14. Demerits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification
1. The classification though not intentionally was more natural and less phylogenetic.
2. The classification equated simplicity of structure with primitiveness and did
not recognize the simplicity due to evolutionary reduction. Thus the
classification was not phylogenetic in true sense.
3. Monocotyledons were placed before dicots but this placement was reversed
in the 1964 edition of Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien.
4. The naked flowers of Amentiferous families were considered primitive, but
evidences from floral anatomy, wood anatomy and palynology suggest these are
not primitive but simple due to the disappearance of perianth and evolutionary
reduction.
5. Unisexual flowers were treated as primitive, but evidence from floral anatomy has shown
that the unisexual condition is derived from bisexual condition by suppression of either
androecium or gynoecium.
15. 6. Monochlamydeous flowers (one whorl of perianth) were treated primitive
over dichlamydeous flowers (distinct calyx and corolla) which is not accepted
by modern taxonomists.
7. Angiosperms were considered to be polyphyletic in origin, but modern
taxonomists regard angiosperm to be monophyletic in origin.
8. Ranales are considered primitive by modern taxonomists, but they have
been placed after Centrospermae at a position not accepted by modern
taxonomists
9. Helobieae consisting of primitive groups have been placed between two
advanced orders Pandanales and Glumiflorae.
10. Araceae in Monocotyledons are derived from Liliaceae, but Araceae have
been placed before Liliaceae, a position not accepted by modern taxonomists
17. B&H CLASSIFICATION
1. It is a natural system and mostly
used for practical purposes.
2. It is based on A.P de Candolle’s
system (1818)
3. Classification is based on single
and mostly artificial characters; so
closely allied families are separated
widely.
4. Flowering plants have been
divided into 202 families.
5. Dicots are kept before Monocots.
6. Gymnosperms are placed in
between Dicots and Monocots.
E&P CLASSIFICATION
1. It is a more or less phylogenetic
and proposed after the theory of descent.
2. It is mainly based on Eicher’s system with the
notion that the absence of perianth is a primitive
character.
3. Classification is based on well-defined
characters.
4. Flowering plants have been
divided into 280 families.
5. Monocots are kept before Dicots.
6. Gymnosperms are placed
separate from Dicots and Monocots.
18. 7. Dicots are divided into three
sub-groups : Polypetalae; Gamopetalae;
Monochlamydae.
8. Dicots are further divided into Series and Cohorts.
9. Monocots divided further into series and orders.
10. Monocots start with the
Micro- spermae and end with Glum-aceae.
11. Bentham and Hooker began with families having pentamerous
flowers which were supposed to be
primitive and ended in Monochlamydeae
having flowers with one whorl of perianth
orperianth altogether absent.
12. Important publication
Genera plantarum (1862-1883)
7. Dicots are divided into two
sub-groups: Archichlamydeae;
Metachlamydeae (Sympetalae).
8. Dicots are not further divided.
9. Monocots are not further divided.
10. Monocots start with the order
Pandanales and end with Microspermae.
11. The families are arranged according to
increasing complexity of flower. Primitive
forms are those having bract like perianth or
naked flowers.
12. Important publication
Die naturlichen Pflangen families (1887-1915).
19. 13. It deals with the classification
of seed plants.
14. No reference is drawn regarding
the evolution of angiosperms.
13. It deals with the classification of
the entire plant kingdom from algae
to angiospermae.
14. They believe that angiosperms
are evolved in polyphyletic manner
from hypothetical gymnosperms
(protoangiosperms) like Coniferales.