Bentham and Hookers System of Classification

Genera Plantarum
(1862-1883)
3 Volumes
202 Families
7569 Genera
97,205 Species
Refinement of AP
Decandolles
System

George Bentham

Joseph Dalton Hooker

Phenerogams

Classes Dicotyledons

Gnetales

Gymnosperms

Monocotyledons

Cycadales

Coniferales

Polypetalae
Thalamiflorae

Ranales
Parietales
Polygalyneae
Caryophylliniae
Guttiferales
Malvales

Disciflorae

Geraniales
Olacales
Celestrales
Sapindales

Rosales
Myrtales
Passiflorales
Ficoidales
Umbellales

Calyciflorae

Gamopetalae
Inferae

Monochlamydeae
1. Rubiales
2. Asterales
3. Companales

1. Ericales
Heteromerae 2. Primulales
3. Ebenales

Bicarpillatae

Gentianales
Polemoneales
Personales
Lamiales

Curvembryae
Multiovulatae
Aquaticae
Multiovulatae
terrostris
Microembrae
Daphnales
Achlamydosporeae
Unisexuales
Ordines Anomali

Microspermae
Epigynae
Coronariae
Calycinae
Nudiflorae
Apocarpae
Glumaceae

Merits
Practical value for identification of plants.
Followed for the arrangement of specimens in the herbaria of many countries.
Based on a careful comparative examination of actual specimens of all living
genera of seed plants and is not a mere compilation of known facts.
Unlike de Candolle, the Gymnosperms are not placed among dicots but rather in
an independent group.
Ranales are placed in the beginning of Dicotyledons.
Dicotyledons are placed before the Monocotyledons,
Keys to the identification are very useful. Larger genera have been divided into
subgenera in order to facilitate identification.
The arrangement of taxa is based on overall natural affinities decided on the basis
of morphological features
Although a few important characters have been chosen to name a few groups,
the grouping itself is based on a combination of characters
Heteromerae is rightly placed before Bicarpellatae.

Demerits
The system does not incorporate phylogeny, although it was published after Darwin
published his evolutionary theory.
Gymnosperms are placed between Dicotyledons and Monocotyledons
Monochlamydeae is an unnatural assemblage of taxa, which belong elsewhere. The creation
of this group has resulted in the separation of many closely-related families
Daphanales are closely allied to the order Magnoliales (Ranales s. l.) and are thus placed in
the same subclass Magnoliidae by Cronquist.
In Monocotyledons, Liliaceae and Amaryllidaceae are generally regarded as closely related In
this system they are placed under different series, Amaryllidaceae under Epigynae and
Liliaceae under Coronarieae.
Unisexuales is a loose assemblage of diverse families, which share only one major character,
i.e. unisexual flowers
Bentham and Hooker did not know the affinities of the families placed under Ordines
anomali, and the families were tentatively grouped together.
Many large families, e.g. Urticaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Liliaceae and Saxifragaceae, are
unnatural assemblages and represent polyphyletic groups.
Orchidaceae is an advanced family with inferior ovary and zygomorphic

Engler and Prantl

Adolph Engler

Die Natrlichen
pflanzenfamilien
1887-1915
23 Volumes
Bigning of Phylogenetic
Schemes

Karl A Prantl

 Starting with the simplest

groups and arranged in the
order of progressing
complexity.
Monochlamydeae was
abolished and its members
distributed along with their
polypetalous relatives
Amentiferae comprising
families Betulaceae,
Fagaceae, Juglandaceae
Misleading

Merits
This was the first major system to incorporate the ideas of organic
evolution
Covers the entire plant kingdom and provides description and
identification keys down to the level of family, Genus and Species
Gymnosperms are separated and placed before angiosperms.
Large unnatural families of Bentham and Hooker have been split into
smaller and natural families
Abolition of Monochlamydeae has resulted in bringing together
several closely related families
Compositae in dicots and Orchidaceae in monocots are placed rightly
at the end
Gamopetalous condition as advanced over polypetalous condition

Demerits
The system is not a phylogenetic one in the modern sense.
Monocotyledons are placed before Dicotyledons
The so called Amentiferae considered primitive Advanced with
retrogressive evolution.
Dichlamydeous forms (distinct calyx and corolla) were considered to
have evolved from the monochlamydeous forms
Angiosperms were considered a polyphyletic group
Ranales placed lower down

Comparison

APG
Cladistic concepts with the utilization of molecular data in taxonomy.

Collaborative efforts of a group of dedicated workers of Angiosperm Phylogeny

Group
462 families of Angiosperms were grouped into 40 putative monophyletic orders.
Monophyletic higher groups: Monocots, Commelinoids, Eudicots, Core eudicots,
Rosids, Eurosids I, Eurosids II, Asterids, Euasterids I and Euasterids II.
Families without Assignment
APG-III 2009

APG II