Draw an outline of Bentham and Hooker's system classification.

1. Taxonomy:

(i) Taxonomy is the branch of biology that deals with the study of identification, classification, description and nomenclature of living organisms.

(ii) Grouping of living organisms based on their common features is known as biological classification. 

(iii) Carolus Linnaeus is known as the father of modern taxonomy. Linnaeus' classification is the most famous artificial system of classification.

2. Bentham and Hooker's System of Classification:

(i) Bentham and Hooker’s classification is an example of the natural system of classification.

(ii) The seeded plants are divided into three classes: Dicotyledonae, Gymnospermae and Monocotyledonae.

3. Binomial Nomenclature:

Binomial nomenclature is a universal system of naming organisms. It contains two names. The first name of binomial is the genus name and the second name is the species name.

4. Algae:

(i) Algae are chlorophyll bearing, simple primitive plants and are autotrophs. Algae like Chara has well-developed sex organs.

(ii) Algae are mainly classified on the basis of their pigments: Cyanophyceae (Blue-green algae), Chlorophyceae (green algae), Phaeophyceae (brown algae) and Rhodophyceae (red algae).

(iii) Algae have diverse economic uses. They are consumed as food, used in agriculture, extraction of agar-agar and to produce single cell protein (SCP).

5. Fungi:

(i) Fungi are eukaryotic organisms that include microorganisms such as yeasts, moulds and mushrooms. 

(ii) On the basis of nutrition, kingdom fungi can be classified into three groups: Parasites, saprophytes and symbionts.

(iii) Food, antibiotic and alcohol production are some important uses of fungi.

(iv) A few fungal species are pathogenic and cause diseases in plants (e.g., wilt disease, tikka disease, white rust, etc.) and animals (e.g., ringworm, athletes foot, dandruff, etc.).

6. Bryophytes:

Bryophytes are the primitive and simplest group of land plants. Examples: Riccia, Anthoceros and Funaria.

7. Pteridophytes:

Pteridophytes are the first true land plants. Examples: Psilotum, Lycopodium, Equisetum, and Nephrolepis.

8. Gymnosperms:

Gymnosperm bears naked seed and usually are perennial, evergreen and woody. Examples: Pinus and Cycas.

9. Angiosperms:

Angiosperms are the most developed and advanced plants. These are broadly divided into two groups: monocotyledons and dicotyledons. Examples: Paddy (monocot) and tamarind (dicot).

10. Uses of Medicinal plants:

(i) The paste obtained from the leaves of Acalypha indica cure the burns on the skin.

(ii) The leaves, flowers and fruits of Solanum trilobatum cure the cough and cold.