Botany, branch of biology that deals with the study of plants, including their structure, properties, and biochemical processes. Also included are plant classification and the study of plant diseases and of interactions with the environment. The principles and findings of botany have provided the base for such applied sciences as agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.
The term ‘botany’ is derived from an adjective ‘botanic’ that is again derived from the Greek word ‘botane’. One who studies ‘botany’ is known as a ‘botanist’.
Botany is one of the world’s oldest natural sciences. Initially, Botany included all the plant-like organisms such as algae, lichens, ferns, fungi, mosses along with actual plants. Later on, it was observed that bacteria, algae and fungi belong to a different kingdom.
Plants are the major source of life on earth. They provide us with food, oxygen and a variety of raw materials for various industrial and domestic purposes. That is why humans have always been interested in plants since time immemorial.
While early humans depended on understanding the behavior of plants and their interactions with the environment, it was not until the ancient Greek civilization that the original founder of botany is credited with its beginnings. Theophrastus is the Greek philosopher who is credited with the founding of botany as well as the term for the field.
Topics covered in the are given below:
- Botany introduction
- Plant cell vs Animal cell
- Plant Tissue
- Stems
- Roots
- Soils
- Leaves
- Botany fruits, flower and seeds
- Water in plants
- Plant metabolism
- Growth and plant hormones
- Meiosis and alternation of generations
- Bryophytes
- Vascular plants: ferns and relatives
- Seed plants
Plants are an integral part of human life. They are used in various aspects of day to day lives. Botany studies the characteristics and uses of these plants and hence are very important.
The word botany comes from the adjective botanic, which in turn comes from the Ancient Greek word botane, referring to plants, grasses, and pastures. Botany also has other, more specific meanings; it can refer to the biology of a specific type of plants (e.g., the botany of flowering plants) or to the plant life of a certain area (e.g., the botany of the rainforest). One who studies botany is called a botanist.