Plant Life-Form Classification Systems
– Aristotle and Theophrastus classified plant life-forms into trees, shrubs, and herbs.
– A.P. de Candolle attempted to construct a natural system of botanical classification based on stem height and plant longevity.
– Eugenius Warming developed a life-form classification based on plant observations in the Copenhagen Botanical Garden.
– Christen C. Raunkiær introduced a classification based on plant adaptation to survive unfavorable seasons.
– Pierre Dansereau and Stephan Halloy combined different types of life-form schemes into more complex classifications.
Raunkiær System
– The Raunkiær system categorizes plants based on the position of buds with respect to the soil surface.
– It shows the correspondence between gross climate and the relative abundance of different life-forms.
– The system recognizes life-forms based on plant adaptation to survive cold or dry seasons.
– It classifies plants into categories such as aestival annuals, hibernal annuals, and renascent herbs.
Classification by Plant Construction Types
– Plant construction types can be used to classify both terrestrial and aquatic plants.
– This broader classification includes planktophytes, benthophytes, and terrestrial plants.
– It encompasses both vascular plants and algae.
– The classification is based on morphology, physiology, and ecology.
– Different plant construction types have different adaptations to their respective environments.
Other Life-Form Classification Schemes
– Clements’ vegetation-form classification includes categories such as annuals, biennials, and herbaceous perennials.
– Rübel’s classification includes magniligniden, parviligniden, semiligniden, succulents, epiphytes, lianes, herbiden, saxiden, and errantiden.
– Du Rietz’s main life-forms system categorizes plants into woody plants, half-shrubs, and herbaceous plants.
– These schemes may combine different types of life-form classifications into more complex systems.
– Plant functional type is a recent concept that has replaced the narrow definition of life-form.
Criticisms and Limitations
– Some earlier classifications were criticized for not considering plant function.
– G.E. Du Rietz criticized the inclusion of epharmonic characters that can change in response to the environment.
– Life-form classifications may not always align with taxonomic classifications.
– The use of different criteria, such as shoot architecture or leaf characteristics, can lead to variations in life-form classifications.
– The concept of plant functional type has emerged as a more comprehensive approach to understanding plant adaptations and functions. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant_life-form
