Engler and Prantl Classification System

Adolph Engler and Karl Prantl, two German botanists, presented their classification system. They used Eichler’s phylogenetic system as their classification system. This is a phylogenetic system as well.

Engler and Prantl Classification System

The monocot, according to Engler, is more primitive than the dicot.

The system of Engler and Prantl was enthusiastically embraced by American and European scientists, but not by British experts. In light of Bossey and Hutchinson’s changes, they were adopting Bentham and Hooker’s system.

Adolf Engler (1844-1938), a German botanist who spent thirty years as a Professor of Botany at the University of Berlin, suggested a phylogenetic system of classification on the basis evolutionary relationships, which was first published in 1892 as a guide to the Botanical Garden of Breslau in a book called ‘Syllabus der Pflanzenfamilien.’ From 1889 to 1921, he was also the Director of the Botanical Gardens. Later, Engler expanded his study on plant classification with the help of another German botanist, Karl E. Prantl, and the enormous work was published in detail in a book titled ‘Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien’ in 23 volumes (1887-1915). The Engler and Prantl system of seed plant classification is based on the intricacy of the flower, fruit, and seed development.

Division Embryophyta Siphonogama (Spermatophytes)

These are seed – producing plants which are divided into two sub parts.

Subdivision Gymnospermae

These are seed plants that haven’t been clothed. The ovule is not encased in an ovary in these. The various important classes are divided into this subdivision:

1. Class Cycadales.

2. Class Ginkgoales.

3. Class Cordaitales.

4. Class Bennettitales.

5. Class Coniferales.

6. Class Gnetales.

Subdivision Angiospermae

Seeds are enclosed by fruits or encased in an ovary in these seed-producing plants. This subdivision is even further divided into two main categories.

1. Class Monocotyledonae.

2. Class Dicotyledonae.

Characteristics of the Engler and Prantl Classification System

1. Wind pollinates the most primitive plants, whereas insect pollinates the most evolved.

2. Unisexual plants are more primitive, and the number of sepals and petals increases over time. Bisexual flowers are more advanced than unisexual flowers; in fact, bisexual flowers evolved from unisexual blooms.

3. Primitive plants have free sepals, petals, stamen, and carpels, whereas advanced plants have united sepals, petals, stamen, and carpels.

4. The presence of connected calyxes indicates that the plants are primitive. The union of the calyx and corolla indicates that the plant is advanced, while the union of all flower parts indicates the most advanced stage.

5. Angiosperms developed from several gymnosperm groupings, first as monocots, then as dicots. Monocots and then dicots developed from angiosperms. It indicates that dicots are more sophisticated than monocots.

6. Engler combined the polypetalae and monochlamydeae families into the Archichlamydeae family, which includes dicot plants and has free sepals and petals.

7. Archichlamydeae plants have developed into Metachilamydae plants.

8. Megasporophyll produces female flowers, while microsporophyll produces male blooms.

9. Monocots are separated into 11 orders and 45 families, while dictos are split in 44 orders and 261 families.

Merits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification

There are following merits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification which are given as;

1. The main merit lies in broad treatment of the whole plant kingdom.

2. It provides a great representation and evolutionary arrangement of many different families.

3. Because they are little evolved, the joining of Monochlamydeae and Polypetalae into Archichlamydeae.

4. Orchidaceae is put at the end of dicots.

5. Filiaceae is surrounded by Juncaceae, Eridecae, and Amaryllaceae.

6. In this technique, sperm and gynsperm are treated independently.

7. This system is widely acknowledged around the world.

Demerits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification

There are following demerits of Engler and Prantl System of Classification which are given as;

1. The union of opetalae and choropetalae is more important than Bentham and Hooker’s system in certain ways, but not in others. It’s the system that connects the salix to the buttercup.

2. Even before Ranales, Centrospermae and Ementiferae are put at the start of the dicot. The original nature of cryopylacae with 2 whorls of perianth is settled to folia nature of carpel.

Conclusion

Adolf Engler was a German botanist best known for his work on plant taxonomy and phytogeography, including the 23-volume ‘Die naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien’ (The Natural Plant Families), which he co-edited with Karl von Prantl between 1887 and 1915. His plant classification approach, the Engler system, is still widely used by herbaria and adopted by authors of numerous manuals and floras.