Plants and algae form the basis for life on earth, as the first link in the food chain, and as source material for advances in modern medicine.
Plants regulate our climate and enhance the natural beauty of our visual world.
Yet, ironically, at a time of growing interest in Green issues, these organisms have not been given the intention they deserve. Fungi are essential in recycling nutrients, making them available for new, plant growth, and cause serious diseases of vital crop plants. The study of plants has been pursued for many centuries, but like all branches of science, has become diverse and specialized. Today, Botany is an important and exciting scientific discipline that has many subdisciplines and subdivisions, providing scope for a wide range of scientific interests. Systematics - the study of the natural relationships of organisms and their putatative evolution and taxonomy.