Biological Classification Question 7
7. Artificial system of classification was first used by
(a) Linnaeus
(b) De Candolle [1989]
(c) Pliny the Elder
(d) Bentham and Hooker
Show Answer
Answer : c
Hints & Solutions
(c) During the early period in taxonomy, only external morphology (the characters observable with naked eye) were the sole criteria to classify plants and animals. Theophrastus gave names and description of 480 plants in his book “Historia plantarum”, on the basis of their habit but Pliny the Elder introduced first artificial system of classification in his book Historia Naturalis. He classified both plants and animals.
