Classic Greek TaxonomyClassic Greek Taxonomy(of Plants!)(of Plants!)

Wesley ThomasWesley Thomas

Josh FegerJosh Feger

Tuesday Lab, 12:00-3:00Tuesday Lab, 12:00-3:00

Greek Philosophy and Greek Philosophy and ThoughtThought

Ancient Greek philosophers explored the many Ancient Greek philosophers explored the many aspects of nature (both inner and outer)aspects of nature (both inner and outer)

To look for understanding, they looked for ways To look for understanding, they looked for ways of explaining the environment around themof explaining the environment around them

Greek Philosophy and Greek Philosophy and ThoughtThought

One of the great One of the great thinkers was thinkers was HippocratesHippocrates

Used plants for Used plants for medicinal purposesmedicinal purposes

Aristotle wrote on Aristotle wrote on many aspects of many aspects of Biology, but very Biology, but very little on plantslittle on plants

Hence comes . . . .Hence comes . . . .

The Father of BotanyThe Father of Botany

TheophrastusTheophrastus (372-287 B.C.)(372-287 B.C.) Student of AristotleStudent of Aristotle WroteWrote

De causis plantarum De causis plantarum (The Causes of Plants)(The Causes of Plants)

De historia plantarumDe historia plantarum (The History of Plants) (The History of Plants)

The Father of BotanyThe Father of Botany

"We must consider the "We must consider the distinctive characters distinctive characters and the general nature and the general nature of plants from the point of plants from the point of view of their of view of their morphology , their morphology , their behavior under external behavior under external conditions, their mode conditions, their mode of generation, and the of generation, and the whole course of their whole course of their life"life"

transl. A. G. Morton transl. A. G. Morton 1981 1981

The Father of BotanyThe Father of Botany

Classified 500 distinct Classified 500 distinct species of plantsspecies of plants

Developed scientific Developed scientific terminology for internal terminology for internal organs and external organs and external tissues of plants tissues of plants

Gave the first clear Gave the first clear account of plant sexual account of plant sexual reproduction and reproduction and pollinationpollination

Discussed the influence Discussed the influence of abiotic habitat of abiotic habitat factors factors

Catalpa for the Heart

Some examples of “Doctrine of Signatures”

Bloodroot for Circulatory System

Liverleaf…..for the Liver

St. John’s Wort

For curing wounds and cuts….

..but it actually works!

(also anti-depressant)

Achilles healing a soldier

Apollo Asclepias

Achilles Hygieia

Hippocrates (400 B.C.)

Father of Medicine

“Let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food”

- Hippocrates

"Of several remedies, the physician should choose the least sensational."

Plato and Aristotle….

(about 300 B.C.)

Which one is which?

Aristotle

(300 B.C.)

(300 B.C.)