Botany

 Botany

noun

the scientific study of plants, including their physiology, structure, genetics, ecology, distribution, classification, and economic importance.

the plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.

"the botany of North America"

 

Botany, also called plant science, plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field.

 

Field botanists engage in plant propagation, growth, and cultivation, both in the laboratory and outdoors. They help to invent new medicines and optimize crop production. They also identify invasive plants that threaten native species.

 

The main branches of botany (also referred to as "plant science") are commonly divided into three groups: core topics, concerned with the study of the fundamental natural phenomena and processes of plant life, the classification and description of plant diversity; applied topics which study the ways in which plants may be used for economic benefit in horticulture, agriculture and forestry; and organismic topics which focus on plant groups such as algae, mosses or flowering plants.

 

Branches - others

    Cytology – cell structure,

    Epigenetics – Control of gene expression

    Paleobotany – Study of fossil plants and plant evolution

    Palynology – Pollen and spores

    Plant biochemistry – Chemical processes of primary and secondary metabolism

    Phenology – timing of germination, flowering and fruiting

    Phytochemistry – Plant secondary chemistry and chemical processes

    Phytogeography – Plant Biogeography, the study of plant distributions

    Phytosociology – Plant communities and interactions

    Plant anatomy – Structure of plant cells and tissues

    Plant ecology – Role and function of plants in the environment

    Plant evolutionary developmental biology – Plant development from an evolutionary perspective

    Plant genetics – Genetic inheritance in plants

    Plant morphology – Structure of plants

    Plant physiology – Life functions of plants

    Plant reproduction – Processes of plant reproduction

    Plant systematics – Classification and naming of plants

    Plant taxonomy – Classification and naming of plants

    Seed Technology - Study having to do with seed production, maintenance, quality and preservation

 

Agronomy – Application of plant science to crop production

Arboriculture – Culture and propagation of trees

Astrobotany - The study of plants in space

Biotechnology – Use of plants to synthesize products

Dendrology – Study of woody plants, shrubs, trees and lianas

Economic botany – Study of plants of economic use or value

Ethnobotany – Plants and people. Use and selection of plants by humans

Forestry – Forest management and related studies

Horticulture – cultivation of garden plants

Marine botany – Study of aquatic plants and algae that live in seawater

Micropropagation – rapid propagation of plants using cell and tissue culture

Pharming (genetics) – Genetic engineering of plants to produce pharmaceuticals

Plant breeding – Breeding of plants with desirable genetic characters

Plant pathology (Phytopathology) – Plant diseases

Plant propagation – propagation of plants from seed, bulbs, tubers, cuttings and grafting

Pomology – Fruit and nuts

 

    Agrostology – Grasses

    Batology – Brambles

    Bryology – Mosses, liverworts, and hornworts

    Lichenology – Lichens

    Mycology, or fungology – Fungi

    Orchidology – Orchids

    Phycology, or algology – Algae

    Pteridology – Fern and their allies

    Rhodology – Roses

    Synantherology – Compositae