Botany

Botany is the branch of biology concerned with the study of plants. It examines everything from the tiniest cells and tissues to whole plants and the communities they form, covering trees, flowers, grasses, shrubs, vines, ferns and many other groups. Botanists investigate how plants grow, reproduce, function and interact with their surroundings, as well as how they are related to one another. The discipline underpins agriculture, horticulture, medicine and ecology.

A central concern of botany is classification, the ordering of plants into groups based on their characteristics and evolutionary relationships. Scientific naming, or taxonomy, gives each plant a precise name so that species can be identified consistently worldwide. Plants are sorted into broad categories such as vascular plants, which have internal tissues to conduct water and nutrients, and seed plants, which reproduce through seeds. Gardeners use further practical groupings such as annuals, perennials, shrubs, succulents and water plants.

Botany also studies how plants work. Through photosynthesis, green plants use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugars, releasing oxygen and forming the basis of most food chains. Flowering plants reproduce through specialised structures: a flower's parts enable pollination and fertilisation, after which seeds and fruits develop. Plant hormones regulate growth, flowering and the ripening of fruit. By understanding these structures and processes, botany explains how the plant kingdom sustains itself and supports life on Earth.

Frequently asked questions

What does botany study?

Botany is the study of plants, including their structure, growth, reproduction, classification, chemistry and their relationships with the environment and other organisms.

What is photosynthesis?

Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants use sunlight to turn carbon dioxide and water into sugars, releasing oxygen. It provides the energy base for most life on Earth.

What is plant taxonomy?

Taxonomy is the science of naming and classifying plants, grouping them by shared characteristics and evolutionary relationships and giving each species a standard scientific name.