Artificial Classification of Plants
- The need for an efficient system of plant organization has led to several artificial systems of classification. Bellarmine University defines "artificial classification" as a system that groups nonrelated plant species by some other common criteria.
- The work of Swedish scientist Carolus Linnaeus best exemplifies artificial classification, according to Texas A&M University. In 1753, he created a system by classifying plants based only on the number and arrangement of their reproductive organs. This system has been criticized for producing "unnatural" groupings. For example, Linnaeus classified cactus and pines together simply because they both have several stamens.
- Plant classification according to life cycle is helpful to gardeners. A flower's life cycle describes how much time it takes for a plant to grow from a seed into maturity. Annuals grow, reproduce and die in one season; biennials take approximately two years to grow, reproduce and die; and perennials live for at least more than two years, dying back over winters and sending up new shoots in spring.
- Plant classification by the temperature in which they grow, such as "tropical" or "temperate," is useful to both gardeners and scientists. Knowing a plant is tropical tells gardeners it needs year-round, summerlike temperatures to grow; it tells scientists the part of the world and the environment in which the plant originated.
