Plants: Kingdom Plantae

Plants are living organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. They include species that take the shape of trees, herbs, bushes, grasses, vines, ferns, mosses, and green algae. About 350,000 species of plants, defined as seed plants, bryophytes, ferns and fern allies, are estimated to exist today. As of 2004, some 287,655 species have been identified, of which 258,650 are flowering plants and 18,000 bryophytes (mosses).

How this website organizes Plants

Plant taxonomists are constantly restructuring the way plants are organized as molecular techniques are revealing relationships that were difficult to ascertain with previous methods.  Currently many plant taxonomists are adopting the APGII system.  This new system is most helpful in organizing groups higher than the order.  We've decided to stick to the older Cronquist system which lumps certain groups (primarily the monocots and dicots) while the new APGII system splits them up.