Plant Biology
Plant Biology
Go To:
Botany is "the scientific study of plants, including their anatomy, morphology, physiology, biochemistry, taxonomy, cytology, genetics, evolution, and geographical distribution (Oxford Dictionary of Biology, 4th ed., 2000)." In this section, the terms "botany" and "plant biology" will be used interchangeably. In practice, botany may carry the connotation of taxonomic studies, while plant biology is often the preferred "modern" term for the entire field. The study of botany has a long and distinguished history. This fact, coupled with the complexity of the subject as it has grown from descriptive botany to the molecular plant sciences, is reflected in its literature, producing a complicated and often confusing array of resources. In addition, some more traditional botanical fields such as the study of herbal medicine and ethnobotany are currently enjoying resurgence in interest. For the purposes of this book, plant biology encompasses the literature of botany and the plant kingdom, including fungi. This chapter does not include agriculture, forestry, horticulture, or any of the applied areas of plant science, except biotechnology and medicinal plants. The sources mentioned here are not comprehensive, but they are recommended as starting points appropriate for the informed layperson, the student, teacher, or librarian. Because divisions in the study of plant biology are often, necessarily, arbitrary it is important to consult other chapters in this book for relevant materials that are annotated in the general sources, biochemistry, genetics, and microbiology sections.
Abstracts and Indexes
- Kew Record of Taxonomic Literature. 1971- . London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Quarterly. $235.00. ISSN 0307-2835.
Comprehensive publication of worldwide taxonomic literature of flowering plants, gymnosperms, and ferns. Systematic arrange-ment; also includes citations to phytogeography, floristics, nomenclature, chromosome surveys, chemotaxonomy, anatomy, reproductive biology, personnalia, etc. Cumulative indexes. Also available on the Web. There is no charge for simple searches.
Associations
- American Botanical Council (ABC).
Founded 1988. Nonmembership. Seeks to gather and disseminate information on herbs, medicinal plants, and herbal research; increase public awareness and professional knowledge of the historical role and current potential of plants in medicine; promote understanding regarding the importance of preserving native plant populations in temperate and tropical zones. Publishes HerbalGram.
- American Bryological and Lichenological Society (ABLS)
Founded 1898, 500 members. Professional botanists, botany teachers, and hobbyists interested in the study of mosses, liverworts, and lichens. Publishes Bryologist, Evansia, membership directory.
- American Herb Association (AHA).
-
Founded 1981, 1000 members. Enthusiasts of herbs and herbal products. Publishes American Herb Association Quarterly Newsletter; also publishes list of herb books.
- American Phytopathological Society (APS).
Founded 1908, 5000 members. Professional educators, researchers, and other interested in the study and control of plant diseases. Publishes Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Phytopathology, Plant Disease: An International Journal of Applied Plant Pathology.
- American Public Gardens Association (APGA) Previously, Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA).
Founded 1940, 3000 members. Directors and staffs of botanical gardens, arboreta, institutions maintaining or conducting horticultural courses, and others. Publishes American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta-Newsletter, Public Garden, internship directory, technical information papers, etc.
- American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB).
Founded 1924, 5200 members. Professional international society of plant physiologists, plant biochemists, plant molecular and cellular biologists and other plant scientists engaged in research and teaching. Publishes ASPP Newsletter, Plant Cell, Plant Physiology. Formerly American Society of Plant Physiologists.
- American Society of Plant Taxonomists (ASPT).
Founded 1935, 1300 members. Botanists and others interested in all phases of plant taxonomy. Publications: American Society of Plant Taxonomists-Directory, Systematic Botany Monographs, newsletter.
- Biodiversity International. Previously, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI).
Founded 1974. An international research institute with a mandate to advance the conservation and use of genetic diversity for the well-being of present and future generations. Publishes Annual Report, Geneflow, Plant Genetic Resources Abstracts, newsletter.
- Botanical Society of America (BSA).
Founded 1906, 3000 members. Professional society of botanists. Publishes American Journal of Botany, Membership Directory, Career Bulletin, Guide to Graduate Study in Botany for the U.S. and Canada, Plant Science Bulletin.
- Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries (CBHL).
Founded 1970, 250 members. Libraries and collections in botanical or horticultural materials; librarians, bibliog-raphers, booksellers, publishers, researchers, and administrators. Publishes Newsletter, Plant Bibliography Series (discontinued 1999), online directory of member libraries.
- Herb Research Foundation.
Non-profit research and educational organization that focuses on herbs and medicinal plants. Publishes HerbalGram, Herbs for Health, newsletter.
- Herb Society of America (HSA).
Founded 1933, 3000 members. Scientists, educators and others interested in botanical and horticultural research on herbs and culinary, economic, decorative, fragrant, and historic use of herbs. Publishes Herbalist, membership directory, newsletter.
- International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT).
Founded 1950, 2900 members. Coordinates work related to plant taxonomy and international codification of plant names. Publishes Regnum Vegetabile, Taxon. Formerly: Commission on the Nomenclature of Plants.
- International Association for Vegetation Science (IAVS).
Founded 1930. 1568 members. Vegetation scientists in 83 countries including botanists and ecologists. Formerly: Inter-national Society for Vegetation Science. Publishes Proceedings of the International Symposium, Applied Vegetation Science, Journal of Vegetation Science, newsletter.
- International Mycological Association (IMA).
Founded 1971, 2500 members. International society representing 20,000 mycologists from 80 countries. Promotes the study of mycology in all its aspects. Publishes IMA News, International Mycological Directory.
- International Phycological Society (IPS).
Founded 1960, 900 members. Scientists working to develop phycology. Publishes Phycologia.
- International Society for Plant Molecular Biology (ISPMB).
Founded 1983, 1850 members. Scientists whose research involves the molecular biology of plants. Publishes Directory of Members, Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Molecular Biology Reporter. (Update: Disbanded 2006.)
- Mycological Society of America (MSA).
Founded 1931, 1300 members. Researchers, industrial and medical mycologists, plant pathologists, students, and others interested in the study of fungi through research, teaching, and industrial applications. Annual meeting. Publishes MSA Directory, Mycologia, Mycologia Memoirs, Mycology Guidebook, career brochure, newsletter.
- North American Mycological Association (NAMA).
Founded 1959, 2200 members consisting of regional, state, and local groups. Amateur and professional mycologists, students, and botanists. Publishes McIlvainea, newsletter, Directory
- Phycological Society of America (PSA).
Founded 1946, 1,100 members. Educators, researchers, and others interested in the pure, applied, or avocational study and utilization of algae. Publishes Journal of Phycology, Phycological Newsletter, membership directory.
- Phytochemical Society of Europe (PSE).
Founded 1957, 500 members. Scientists in 17 countries working in the field of plant chemistry. Publishes Proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe, Phytochemistry.
- Phytochemical Society of North America (PSNA).
Founded 1960. 405 members. Membership comprises primarily research scientists interested in all aspects of the chemistry of plants. Publishes Directory, newsletter, Recent Advances in Phytochemistry.
- Plant Growth Regulator Society of America (PGRSA).
Founded 1973, 850 members. Scientists concerned with plant growth regulation. Publishes PGRSA Quarterly, newsletter, Membership Directory, books on techniques, etc.
- Society for Economic Botany (SEB).
Founded 1959, 1,200 members. Botanists, anthropologists, pharmacologists, and others interested in scientific studies of useful plants. Publishes Economic Botany, Membership Directory, newsletter.
- Society for Medicinal Plant Research (Gesellschaft fur Arzneipflanzenforschung-GA).
Founded 1953. 1300 members. Scientists in 70 countries who promote medicinal plant research. Publishes Newsletter, Planta Medica.
- The Torrey Botanical Society.
Founded 1860. Botanists and others interested in botany and in collecting and disseminating information on all phases of plant science. Publishes Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society, Memoirs of the Torrey Botanical Club. Formerly: The Torrey Botanical Club.
back to top
Atlases, Checklists, and Identification Manuals
- Flora of North America, North of Mexico. Flora of North America Editorial Committee and Nancy R. Morin, eds. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993- . Irregular. Price varies.
This projected 30 volume monumental work aims to survey and classify all the more than 20,000 plant species known to grow spontaneously from the Florida Keys to the Aleutian Islands. This authoritative set provides identification keys; distribution maps; summaries of habitat and geographical ranges; precise descriptions for families, genera, and species; chromosome numbers; pertinent synonymies; line drawings; endangered and threatened plants; selected references. T
Classification, Nomenclature, and Systematics
- Brummitt, R. K. Vascular Plant Families and Genera: A Listing of the Genera of Vascular Plants of the World According to Their Families...with an Analysis of Relationships of the Flowering Plant Families According to Eight Systems of Classification. Kew, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, 1992. 804 p. $100.00. ISBN 0947643435.
The standard reference for generic names. In three parts: an alphabetic list of 14,000 accepted generic names, a list of genera by family, and an analysis of plant families following the eight systems of classification mentioned in the title. Also freely available on the Web.
- Index Nominum Genericorum (Plantarum). Ellen Farr and Gea Zijlstra, eds.
The ING is a collaborative project of the International Association for Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) and the Smithsonian Institution. This is a compilation of the generic names published for all organisms covered by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN).
- Index of Mosses Database. St. Louis, MO: Missouri Botanical Garden.
"This database of moss names was prepared as part of the Index of Mosses project at the Missouri Botanical Garden." It simply lists moss names, and does not attempt to determine their validity.
- The International Plant Names Index. Plant Names Project, 1999- .
This index combines data from Index Kewensis, the Gray Card Index and the Australian Plant Names Index. It is the most comprehensive listing of plant names to date, with 1.3 million species listed in 2000.
- Kartesz, John T., et al. A Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. 1998- .
Names and synonyms in current use of native or naturalized plants found in North America. An updated Web version of Kartesz, John T. A Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland, 2nd ed. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 1994. 2 v. ISBN 0881922048 (set). (Update: This resource is no longer available online.)
- The New York Botanical Garden Vascular Plant Type Catalog. Bronx, NY: New York Botanical Garden.
An online catalog of more than 67,000 vascular plant type specimens. Each entry contains the name of the specimen, where and by whom it was collected, a description of its habitat and a photograph.
back to top
Databases
- The Arabidopsis Information Resources (TAIR)
TAIR replaces the Arabidopsis thaliana Database Project (AtDB) that ended in 1999. It is a collaborative effort between the Carnegie Institution of Washington Department of Plant Biology and the National Center for Genome Resources.
- Brunt, A. A., K. Crabtree, M. J. Dallwitz, A. J. Gibbs, L. Watson, and E. J. Zurcher, eds. 1996- . Plant Viruses Online: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database. Version: 16th January 1997.
"These pages contain information on most species of virus known to infect plants, not only those whose virions have been described, but also those like umbraviruses that have no virion protein genes of their own, and use the virion proteins of their symbiotic helper viruses instead. We include data on host range; transmission and control; geographical distribution; physical, chemical and genomic properties; taxonomy and relationships; and selected literature references." Data from this resource have also been published in 1996 as Viruses of Plants: Descriptions and Lists from the VIDE Database.
- Carnivorous Plant Database.
Database of over 3,000 carnivorous plants. Each entry consists of the scientific name, date and place of discovery, and name of discoverer. International in coverage. Includes photographs and illustrations. Links to companion listserv CP-L.
- Harvard University Herbaria Databases
Includes the Gray Herbarium Index of New World Plants, Harvard University Herbaria Type Specimen Database, Treebase: A database of phylogenetic knowledge, Botanical Collectors database, Botanical Authors database, Botanical Publications database, and much more.
- IOPI Database of Plant Databases (DPD). International Organization for Plant Information, 1995- .
The DPD is a "a global list of plant databases, to tell you who is putting together what data and where." It includes taxonomic databases, collection catalogues, and DELTA (Description Language for Taxonomy) datasets.
- Moerman, Daniel E. Native American Ethnobotany Database - Foods, Drugs, Dyes, and Fibers of Native North American Peoples.
Database of plant uses "by 291 Native American groups of 4,029 species from 243 different plant families." This is the third version of the database. It supercedes the 1977 publication, American Medical Ethnobotany and the 1986 database, Medicinal Plants of Native America.
- PLANTS Database, USDA.
"The PLANTS Database is a single source of standardized information about plants. This database focuses on vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories. The PLANTS Database includes names, checklists, automated tools, identification information, species abstracts, distributional data, crop information, plant symbols, plant growth data, plant materials information, plant links, references, and other plant information."
- Type Register of the U. S. National Herbarium.
A searchable database of over 90,000 type specimens
back to top
Directories
- Index Herbariorum. Part I: The Herbaria of the World, 8th ed. Patricia K Holmgren et al., eds. Bronx, NY: New York Botanical Garden, published and distributed for the International Association for
- Plant Taxonomy, 1990. 693 p. (Regnum Vegetabile, v. 120). $70.00. ISBN 08932-73589.
Directory of the public herbaria of the world. Also available on the Web.
- Plant Specialists Index: Index to Specialists in the Systematics of Plants and Fungi, Based on Data From Index Herbariorum (Herbaria), Edition 8. Patricia K. Holmgren and Noel H. Holmgren, eds. Konigstein, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books, 1992. 394 p. (Regnum vegetabile, v. 124). $69.00. ISBN 187876232X.
Also available on the Web.
- Plant Taxonomists Online (PTO). University of New Mexico.
This version will be updated as names are added. (Update: This resource is no longer available online.) Also, see the American Society of Plant Taxonomists Membership Directory.
back to top
Guides to Internet Resources
A great deal of botanical information is available on the Internet. Most notably, large collections of data are being cooperatively collected and stored. This data ranges from taxonomic in nature such as the International Plant Names Index (see Classification and Nomenclature section above) to molecular data such as that provided by the National Library of Medicine's GenBank database (see Molecular and Cellular Biology).
- Sengbusch, Peter von. Botany Online: The Internet Hypertextbook, International Edition. University of Hamburg.
This highly regarded site was originally written in German, but is being translated into English. It contains a vast array of textbook-style information on botany, from taxonomy to plant physiology. Over 50 authors have contributed material.
- Botany WWW Virtual Library. Scott Russell, University of Oklahoma.
This venerable site provides a very extensive list of Web links, everything from discussion groups to plant biology departments and associations.
- Internet Directory for Botany, compiled by Anthony R. Brach, Raino Lampinen, Shunguo Liu and Keith McCree.
An index to botanical information found on the Internet. Divided into an alphabetical directory and a subject directory.
- Mycology WWW Sites of Interest. Botanische Staatssammlung Munchen.
An excellent starting point for mycologists, this site contains links arranged by type, such as floras, picture collections, and herbaria collections.
- Plant Biology Internet Resources. Diane Rhodes, Arizona State University Libraries.
An extensive, annotated list of internet resources. (Update: This resource is no longer available online.)
- Plant Pathology Internet Guide Book. Thorsten Kraska. Institute for Plant Diseases, University of Bonn, Germany.
This site covers plant pathology, applied entomology, and related fields.
- WWW Virtual Library: Mycology. Kathie Hodge, Cornell University.
Another good starting point for mycologists. This site is also arranged by subject, but also contains an alphabetical index for browsers.
back to top
Handbooks
Handbooks of specific botanical relevance are included in this section. For materials applicable to general biology, biochemistry, genetics and biotechnology, molecular biology, consult those chapters.
Histories
- Authors of Plant Names: A List of Authors of Scientific Names of Plants, with Recommended Standard Forms of Their Names, Including Abbreviations. R. K. Brummitt and C. E. Powell, eds. London: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1992. 732 p. $35.00. ISBN 0947643443.
A standard index of the authors of plant names, including birth and death dates, recommended abbreviations, and notes on the plant taxa authored for each individual. The index can be searched as part of the International Plant Names Index.
back to top
Go To:
