A system of plant taxonomy, the Eichler system was the first

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics (; from Greek φυλή/ φῦλον [] "tribe, clan, race", and wikt:γενετικός, γενετικός [] "origin, source, birth") is the study of the evolutionary history and relationships among or within groups o ...

(phyletic) or

evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...

ary system. It was developed by August W. Eichler (1839–1887), initially in his ''Blüthendiagramme'' (1875–1878) and then in successive editions of his ''Syllabus'' (1876–1890). After his death his colleague Adolf Engler (1844–1930) continued its development, and it became widely accepted. The system was based on dividing the plant kingdom into those plants with concealed reproductive organs (non-floral), the ( Cryptogamae, = hidden reproduction) and those with visible reproductive organs (floral), the ( Phanerogamae, = visible reproduction). Moreover, Eichler was the first taxonomist to separate the Phanerogamae into

Angiosperms Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. They include all forbs (flowering plants without a woody stem), grasses and grass-like plants, a vast majority of br ...

and

Gymnosperms The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, '' Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμν� ...

and the former into Monocotyledonae and

Dicotyledonae The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...

. His primary ranks were Divisions (''Abtheilung''), followed by orders (''Reihe'').

''Blüthendiagramme'' (1875–1878)

Volume I (1875)

Contents pp. VI–VIII
Synopsis: * Division I Gymnospermae p. 54 * Division II Monocotyledoneae p. 73 * Division III Dicotyledoneae p. 187 (''part'')

Volume II (1878)

Contents pp. V–VIII
Synopsis: * Division III Dicotyledoneae p. 187 (''continued'')

''Syllabus'' (Fourth edition 1886)

The system (here taken from the 4th edition of the ''Syllabus'', 1886) divides plants into divisions, classes and groups. Groups were further divided into orders. * Note: ranks translated into Latin Engler in NYPL

Outline: p. 6. Page numbers refer to text * A. '' Cryptogamae'' *: division I. '' Thallophyta'' *:: classis I. ''

Algae Algae ( , ; : alga ) are any of a large and diverse group of photosynthetic, eukaryotic organisms. The name is an informal term for a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from ...

'' *::: group I. Cyanophyceae *::: group II. Diatomeae *::: group III. Chlorophyceae p. 8 *::: group IV. Phaeophyceae *::: group V. Rhodophyceae *:: classis II. ''

Fungi A fungus (plural, : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of Eukaryote, eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and Mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified ...

'' *::: group I.

Schizomycetes Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

*::: group II.

Eumycetes A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately fr ...

*::: group III. ''

Lichenes A lichen ( , ) is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi species in a mutualistic relationship.Bryophyta Bryophyta may refer to: * Mosses – Bryophyta in the strict sense; a specific group of leafy nonvascular plants, now regarded as Division Bryophyta * Bryophytes – Bryophyta in the broad sense; a group of plants regarded as a single division by ...

'' *:: classis I. ''

Hepaticae The Marchantiophyta () are a division of non-vascular land plants commonly referred to as hepatics or liverworts. Like mosses and hornworts, they have a gametophyte-dominant life cycle, in which cells of the plant carry only a single set of ...

'' *:: classis II. '' Musci'' *: division III. '' Pteridophyta'' p. 21 *:: classis I. '' Equisetinae'' *:: classis II. '' Lycopodinae'' *:: classis III. ''

Filicinae A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except ...

'' * B. '' Phanerogamae'' *: division I. '' Gymnospermae'' p. 33 *: division II. '' Angiospermae'' p. 34 *:: classis I. '' Monocotyleae'' (7 orders) p. 34 *::: order I.

Liliiflorae Lilianae (also known as Liliiflorae) is a botanical name for a superorder (that is, a rank higher than that of order) of flowering plants. Such a superorder of necessity includes the type family Liliaceae (and usually the type order Liliales) ...

p. 34 *::: ordo II. Enantioblastae *::: ordo III. Spadiciflorae *::: ordo IV.

Glumiflorae {{Short description, Group of flowering plants ''Glumiflorae'' (gluma = husk + florae = flowers) is a descriptive botanical name. It was used in the Wettstein system for an order of flowering plants. The order consisted of one family only: * or ...

*::: ordo V. Scitamineae *::: ordo VI. Gynandreae *:: classis II. '' Dicotyleae'' p. 39 *::: subclassis I. '' Choripetalae'' *::: subclassis II. '' Sympetalae'' p. 58

Class Monocotyleae

*: order I.

p. 34 (6 families) *:: 1.

Liliaceae The lily family, Liliaceae, consists of about 15 genera and 610 species of flowering plants within the order Liliales. They are monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, often bulbous geophytes. Plants in this family have evolved with a f ...

(3 subfamilies) *::: a. Lilieae *:::: '' Tulipa Gagea Fritillaria

Lilium ''Lilium'' () is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs, all with large prominent flowers. They are the true lilies. Lilies are a group of flowering plants which are important in culture and literature in much of the world. M ...

Ornithogalum

Allium ''Allium'' is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants that includes hundreds of species, including the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, and chives. The generic name ''Allium'' is the Latin word for garlic,Gledhill, ...

Hyacinthus

Asphodelus ''Asphodelus'' is a genus of mainly perennial flowering plants in the asphodel family Asphodelaceae that was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. The genus was formerly included in the lily family (Liliaceae). The genus is native to temper ...

Aloë'' *::: b. Melanthieae *:::: '' Colchicum Veratrum

Tofieldia ''Tofieldia'' is a small genus of flowering plants described as a genus in 1778. It is widespread across much of Europe, Asia, and North America.Smilaceae Smilacaceae, the greenbriers, is a family of flowering plants. While they were often assigned to a more broadly defined family Liliaceae, most recent botanists have accepted the two as distinct families, diverging around 55 million years ago d ...

*:::: ''

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. ...

Convallaria

Asparagus Asparagus, or garden asparagus, folk name sparrow grass, scientific name ''Asparagus officinalis'', is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus '' Asparagus''. Its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. It was once classified ...

Smilax ''Smilax'' is a genus of about 300–350 species, found in the tropics and subtropics worldwide. In China for example about 80 are found (39 of which are endemic), while there are 20 in North America north of Mexico. They are climbing flow ...

'' *:: 2. Amaryllidaceae p. 35 *:::: '' Galanthus Leucojum

Narcissus Narcissus may refer to: Biology * ''Narcissus'' (plant), a genus containing daffodils and others People * Narcissus (mythology), Greek mythological character * Narcissus (wrestler) (2nd century), assassin of the Roman emperor Commodus * Tiberiu ...

Agave ''Agave'' (; ; ) is a genus of monocots native to the hot and arid regions of the Americas and the Caribbean, although some ''Agave'' species are also native to tropical areas of North America, such as Mexico. The genus is primarily known ...

'' *:: 3.

Juncaceae Juncaceae is a family of flowering plants, commonly known as the rush family. It consists of 8 genera and about 464 known species of slow-growing, rhizomatous, herbaceous monocotyledonous plants that may superficially resemble grasses and s ...

p. 35 *:: 4.

Iridaceae Iridaceae is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the irises, meaning rainbow, referring to its many colours. There are 66 accepted genera with a total of c. 2244 species worldwide (Christenhusz & Byng 2016). It inclu ...

p. 35 *:: 5. Haemodoraceae p. 35 *:: 6. Dioscoreaceae p. 35 *:: 7.

Bromeliaceae The Bromeliaceae (the bromeliads) are a family of monocot flowering plants of about 80 genera and 3700 known species, native mainly to the tropical Americas, with several species found in the American subtropics and one in tropical west Africa, ...

p. 35 *: ordo II. Enantioblastae p. 35 *: ordo III. Spadiciflorae p. 36 *: ordo IV.

p. 36 *: ordo V. Scitamineae p. 38 *: ordo VI. Gynandreae p. 38

References

Bibliography

Works by Eichler

* *
Volume I: 1875
*
Volume II: 1878
* ''Syllabus der Vorlesungen über Phanerogamenkunde'' Lipsius und Tischer, Kiel 1876. ** Subsequent editions published as ''Syllabus der Vorlesungen über specielle und medicinisch-pharmaceutische Botanik'', 2nd ed. 1880, 3rd ed. 1883, 4th ed. 1886, 5th 1890 *** *** **** Outline: p. 1 *** ***

Other

* in volume 2(2). * * * * * * {{List of systems of plant taxonomy system, Eichler Systems of algal taxonomy Systems of fungus taxonomy