Question

history of plant taxonomy in india

Answer 1

The following points highlight the five periods in the history of plant classification in India. The periods are: 1. Rig Veda Period 2. The Greek Period 3. The Roman Period 4. The Dark Age, Herbals and the Transition Period 5. Modern Period.

Period # 1. Rig Veda Period:

According to Majumdar history of botany and plant taxonomy in India can be traced back to the period of Rig Veda 3000 B.C. (and earlier) and later Hindu literature including Manu, Agnipurana, Vrikshayarveda etc. A broad classification of plants into trees, shrubs, herbs and creepers is to be found in the mantras (hymns) of Rig Veda.

Plants were further classified into those that produced fruits and flowers and those without fruits and flowers. Thus as early as 3000 B.C. we come across a classification approaching Phanerogamia and Cryptogamia of Eichler. Manu classified the plants more distinctly.

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They are:

1. Oshadhis – annual plants.

2. Vanaspatis – trees bearing fruits without evident flowers.

3. Vrikshas – trees bearing flowers and fruits.

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4. Guccha – bushy or shrubby plants.

5. Gulmas – succulent shrubs.

6. Trinas – grasses.

7. Pratnas – procumbent and decumbent herbs.

8. Vallis – twiners.

Charaka in his Charak-Samhita also gives a classification similar to the above. Susruta also follows a similar pattern. Apart from the above, the ancient Indians also classified plants according to their medicinal properties and dietic properties e.g. the ayurvedic systems of Charaka, Susruta and others.

Susruta classified medicinal plants under thirty seven ganas or sections. Plant classification, based upon their dietic properties was also attempted by Charaka and Susruta.

Regarding the system of nomenclature the ancient Indian system adopted double names – one based upon external features and the other based upon some special medicinal, dietic or other properties. This system of double naming is of course not synonymous with the binomial system devised by Linnaeus.

Period # 2. The Greek Period:

Theophrastus (370-287 B.C.) was a student and contemporary of Aristotle and was particularly interested in plants. His work is entitled De Historia Plantarum in which he described about 480 kinds of plants and divided them primarily on the basis of habit into trees, undershrub’s, herbs, cultivated and wild plants. Theophrastus followed the Platonic method of logical division i.e. any given object is either A or not A.

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His main point of enquiry was: what is the essential nature? What is its difference. After Theophrastus we do not get any notable name in the field of botany or as a matter of fact in any of the branches of science. It seems the Greek civilization degenerated and died out towards the beginning of the Christian era.

Period # 3. The Roman Period:

With the advent of the Roman civilization we come across certain important works towards plant classification.

Pliny the Elder (23-79 A.D.) He was a Roman naturalist and mentioned nearly a thousand plants in his “Historical Naturalis”. This is a series of 37 books dealing with plants on the basis of medicinal properties, timber and practices of horticulture.

Dioscorides (first century A.D.) was a physician of Rome and worked in the military of Emperor Nero.

He complied De Materia medica in which he described about 600 species and gave their accounts and practical uses. The book included perfumes, oils, spices, cereals, condiments, wines etc. He even got the idea of groups such as the Labiates and Umbellifers. The book was documented with original illustrations increasing its value and usefulness greatly.

Period # 4. The Dark Age, Herbals and the Transition Period:

During the middle age a dark period descended over Europe and there was no significant botanical work. Most workers copied the work of Dioscorides without much addition. Wood cut of plants were prepared for illustrating them. Such were the herbals and included Albertus Magnus, Brunfels, Boc

Answer 2

Vamaspatis is a answer I think