Botany





Botany is the branch of Biology concerned with the scientific study of
plants. Traditionally, botanists studied all organisms that were not
generally regarded as animal. However, advances in our knowledge about the
myriad forms of life, especially microbes (viruses and bacteria) have led to
a spinning off from botany of the specialized field of Microbiology. Still,
the microbes are usually covered, somewhat superficially, in most
introductory Botany courses.

The Kingdom Plantae is divided into divisions (the term "division" was
traditionally used instead of "phylum" as in the animals, but either term is
now accepted).

Of these, the best known to most people are Bryophyta (mosses), Pterophyta
(ferns), Coniferophyta (conifers), which are cone-bearing plants, and
Anthophyta (angiosperms), which are flowering plants. Angiosperms are
divided into two groups, dicots and monocots. Dicots have two cotyledons
(embroyonic leaves), while monocots have only one cotyledon.

The names "Pinophyta" and "Magnoliophyta" are often used for "Coniferophyta"
and "Anthophyta". Likewise, the monocots and dicots are called "Liliopsida"
and "Magnoliopsida" respectively.