Botanic Gardens and Taxonomy - their Economic Role

An account is given of how the development of botanic gardens and of taxonomy have been linked throughout much of their history. After the period of physic gardens in which botany and medicine were intimately associated, there came a phase of exploration and commercial and agricultural development of colonial territories by European powers in which botanic gardens and taxonomists played a vital role. In the twentieth century with the creation of separate agricultural institutions and research stations, botanic gardens lost their link with agriculture, and went througn a phase of uncertainty and decline. With the rise of experimental botany, the role of taxonomy declined and efforts were concentrated on evolutionary or biosystematic, largely non-classificatory aspects, to the neglect of the information-processing role of the subject. In recent years, taxonomy is again seen to have a major practical role, in the conservation and resources crisis, a responsibility which taxonomists should willingly accept.