The Botany Theory Of Theophrastus

Theophrastus, who lived in ancient Greece, was one of the most excellent studentsof Aristotle, and he became the master of Lyceum academy after Aristotle. Although hehad wonderful works and theory on politics, philosophy, ethics, rhetoric and naturalscience, he was famous in history because of his greatest achievement on botany. As oneof the earliest plant researchers in human history, he created the beginning of botanytheory and research method, so he was extremely important in the history of botanyresearch.Theophrastus was called “the father of botany” by later generation, and his botanyworks Enquiry into Plants and De Casis Plantarum were classical and famous botanicalworks. The two books, not only included plants’ morphology, structure, classification,naming, growth, generation and the influence of environment on plants, but also involvedin breeding, grafting, and the prevention to pets and disease, which provide reasonablesuggestions for people at that time, so the two books were in value both on plantsresearch and practice, meanwhile they were the foundation of the establishment anddevelopment of botany. With reference to the theory of modern botany, we did researchon the botany theory which included in the two books; we can find his creative theory onplant morphology, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant genetics and plant ecology.Therefore, it is visible that his botany theory was the foundation of relevant theory ofmodern botany, and had a guiding significance for the establishment and development ofbranch subjects of botany.However, most of his books were lost, only left two botany books and several otherbooks and fragments, to some extent, this had a bad influence to the spreading andpopularization of his botany theory in history. In this case, it is helpful for the researchabout the global classical cultivation history and technical history to pay attention toTheophrastus and study his botany theory.