Plant taxonomy is an important branch of Botany that deals with the identification, classification, nomenclature, and study of relationships among plants. A clear understanding of basic taxonomic concepts, nomenclatural terms, identification keys, and modern approaches such as phenetics and cladistics is essential for Botany students. In this article, we have compiled some important short-answer questions and their answers related to plant taxonomy, covering topics such as botanic gardens, herbaria, taxonomic keys, α- and β-taxonomy, phenetics, cladistics, taximetrics, phenon lines, apomorphy, plesiomorphy, lectotypes, autonyms, and author citations. These questions may be useful for students preparing for university examinations, practical examinations, and competitive examinations in Botany.
1. Name two botanic gardens in West Bengal.
Ans. 1. Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden, and 2. Lloyd Botanical Garden
2. Name the largest herbarium in India and state its acronym.
Ans.The name of the largest herbarium in India is Central National Herbarium and It is located in West Bengal. It's acronym is CNH.
3. Distinguish between bracketed and indented keys.
Ans. Bracketed keys: Indents the leads of the couplet a equal distance from the left margin. The two choices are labelled 1 and1’ or 1a and 1b.
Indented keys: Both choices are given side by side. Choices are numbered/lettered.
4. Distinguish between α-taxonomy and β-taxonomy.
Ans. α-taxonomy - It is based on external morphology, origin and evolution of plants.
β-taxonomy - Besides external morphology it also includes internal characteristics like embryological, cytological, anatomical characters etc.
5. Distinguish between phenetics and cladistics.
Ans. Phenetics - It is based on the overall similarities and dissimilarities of organisms. It is also known as biometry.
Cladistics - It is based on evolutionary relationships, Cladistics is also called phylogenetic systematics or phylogenetic taxonomy.
6. What is autonym? Give an example.
Ans. Automatically created home for infrafamilial, infrageneric, and infraspecific taxa.
E.g. Lotus stipularis (Benth.) Greene split by Isely into 2 varieties:
7. Define taximetrics. (1)
Ans. Taximetrics - The application of simple mathematical principles or methods in taxonomical studies classification of plants by numerical analysis of characters is called taximetrics.
8. What is phenon line?
Ans. A phenon line is an arbitrary horizontal cut-off line drawn on a phenogram (a tree-like clustering diagram used in numerical taxonomy) to define groups of plants based on a specific percentage of overall physical similarity.
9. Define apomorphy.
Ans. An apomorphy is a derived characteristic that is different from the ancestral trait, including a specific evolutionary change in a lineage.
10. Define lectotype.
Ans. A lectotype is one specimen or illustration designated from the original material (Art. 9.4) as the nomenclatural type, in conformity with Art. 9.11 and 9.12, if the name was published without a holotype, or if the holotype is lost or destroyed, or if a type is found to belong to more than one taxon (see also Art. 9.14). For sanctioned names (Art. F.3), a lectotype may be selected from among elements associated with either or both the protologue and the sanctioning treatment (Art. F.3.9).
Ex. 4. Adansonia grandidieri Baill. (in Grandidier, Hist. Phys. Madagascar 34: t. 79B bis, fig. 2 & t. 79E, fig. 1. 1893) was validly published when accompanied solely by two illustrations with analysis (see Art. 38.8). Baum (in Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 82: 447. 1995) designated one of the sheets of Grevé 275 (flowering specimen in P [barcode P00037169]), which he presumed to be the very specimen from which most or all of the components of t. 79E, fig. 1 were drawn, as the lectotype of this name.
11. Define plesiomorphy.
Ans. A character state that is present in both outgroup and in the ancestors are called plesiomorphy.
12. Explain the author citation: Swertia beddomei Clarke in Hook.f.
Ans. In Swertia beddomei Clarke in Hook.f., Clarke is the author who described and named the species, while “in Hook.f.” indicates that Clarke’s name was published in a work authored by Joseph Dalton Hooker.
Disclaimer
The questions, answers, definitions, examples, and other information presented in this article have been compiled and prepared from various educational, academic, botanical, taxonomic, and publicly available sources. The content is provided solely for educational and academic purposes to help students understand and revise important concepts in Plant Taxonomy.
