Phytologist (a person or biologist who study plants) have sorted and classified plants by similarities and their difference. This is called TAXONOMY. Phytologist have used English and Latin to name the different divisions. The Latin names , or the scientific name are more accurate and specific . Although , more difficult to pronounce and spell. Where as the more common names can be totally different from country to country and area to area . These names are "made up" and sometimes even changes in the same country or area. So this can cause a problem in identifying the same plant.
Phytologist included all the plants in one so called kingdom(group) the Kingdom Platea. They then broke them down into smaller groups. These groups based on similarities and their difference. Phytologist look at 3 things
- do plants circulate fluid or absorb moisture
- how they reproduce
- size or stature
Plants that circulate fluid are vascular and those that absorb are non-vascular.
- All non-vascular plants reproduce without seeds or through spores. (known as Bryoyphyta and allies) an example of this type of plant ALGEA
- Some vascular plants reproduce without seeds and through spores. (known as Pteridophyta and allies) an example of this type of plant ferns
- Another type of vascular plants reproduce with seeds conifers.(known as Coniferophyta and allies) and don't have flowers and their leaves are needle-like shaped . an example of this kind of plant is cones.
- The majority of vascular plants are found in this group. (230000 of 500000) the flowering plants (known as Magnoliophyta) as the name suggest they reproduce from seeds and are different conifers because they grow their seeds inside an ovary.