Botany Study Of Plants: Importance, Classification, And Top Universities

Rahul Kumar 10 Dec 2024 Others

The study of botany is the study of plants, how they function, how and where they grow, what are their medicinal uses and how are they related to one another. However, this study of trees and plants doesn't solely cover how plants are useful to us, but also their physiology, taxonomy, anatomy, genetics and a lot more. But in layman's terms, we say Botany is the study of plants.

Plants are the major source of all life forms on Earth. ARE YOU BREATHING RIGHT NOW WHILE READING THIS BLOG??? Yes, that is because plants provide us with oxygen, without which life will cease to exist and ultimately collapse. This fact alone is important to understand why we need to study botanical plants. Since the era of the dinosaurs, till today, or rather, let's just say, every life form today that ever existed? I wouldn't have made it this far if there were no plants around. Plants provide us with food, shelter, and much more. Think about your everyday life, You use paper; it is made by breaking the plant cellulose fibres from the woods and grasses, Modern-day medicines are nothing but the advancements of plant biology and herbology.

It is almost impossible to cover every bit of information regarding the study of plants in this blog, but we will still try to cover as much information as possible. In the sections below, we will try to identify the importance of botany, why do we need the study of botany, define the definition of plants in science and much more

Classification Of Botanical Plants: The Three Major Study Of Plants Categories

Before we dive deep, we must understand how botanical plants are classified. All living organisms are classified into various categories based on their characteristic features. The studies in botany basic criteria that the botanists use to classify the various plants categories are based on botanical plant type, morphology, anatomy and their geographical and ecological area of emergence.

Botany is the study of basic plant features. As a result, it becomes important to classify plants under certain categories; it makes it easier for the Botanists to study plant characteristics and examine and co-relate the newer species with respect to the already discovered botanical plant species.

Classification of Botanical Plants

Based of Life cycle

Based on Taxonomy

Based on Growth habits

Annuals: These are the Botanical plants that complete their lifecycle in one season.

Biennials: It involves the study of plants that complete their lifecycle in two years.

Perennials: In this area, botanists deal with the study of common plants that require more than two years to complete their lifecycle.

Non flowering plants:

Gymnosperm: These botanical plants produce seeds without the production of flowers and fruits

Angiosperm: Botanists have classified this study of common plants, which produce seeds that are entirely enclosed within the fruits.

Flowering plants:

Monocots: They are flowering botanical plants with seeds containing only one cotyledon.

Dicots: They are the flowering plants with seeds containing two cotyledons.

Herbs: These are the short-sized common plants.

Shrubs: These are the medium-sized plants, taller than herbs and shorter than a tree.

Trees: These are the single stem bearing plants which is also called a trunk.

Climbers: These are the plants that need a host's support to stand upright.

Creepers: These are the plants that creep on the ground.

Why Is The Study Of Plants Important? A Peek On The Importance of Botany

Botany is the study of how plants function. One of the major functional aspects of botany was the discovery and realization of the fact that botanical plants release oxygen, which is the basic fundamental requirement of all living organisms, both on land and underwater.

  • The importance of studying plants and trees has played a pivotal role in our everyday life. Its impact on agriculture, medicine and environmental conservation is inspiring and life-changing.
  • The advancements in botany have led to global development in the field of agriculture. Advancements in botanical research have shown that newly developed and engineered crops have shown improvement and resistance against pests, diseases and other environmental discrepancies that degrade the quality of botanical plants, ensuring food security.
  • Study of plants has been used for thousands of years to treat various diseases and unnatural skin conditions. Some of the oldest scripts mention that plants were used as an anaesthetic medicine before important surgeries.
  • Botany: the study of plants is useful in pharmaceuticals for developing medicines and in cosmetics for the development of a variety of skin care products.
  • One of the most significant aspects of the study of plants can be observed during the environmental conservation research processes. Botanists spend a lot of time studying plants in research labs and in the field to understand how the entire ecosystem works and what the ideal ecosystem parameters are.
  • Botanists use the study of plants and study of trees to learn and devise techniques to practice and maintain the delicate yet endangered balance between human beings and nature.
  • In this fast-changing world, man-made resources are more polluting and natural resources are depleting at an exponential rate. As a result, botanists are now studying plants in a newer direction, working on bio-fuels that can replace fossil fuels, and establishing renewable sustainability through biomass and methane gas.
  • Botany is the study of basic plant biology, which is also useful for farmers, they can grow crops according to the season, keeping various parameters such as soil fertility, humidity, temperature, etc. into consideration. This helps them to grow crops on a mass level without failure.

Botany Is The Study Of Different Aspects Of Plants Life

When you look at a botanical plant what do you think? Exactly, you think of nothing since you've been seeing them since birth. You might know everything about them, but you don't apply that knowledge when you look at a plant or even a flower for that matter, as in how a plant performs photosynthesis, or how a flower bears fruits or why we need to study plant.

Whatever we know about the study of plants today is due to the hard work of the botanists and the advancements in the field of scientific technology. The inspiring journey of the development of electron microscopes, phytotrons and many such advanced laboratory equipment has enabled botanists to dig deep into the world of plants.

In general, there are four basic aspects of plant life:

Morphological Aspect:

Morphology is one of the most important aspects of botany. This field of science deals with the plant study of cell structure (cytology), the study of plant tissues (histology), the study of the organization of plant tissues (plant anatomy), the study of plant life cycle/ development (morphogenesis).

Physiological Aspect:

Plant physiology botany is the study of how the plant functions. Morphology and physiology are very closely related fields of study of plants. Physiology basically defines and enlightens how plant cells and tissues relate, communicate and transfer energies amongst each other via various functional processes, such as photosynthesis, plant respiration etc.

Ecological Aspect:

Ecology is a very important aspect of the study of plants, it determines how any living organism interacts and mutually relates with the environment around them. Factors such as climate conditions, atmospheric pressure, soil fertility, humidity, temperature levels and much more affect the morphological and physiological functions of the botanical plants. The geographical conditions of the native plant species and their functionality under different terrains and interactions with other organisms is the major focus of this study.

Taxonomic Aspect:

The taxonomic aspect is the foundational aspect/study of botany. Whenever a new plant species is found in nature, taxonomists take a sample of the discovered species, dry it and record its terrain, morphological and anatomical features in a book called The Herbarium. The species is given a pen name which is then changed into a scientific name by which the botanical plant species is known all over the world.

Prospects of Study of Plants: Botany

Career prospects in botany provide both on-field and off-field experience to developing botanists. Many people often have no idea how fruitful this career is since they have no idea how plants are useful to us. As a result, people often tend to believe career prospects in Botany are kind of boring. The different branches of study of botany produce different job opportunities for botany graduates, some of them can be named as natural botanists, taxonomists, biotechnologists, computational botanists, botanical plant geneticists, study of plant pathologists, plant biochemists, ecologists, field botanist, farming and irrigation experts, study of trees environmental experts, academician and researcher.

The different branches of botany are:

Branches of Botany

What are they about

Horticulture Botany

This branch of botany focuses on how to grow plants, studying botanical plants specifically for food and medicinal purposes.

Pathology Botany

Plant pathology botany is the study of organisms and the environmental factors that causes plant diseases.

Ecology Botany

Plant Ecology Botany is the study of plant distribution and their relationships with other living organisms.

Taxonomy Botany

This branch of botany is the study of how to group plants by family, genus and species based on their physical features.

Plant Systematics

This branch of plant study deals with how distinctly found plant species are closely related to one another.

Paleobotany

This branch of plant study deals with fossil remains of plants, focusing on properly recovering them, in order to understand the evolution of plants.

Archaeobotany

This branch of botany is the study of how our ancestors used plants to unlock the spiritual and medicinal purposes of the plant species.

Forensic Botany

Forensic botany is the study of how to investigate crime cases based on the use of plants, their pollens, flowering seeds etc.

Potential Career Paths After Pursuing Botany

Figure 1: Potential Career Paths After Pursuing Botany

Top Universities To Enroll In The Field Of Study Of Plants for International Students

Now that you know why Botanists study plant, in this section we will cover some of the world-class study of plant universities for international students. The field of botany is famous all over the world. On a related note, if you don't know what the study of flowers is called, study of vegetables is called, or the study of plants is called, this field might not be for you. Botany is an insightful career prospect, the interest in the field of study comes naturally or at a very early age.

Top Universities for International Students to Study Botany

So don't fool around with botany, the study of plants is not very easy, and it is definitely not everyone's cup of tea. Some of the most promising study-abroad universities for international students are listed below:

University Name

Minimum IELTS/TOEFL score

QS world rankings

Study of Plants Course

University of Cambridge

IELTS: 7.0

5

PhD. Plant Sciences

Cornell University

IELTS: 7.0

16

M.S. Plant Breeding

University of Edinburgh

IELTS: 6.5

27

B.S Biological Sciences: Plant Science

University of Melbourne

TOEFL: 79

13

B.S Plant Science

University of Texas

IELTS: 6.5

66

M.A Plant Biology

Leiden University

IELTS: 7.0

141

M.S Biology: Plant Sciences

University of Minnesota

TOEFL: 79

203

M.S Applied Plant Sciences

University of Wisconsin

IELTS: 7.0

116

M.S Plant Pathology

Acceptance rates of the Top Botanical universities

Chart1: Acceptance rates of the Top Botanical universities

Gain Insight On Study Of Plants And Career Opportunities For Students In It

Students who are aiming to study abroad in the field Botany: study of plants, for undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs are required to follow a set of requirements before moving to their desired study abroad destination.

This is where The Student Helpline consultants can guide you and provide all the assistance that you require. The highly trained overseas education experts of The Student Helpline will analyze your academic profile and, based on the analysis, help you apply for the best study abroad destinations, universities, scholarships and accommodation facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Study Of Plants

What Is Botany Definition?

Botany is the study of plants, concerned with anatomical, morphological, ecological and taxonomical aspects of plants. It really pays to know botany in order to understand what plants are. For better understanding and academic help, contact The Student Helpline.

Which Subject Refers to Study of Plants?

Botany is the study of plants. It ranges from study of trees to study of botanical plants and vegetables, and therefore collectively forms the most important area of understanding of our environment. Contact The Student Helpline for further help in your studies.

What Does a Botanist Do?

A botanist is someone who studies plants. Plants have various characteristics and contribute to ecosystems in different forms. There are medicinal plants and many other types of plants that need to be studied properly. How can you get academic success? Let The Student Helpline guide help you with that.

What Is a Plant in Science?

A botanical plant is a living organism that carries out photosynthesis in order to convert light energy into chemical energy. Through the study of plants, we can understand their role in nature. To know more about the same, refer to The Student Helpline.

What Is the Study of Flowers Called?

The study of flowers is called as floriculture. This category includes the listing, description, and function of flowers in an ecosystem. Want to know more about floriculture? Contact The Student Helpline.

What Is the Study of Vegetables Called?

The study of vegetables is called olericulture. It is a branch of horticulture that focuses on how to grow, store, develop and market the vegetables. Want to know more? Contact The Student Helpline.

What Is the Importance of Botany?

The study of plants is the only science that can help us learn about the ecological balance, agricultural use of plants, and their medicinal uses as well. It also helps us appreciate biodiversity more. For additional academic assistance, get in touch with The Student Helpline.

Which Subject Refers to Study of Plants and Trees?

Study of plants and trees falls under the classification of botany, which includes its activities, growth patterns, and ecological roles. It is all very important in conservation efforts. If you have questions about your studies, just let The Student Helpline help.

How to Become a Botanist?

To become a botanist, one must be pursuing an undergraduate degree in the field of botany or any other study of plants related field that gives them knowledge in plant biology and ecology. Fieldwork and research too are necessary. For more knowledge, contact The Student Helpline.

What Is the Study of Medicinal Plants Called?

Pharmacognosy is the collective study of drugs or raw drugs extracted from natural sources such as plants, microbes and animals. To know more, contact The Student Helpline.


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Rahul Kumar

Rahul Kumar is a dynamic and seasoned writer, currently serving as a Study Abroad Expert at The Student Helpline. Specializing in crafting comprehensive study materials for international standardized exams like IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, PTE, and SAT, he brings over five years of experience to his role. Rahul’s passion lies in guiding students through the complexities of exam preparation and the study abroad journey. His insightful articles provide students with valuable information on exam processes, college admissions, top universities, course selection, and more—empowering them to succeed in their academic goals abroad.

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