TYPES OF CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
These include artificial system, natural system and phylogenetic system of
classification.
The various systems used in classification of plants are being discussed here
1. Artificial System of Classification
This system is based on comparison of one or a few gross superficial
morphological characteristics, which are helpful in easy identification of
organisms. This system remained in use for about two thousand years.
Advantages
Advantages of artificial system are given below
(i) Artificial system is easy to remember as only one or few characters are used.
(ii) The traits used are of interest to humans.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of artificial system arc given below
(i) This system uses only few superficial characters (i.e.,
habits. numbers, colours and shapes of leaves, etc.) which
may very common in many organisms grouped together.
(ii) They considered mainly the vegetative characters or the
androecium characters as given by Linnaeus.
(iii) It does not demonstrate natural and phylogenetic
relationships.
(iv) This gave equal weightage to vegetative and
reproductive/sexual characters which is not acceptable as
vegetative characters get more easily influenced by the
environmental factors.
(v) It separated the closely related species.
2. Natural System of Classification
It is also known as phenetic system of classification. The natural
svstem ot- classification is based on natural affinities among the
organisms, It considers both external and internal features like
structure, anatomv, embryology and phytochemistry. This
classification was given by George Bentham and Joseph Dalton
Hooker.
Advantages
Advantages of natural system are given below
(i) Only related organisms are kept in a group.
(ii) Unrelated organisms arc kept in separate groups.
(iii) It shows natural relationships among the organisms.
(iv) It shows possible origin of different taxa.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of natural system arc given below
(i) There is more emphasis given on natural character-
In this svstem, several related families are separated and
unrelated families are put together.
(iii) Evolutionary basis of organ’s as organisms are neglected.

3. Phylogenetic System of Classification
The phylogenetic system of classification indicates the
evolutionary as well as genetic relationships among
orgamstns. This system is based on fossil records of
biochemical, anatomical, morphological, physiological,
embryological and genetical studies,
Thc system was initiated by Engler and Prantl
(1887-1899) in Die Naturalichen Pflanzefamilien. In
phylogenetic svstem, flowering plants are placed in
ascending series related to complexitv of floral
morphology. The phylogenetic svstem of classification
are mainly the rearrangement of taxonomic characters
in the light of phylogenetic information of plants.
Advantages
Advantages of phylogcnetic system are given below
(i) Famihes and order in (his system are of small
(ii) This system is in conformation with the modern
views of phylogeny.
(iii) They use information from various resources to
problcrns
of
classification.
Such
informations become more important in the
absence of supporting fossil evidences.
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of phylogenetic system is that, this is not helpful in plant helpful in plant identification as plants are identified mainly on
morphological characters.
An overview of the classification of kingdom Plantae is demonstrated here in the flowchart.