BENTHAM AND HOOKER’S

SYSTEM OF ANGIOSPERM
CLASSIFICATION
 INTRODUCTION
• Classification denotes the arrangement of a single plant or group
of plants an distinct category following a system of nomenclature,
and in accordance with a particular and well established plane.
• Some of the earlier systems of classification of angiosperms were
artificial systems, since they used only certain superficial
characteristics as the basis.
• With more and more detailed study on the morphological,
physiological and reproductive aspects of angiosperms, the

artificial systems of classifications were replaced by the natural

systems of classification.
• George Bentham and Joseph Dalton Hooker.

• Two English taxonomists who were closely associated

with the Royal Botanical Garden at Kew, England have
given a detailed classification of plant kingdom,
particularly the angiosperms.
• They gave an outstanding system of classification of
phanerogams in their Genera Plantarum which was
published in three volumes between the years 1862 to
1883. It is a natural system of classification.
o They described 97,205 species of flowering
plants grouped into 202 orders (now
recognized as families).
o The system has the advantage of being the first
great natural system of classification, which is
very easy to follow.
George Bentham

 
1800-1884
                          

Joseph Dalton Hooker

1817-1911
 SUB-CLASS - POLYPETALAE
petals separate

Series

THALAMIFLORAE DISCIFLORAE CALYCIFLORAE

Orders Orders Orders
Ranales Geraniales Rosales
Parietales Olacales Myrtales
Polygalineae Celastrales Passiflorales
Caryophyllineae Sapindales Ficoidales
Guttiferales Umbellales
Malvales
 THALAMIFLORAE
Many stamens in the androecium.
Flower is hypogynous

Orders

Ranales Parietales Polygalineae Caryophyllineae Guttiferales Malvales

Families Families Families Families Families Families

Ranunculaceae Sarraceniaceae Pittosporaceae Frankeniaceae Elatinaceae Malvaceae

Tremandraceae Caryophyllaceae Hypericaceae Sterculiaceae

Dilleniaceae Papaveraceae

Polygalaceae Portulacaceae Guttiferae Tiliaceae

Calycanthaceae Cruciferae
Tamaricaceae Theaceae
Magnoliaceae Capparaceae
Dipterocarpaceae
Annonaceae Resedaceae
Sarcolaenaceae
Menispermaceae Cistaceae

Berberidaceae Violaceae

Nymphaceae Canellaceae

Bixaceae.
 DISCIFLORAE
Hypogynous flowers with a cushion-like disc around or below the ovary
Orders

Geraniales Olacales Celastrales Sapindales

Families Families Families Families

Linaceae Olacaceae Celastraceae Sapindaceae
Humiriaceae Aquifoliaceae Stackhousiaceae Meliosmaceae

Malpighiaceae Rhamnaceae Anacardiaceae

Vitaceae Coriariaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Moringaceae
Geraniaceae

Rutaceae
Simaroubaceae
Ochnaceae
Burseraceae
Meliaceae
Dichapetalaceae
 CALYCIFLORAE
Flowers epigynous or perigynous
Thalamus is in the form of a cup

Orders

Rosales Myrtales Passiflorales Ficoidales Umbellales

Families Families Families Families Families

Connaraceae Rhizophoraceae Loasaceae Cactaceae Umbelliferae

Combretaceae Aizoaceae Araliaceae

Leguminosae Turneraceae

Myrtaceae Cornaceae
Rosaceae Passifloraceae
Melastomataceae
Saxifragaceae Cucurbitaceae

Lythraceae Begoniaceae
Crassulaceae
Onagraceae Datiscaceae
Droseraceae

Hamamelidaceae

Bruniaceae

Haloragaceae
 SUB-CLASS - GAMOPETALAE
petals fused

Series

INFERAE HETEROMERAE BICARPELLATAE

Orders Orders Orders

Rubiales Ericales Gentianales
Asterales Primulales Polemoniales
Campanulales Ebenales Personiales
Lamiales
 INFERAE
Flowers with inferior ovary
Orders

Rubiales Asterales Campanulales

Families Families
Families
Caprifoliaceae Valerianaceae Stylidaceae
Dipsacaceae Goodeniaceae
Rubiaceae
Calyceraceae Campanulaceae
Compositae
 HETEROMERAE
Flowers with superior ovary
Number of carpels - more than two

Orders

Ericales Primulales Ebenales

Families Families
Families
Ericaceae Plumbaginaceae Sapotaceae
Clethraceae Primulaceae Ebenaceae
Epacridaceae Myrsinaceae Styracaceae
Diapensiaceae

Lennoceae
 BICARPELLATAE
Ovary superior, with 2 carpels

Orders

Gentianales Polemoniales Personiales Lamiales

Families Families
Families Families
Oleaceae Polemoniaceae Scrophulariaceae Myoporaceae
Salvadoraceae Hydrophyllaceae Globulariaceae Verbenaceae
Apocynaceae Boraginaceae Lentibulariaceae Labiatae
Asclepiadaceae Convolvulaceae Gesneriaceae Plantaginaceae
Loganiaceae Solanaceae Bignoniaceae

Gentianaceae Pedaliaceae
Acanthaceae
 MONOCHLAMYDEAE
only 1 kind of perianth

Series

Curvembryae Multiovulate Multiovulate Microembryae Daphnales Achlamydo

Unisexuales
Ordines
Aquaticae Terrestris -sporae Anomali

Families Families Families Families Families Families Families Families

Nyctaginaceae Podostemaceae Nepenthaceae Piperaceae Lauraceae Loranthaceae Euphorbiaceae Salicaceae

Amaranthaceae Cyinaceae Chloranthaceae Proteaceae Santalaceae Balanopaceae Empetraceae

Myristicaceae Myristicaceae Thymelaeaceae Balanophoraceae Urticaceae Ceratophyllaceae

Chenopodiaceae
Monimiaceae Penaeaceae Ficoidales
Platanaceae Ficoidales
Lacisternaceae
Batidaceae
Elaegnaceae Leitneriaceae
Polygonaceae
Juglandaceae
Phytolaccaceae
Myricaceae

ficoidales
Casuarinaceae

Betulaceae
 CLASS-MONOCOTYLEDONAE
1 cotyledon, flowers trimerous

Series

Microspermae Epigynae Coronarieae Calycinae Nudiflorae Apocarpae Glumaceae

Families Families Families Families Families Families Families

Hydrocharitaceae Scitamineae Roxburghiceae Flagellariaceae Pandanaceae Triuridaceae Eriocaulaceae

Liliaceae Juncaceae Cyclanthaceae Alismataceae Centrolepidaceae

Burmanniaceae Bromeliaceae

Pontederiaceae Palmae Typhaceae Najadaceae Restionaceae

Orchidaceae Haemodoraceae

Philydraceae Araceae Cyperaceae

Iridaceae
Lemnaceae Gramineae
Xyridaceae
Amaryllidaceae
Mayacaceae
Taccaceae
Commelinaceae
Dioscoreaceae
Rapateaceae
 MERITS
• It is the first great system of classification, and regarded
as a master piece of work in systematic botany.
• It is suitable for all types of practical works. It is a
natural system of classification.
• In this system monocotyledons are derived from
dicotyledons.
• It is started with the most primitive family
rannuculaceae.
 DRAWBACKS
• Gymnosperms were placed between Dicots and Monocots.

• Many important floral characters were neglected.

• It is not a phylogenetic scheme.

• Some of the closely related families have been separated

and placed under different cohotrs and a number of
unrelated families put together.
• Some advanced families like Orchidaceae have been
regarded as primitive by placing in the beginning.
THANK YOU