Adolph Engler and Karl A Prantl The publication

Adolph Engler and Karl A Prantl • The publication of The Origin of species by Charles Darwin, 1859 revolutionized biological thinking. The species was no longer regarded as a fixed entity having remained unchanged since its creation. Species were now looked upon as systems of populations, which are dynamic and change with time to give rise to lineages of closely-related organisms. Once the existence of this evolutionary process was acknowledged, the systems of natural classifications were found to be inadequate and classifications, which made an attempt to reconstruct evolutionary sequence, were proposed. These systems of classification came to be known as phylogenetic system of classifications. • A system of classification of the entire plant kingdom, proposed jointly by two German botanists: Adolph Engler and Karl A. E. Prantl. The classification was published in a monumental work Die Natürlichen pflanzenfamilien in 23 volumes. • The system provided classification and description down to the genus level, incorporating information on morphology, anatomy and geography. • In this scheme of classification, the plant kingdom was divided into 13 divisions of which the first 11 dealt with Thallophytes, the 12 th Embryophyta Asiphonogama (embryo formed, no pollen tube) included Bryophytes and Pteridophytes. The 13 th and last division Embryophyta Siphonogama (embryo formed, pollen tube developing) included seed plants. • Division Embryophyta Siphonogama is divided into two Sub-divisions, Gymnospermae and Angiospermae was divided into two Classes Monocotyledonae and Dicotyledonae was divided into Subclasses were divided into Orders, Suborders, Families, Genera and finally into species.

Adolph Engler and Karl A Prantl Classification Plant Kingdom Division 12. Embryophyta Asiphonogama Division 1 - 11. Thallophytes Sub-division 1. Bryophyta Class 1. Monocotyledoneae— 11 orders, 45 families Order: Order 1. Pandanales (first family Pandanaceae). . . Order 11. Microspermae (last family Orchidaceae) Sub-division 2. Pteridophyta Division 13. Embryophyta Siphonogama Sub-division 1. Gymnospermae Sub-division 2. Angiospermae Class 2. Dicotyledoneae— 44 orders, 258 families Sub-class 1. Archichlamydeae (petals absent or free)— 33 orders, 201 families Order: Order 1. Verticillatae (family Casuarinaceae only)). . . Order 33. Umbelliflorae (Last family Cornaceae) Sub-class 2. Metachlamydeae (petals united)— 11 orders, 57 families Order: Order 34. Diapensiales (family Diapensiaceae only). . . Order 44. Campanulatae (Last family Compositae)