General Botany
INTRODUCTIONTO GENERALBOTANY
What is Botany?
•
study of plants
•
from the greek
word “
botanikos
” or“
botane
”
-
“plant or herb”or
from theF
rench word “
botanique
” –
botanical
•
It is concerned with the scientific studyof plants including their physiology,structure, genetics, ecology, distribution,classification, and economic importance.
•
Botanists
–
scientists who study plants
Theophrastus (370-285 BC)
• Theophrastus, a student of Aristotle•
Father of Botany
•
Enquiry into Plants -includes muchinformation about pharmacologicallyactive plants
•
Causes of Plants
A bit of history…
WHAT IS A PLANT?
General characteristics:
•
Eukaryotic cells
•
Autotrophic and multicellular
•
Cell walls contain cellulose
•
Alternation of generation
•
Embryonic development
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Five Characteristics Unique to Land Plants
•
Apical meristem
–
localized regions of active cell division in rootsand shoots
•
Embryophtes
–
multicellular dependent embryos
•
Alternation of Generations-diploid and haploid stages
•
Walled spores produced in sporangia
•
Multicellular reproductive structures
–
antheridia and archegonia
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FIELDS OFBOT NY
Jeanette Mara Tan, MSc
Bryology
-study of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts
Arboriculture
Itdealswiththestudyofpropagationoftrees.
Dendrology -
It deals with the study of woody plantssuch as shrubs and trees.
Ethnobotany -
deals with plants and their relationshipwith humans.
Mycology
-study of fungi
Economic Botany -
It is the branch of botany thatdeals with the economic uses of plants and plantproducts.
Phycology
-study of algae
Horticulture-
study of Cultivation ofplants.
Lichenology -
study of lichens.
Palynology -
It is the study of pollen grainsand spores.
Pteridology-
It is the study of ferns.
Plant Anatomy -
This subject deals withthe study of structural properties ofplants.
Plant Physiology -
It is the branch of botany thatdeals with the study of plant processes andfunctions.
Paleobotany
-deals with the study of plantfossils
Plant Biotechnology-
It deals withthe application of plants and plantproducts for human welfare.
Plant Biochemistry-
It is thebranch of botany that dealswith the chemical processesand molecules involved inplants.
Plant Genetics
Itdealswiththestudyof genesandgeneticinheritanceinplants.
Plant Pathology
Itdealswiththestudyof diseasesinplants.
Plant Taxonomy
Itdealswiththeclassificationandnamingofplants.
Plant Morphology
–
study ofthe form and structure ofplants.
Plant breeding
-Branch of botanydealing with the development ofimprovedvarieties of plants.
Plant Ecology
Itdealswiththestudyof environmentanditsrelationshipwithplants.
Branches allied to botany
Pharmacognosy -
Is the branch of sciencedealing with the medicinal drugs fromplants and other natural sources
Agronomy and crop science
-agricultural science dealing withfield crop production and soilmanagement.
Horticulture
-Is thescience whichdeals with garden crops, generallyfruits, vegetables, and ornamentalplants..