TAXONOMIC AIDS

• Taxonomic works involves studies both in field and in laboratory.
• The correct identification is a primary task for any plant, animal or organisms to be classified.
• Biologists use herbarium, botanical garden, museums, zoological parks and keys in taxonomic studies.
• Herbarium is a collection of plants parts that usually have been dried, pressed and preserved on sheets.
• Botanical gardens are the collections of living plants maintained for reference.
• Museums have collection of preserved plants and animal specimens for the study and reference.
• The keys are based on the contrasting characters generally in a pair called couplet. It represents the choice made between two opposite options. This results in acceptance of only one and rejection of the other. Each statement in the key is called a lead. Separate taxonomic keys are required for each taxonomic category such as family, genus and species for identification purposes. Keys are generally analytical in nature.

Major Botanical Gardens, Herbaria and Research Institute

• Oldest botanical garden is "Padua Botanical Garden" Italy (Established -1545).
• Largest Botanical garden in the world is Royal Botanical Garden, Kew, Surrey, England, established by William Aiton, 1759.
• Largest herbarium of the world is "Museum of Natural History" - Paris - with a collection of 8880000 specimens.
• Largest Botanical Garden of Asia is Indian Botanical Garden, Shibpur, Kolkata. Established by Robert Kyd, 1786.
  • Largest herbarium of Asia is Central National Herbarium located in Indian Botanical Garden, with a collection of 25 lakh specimens.
  • Indian Botanical Garden is famous due to the presence of "Great Banyan Tree" in its campus.
  • In campus of Indian Botanical Garden Botanical Survey of India (BSI) is present which is established by William Rouxburgh 1890. Botanical Survey in India is done by BSI.
• National Botanical Garden, Lucknow. National Botanical Research Institute (NBRI) is located in National Botanical Garden.
• Forest Botanical Garden, Dehradun.

Forest Research Institute (FRI)is located in Forest Botanical Garden.

• Lloyd Botanical Garden - Darjeeling.
• CDRI - Central Drug Research Institute - Lucknow
• CAZRI - Central Arid Zone Research Institute - Jodhpur
• CIMAP - Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants - Lucknow
• IARI - Indian Agriculture Research Inst. (Pusa Inst.) - New Delhi
• Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany (National Institute of Paleobotany) - Lucknow.