a nomenclatural type of the taxon, when all the
material on which taxon was based is lost or is missing.
f. Praratype : It is a specimen cited with original description other than holotype. It is other
than isotype or syntype.
3. The Nomenclature of a taxonomic group is based upon priority of publication.
4. Each taxonomic group with a position and rank can bear only one correct name, which is the
earliest and in accordance with the rules, except in specified cases.
5. Scientific names of plants are treated as Latin, irrespective of their origin.
6. The rules of nomenclature are retrospective unless, expressly limited.
B. Rules and Recommendations :-
1. All those plants which belong to one genus must be designated by the same generic name.
2. The person, who established a new genus, should give it a name.
3. Generic names which indicate essential characters or appearance of the plant are the best names.
 4. The generic names which are very long, unpleasant and difficult to pronounce must be avoided.
5. The specific name must distinguish the plant from all its relatives.
6. The size does not distinguish the species.
7. The original place of a plant does not give specific difference.
8. A generic name must be applied to each plant species.
9. The specific name should always follow the generic name.
10. The word ‘taxon’ has been introduced to signify ‘taxonomic group of any rank’. The rank of a
species is basic, single or group of species make a genus. The ascending order of taxa is species,
genus, family, order, class and division,
11. All generic names must begin with capital letter, shile the specific epithet should invariably
begin with a small letter and it should agree with the gender of the generic name.
12. The scientific name should always be in italics when printed and underlined when writen by
hands.
13. The name fof the family is a plural adjective used as a sustanative and it is formed by adding the
suffix- aceae to the stem of a legitimate name of an included genus e.g. Malvaceae from gnus
Malva, Rosaceae from genus Rosa.
14. Each taxonoic group with a particular positon and rank can bear only one correct name.
15. The publication is effecte only by distribution of printed matter to the botanical institutions,
libraries etc. i.e. publication in local newspaper cyclostyled matter etc. are not effective.
16. The name of the taxon must be accompanied by a Latin diagnosis.
17. Name of a taxon should be made accurate and complete. It is necessary to cite the name of the
author who first validly published the name conerned e.g. Hibiscu L.
18. A name must not be rejected, because it is inappropriate or disagreeable.
19. Superfluous name i.e. when same name already exists is to be rejected.
20. Homonym i.e. same name given to another taxon, is to be rejected.
21. If the name is not in accordance with the rules of botanical nomenclature, it is to be rejected.
22. If the specific name (epithet) repeats exactly the generic name i.e. tautonym it is to be rejected.
C. Provision of the Code :-
1. The code may be modified only by action of a plenary session of an IBC on a resolution moved
by the nomenclature section of that congress.
2. Any change in the code should be planned or designed to increase the stability of plant
nomenclature.
3. Every plant belongs to a species, every species belongs to genus, every genus belongs to a
family, every family belongs to an order, every order belongs to a class and every class belongs
to a division. This is called as taxonomic hierarchy.
4. The Latin form of name can be accepted as a scientific name.
5. The family names must be formed by combining a generic name with suffix-aceae, but there are
eight exceptional names universally used without suffix-aceae.
Gramineae- Poaceae
Palmatae- Arecaceae
Cruciferae- Brassicaceae
Leguminosae- Fabaceae
Guttiferae- Clusiaceae
Umbelliferae- Apiaceae
Labiatae- Lamiaceae
Compositae- Asteraceae
6. The name of the species is always a ‘binomial’ and such name be ended with abbreviated with
short form of author.