1737 - Science

Science

Genera Plantarum by Carolus Linnaeus inaugurates modern botany's binomial system of taxonomy (see 1732; Bauhin, 1623). Basing his system on stamens and pistils, Linnaeus divides all vegetation into phanerogams (seed plants) and cryptogams (spore plants such as ferns). Phanerogams are in turn divided into angiosperms (concealed seed plants such as flowering plants) and gymnosperms (naked seed plants such as conifers). Angiosperms are further divided into monocotolydons (narrow-leaved plants with parallel veins) and dicotolydons (broad-leaved plants with net veins). Each of these is divided into orders, families, genera, and species (see 1738; 1789; Adanson, 1763; Cuvier, 1799).