Model Answer
0 min readIntroduction
Alphonse de Candolle, a Swiss botanist, significantly contributed to plant taxonomy and phytogeography. In his ‘Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis’ (1824-1873), he proposed a natural system of plant classification. Crucially, he also categorized plants based on their economic importance, recognizing the profound impact of plants on human civilization. This classification, though superseded by modern systems, remains historically significant for understanding the early recognition of economic botany. He divided plants into classes based on their uses, providing a framework for understanding plant-human interactions.
De Candolle’s Classes of Economically Important Plants
De Candolle classified plants of economic importance into the following classes, with examples:
- Cereals (Gramineae): Plants cultivated for their edible grains.
- Triticum aestivum (Common Wheat)
- Oryza sativa (Rice)
- Legumes (Leguminosae): Plants belonging to the pea family, valued for their protein-rich seeds.
- Glycine max (Soybean)
- Phaseolus vulgaris (Common Bean)
- Oilseeds (Oleaginous Plants): Plants yielding oils used for food, fuel, and industrial purposes.
- Brassica napus (Rapeseed/Canola)
- Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
- Fibrous Plants: Plants providing fibers used for textiles, ropes, and paper.
- Gossypium spp. (Cotton)
- Linum usitatissimum (Flax)
- Sugar-yielding Plants: Plants accumulating sugars used for sweetening and industrial processes.
- Saccharum officinarum (Sugarcane)
- Beta vulgaris (Sugar Beet)
- Medicinal Plants: Plants possessing therapeutic properties used in traditional and modern medicine.
- Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar Periwinkle – source of vincristine and vinblastine)
- Adhatoda vasica (Vasaka – used for cough and bronchitis)
- Plants yielding Resins & Gums: Plants producing substances used in varnishes, adhesives, and other industrial applications.
- Pinus roxburghii (Chir Pine – source of resin)
- Acacia senegal (Gum Arabic tree)
- Plants yielding Beverages: Plants used for producing stimulating or refreshing drinks.
- Camellia sinensis (Tea)
- Coffea arabica (Coffee)
De Candolle’s classification, while not adhering to modern phylogenetic principles, was a pioneering attempt to categorize plants based on their utility to humankind. It laid the groundwork for the development of economic botany as a distinct field of study.
Conclusion
Alphonse de Candolle’s classification of economically important plants, though a historical artifact, provides valuable insight into the early understanding of plant-human relationships. His categorization, based on practical uses like cereals, legumes, and medicinal properties, highlights the long-standing dependence of human societies on the plant kingdom. While modern taxonomy relies on evolutionary relationships, de Candolle’s work remains a significant milestone in the history of botany and economic botany.
Answer Length
This is a comprehensive model answer for learning purposes and may exceed the word limit. In the exam, always adhere to the prescribed word count.