Lindley system

Key takeaways

Lindley system belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Lindley system to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Lindley system from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

An early system of plant taxonomy, the Lindley system, was first published by John Lindley as An Introduction to the Natural System of Botany (Natural History, 1830). This was a minor modification of that of de Candolle (1813). He developed this further over a number of publications, including the Nixus plantarum (1833) and a second edition of Natural History (1836), in which he introduced the concept of a higher order of taxonomic rank, the Alliances, in which he embedded the Tribes (families). He also expanded his ideas on Exogens in his entry of that name in the Penny Cyclopedia (1838). In 1839 he revised his division of the plant kingdom into classes in an article in the Botanical Register. Lindley's system culminated in the three editions of his Vegetable Kingdom (1846, 1847, 1853). The schema of the Natural History is shown on pages xxxv and xxxvii-xlviii. In the Vegetable Kingdom, the schema for the first edition is on pp. lv–lxviii. The third and final edition was published in 1853, with the schema on p. lv. Cross references from Natural History to Vegetable Kingdom in [Square brackets].

Summary

An Introduction to the Natural History of Botany (1830) Schema p. xxxv, Outline p. xxxvii Index p. 345 Genera organised into Orders (referred to as Tribes, in English) Class I: Vasculares (Flowering plants) p. 1 Subclass I: Exogenae (Dicotyledons) p. 1 Tribe I. Angiospermae p. 2 Tribe II. Gymnospermae p. 245 Subclass II: Endogenae (Monocotyledons) p. 251 Tribe I Petaloideae p. 252 Tribe II Glumaceae Class II: Cellulares (Flowerless plants) 1. Filicoideae 2. Muscoideae 3. Aphyllae Index to Introduction to Natural History p. 345

Vegetable Kingdom (1846–1853) Summary of previous systems p. xxxv (see Notes) Schema for 1846 and 1853 p. lv Genera organised into Alliances and Orders Flowerless plants (Asexual)

Class I: Thallogens Class II: Acrogens Flowering plants (Sexual)

Class III: Rhizogens Class IV: Endogens Class V: Dictyogens Class VI: Gymnogens Class VII: Exogens Index to Vegetable Kingdom p. 833

Natural History orders (1830–1836) 165 orders (list p. 3)

Class I: Vasculares: Flowering plants p. 1

Subclass I: Exogenae (Dicotyledons) Tribe I. Angiospermae p. 2 Polypetale 165 orders p. 2 Thalamiflorae Apocarpae 23. Menispermeae p. 31 ... 117. Coriarieae p. 135 Syncarpae 5. Nymphaeaceae ... 130. Violaceae (Violets) p. 146 ... 107. Humiriaceae Calyciflorae Apocarpae 38. Saxifrageae ... 147. Crassulaceae Syncarpae 132. Malesherbiaceae ... 1. Araliaceae (Aralia) p. 4 ... 58. Alangieae Apetale Aristolochiae ... Empetreae Achlamydeae Podostemeae .... Piperaceae Monopetale Gesnereae ... Orobancheae Tribe II. Gymnospermae p. 245 Coniferae Cycadeae

Subclass II: Endogenae (Monocotyledons) Endogenae, or Monocotyledonous Plants p. 251

Tribe I Petaloideae 32 orders p. 252 (May be Tripetaloideous, Hexapetaloideous or Spadiceous)

Tripetaloideae 8 orders 230 Butomeae (p. 253) [Alismales 208] 229 Alismaceae (p. 253) [Alismales 209] 232 Commelineae (p. 255) [Xyridales 188] 233 Xyrideae (p. 255) [Xyridales 187] 231 Hydrocharideae (p. 254) [Hydrales 141] 234 Bromeliaceae (p. 256) [Narcissales 147] 241 Scitamineae (p. 265) 242 Marantaceae (p. 267) [Amomales 168] Hexapetaloideae(17 orders) 235: Hypoxideae 236: Burmannieae (p. 257) 237: Haemodoraceae (Blood-root tribe) p. 258*** 239: Irideae (Cornflag tribe) p. 260 238: Amaryllideae (Narcissus tribe) p. 259*** 240: Orchideae 239: Irideae (p. 260) [Narcissales 159] 240 Orchideae (p. 262) [Orchidales 173] .....

243 Musaceae (p. 269) 235 Hypoxideae (p. 257) [Narcissales 154] 238 Amaryllideae (p. 259) [Narcissales 155] 237 Haemadoraceae (p. 258) [Narcissales 155] ............ ............ 244 Junceae (p. 270) [Juncales 191] 247 Asphodeleae (p. 273) [Liliaceae 200] 248 Gilliesieae (p. 275) [Liliales 196] 251 Liliaceae (p. 279) [Liliales 200] 249 Smilaceae (p. 277) 253 Restiaceae (p. 283) [Glumales 121] - Glumaceae Spadiceae (7 orders) 254 Pandaneae p. 284 255 Typhaceae p. 285 256 Aroideae p. 286 257 Balanophoreae p. 288 258 Fluviales p. 289 259 Juncagineae p. 290 259 Pistiaceae p. 291 [Arales 124] Tribe II Glumaceae 2 orders p. 292 [Glumales 105] Cyperaceae [107] Gramineae p. 292 [Graminaceae 106]

Class II: Cellulares: Flowerless plants p. 307

1. Filicoideae, or Fern-like plants Equisetaceae Filices Lycopodiaceae Marsileaceae 2. Muscoideae, or Moss-like plants Musci Hepaticae Characeae 3. Aphyllae Lichenes Fungi Algae

Vegetable Kingdom alliances and orders (1846–1853) (pages refer to 1853 edition)

Flowerless plants p. 5

Class I: Thallogens 3 Alliances

Algales p. 8 Diatomaceae ... Characeae Fungales, Fungi p. 29 Hymenomycetes ... Physomycetes Lichenales, Lichens p. 45 Graphidaceae Collemaceae Parmeliaceae

Class II: Acrogens 3 Alliances p. 51

Muscales, or Moss-like plants p. 54 Hepaticae Ricciaceae ... Equisetaceae, Horsetails Musci Andraeaceae Bryaceae Lycopodales p. 68 Lycopodaceae Marsileaceae Filicales p. 74 Ophioglossaceae Polypodiaceae, Ferns Danaeaceae

Flowering plants

Class III: Rhizogens 3 orders p. 83

Balanophoraceae p. 88 Cytinaceae p. 91 Rafflesiaceae p. 93

Class IV: Endogens (Monocotyledons) 11 Alliances p. 95

Glumales 5 orders p. 105 Graminaceae, Grasses Cyperaceae, Sedges ... Eriocaulaceae, Pipeworts Arales 4 orders p. 123 Pistiaceae Typhaceae Araceae Pandanaceae Palmales, Palms 1 order p. 133 Palmaceae Hydrales 4 orders p. 140 Hydrocharidaceae Naiadaceae Triuridaceae Zosteraceae Narcissales 6 orders p. 146 Bromeliaceae p. 147 Taccaceae Haemodoraceae Hypoxidaceae p. 154 Amaryllidaceae, Amaryllids 4 tribes 68 genera 400 species p. 155 Amarylleae Narcisseae Alstromerieae Agaveae Iridaceae p. 159 (53 Genera, 550 species) Amomales 3 orders p. 162 Musaceae Zingiberaceae Marantaceae Orchidales 3 orders p. 170 Burmanniaceae Orchidaceae, Orchids Apostasiaceae Xyridales 4 orders p. 185 Philydraceae .... Mayaceae Juncales 2 orders p. 190 Juncaceae, Rushes Orontiaceae Liliales p. 195 4 orders Gilliesiaceae p. 196 Melanthaceae Liliaceae, Lilyworts 11 tribes 133 genera 1200 species p. 200 I Tulipeae ... IV Scilleae ... IX Asparageae ... XI Ophiopogoneae Pontederaceae Alismales 3 orders p. 207 Butomaceae Alismaceae Juncaginaceae

Class V: Dictyogens 5 orders p. 211

Dioscoreaceae, Yams p. 214 ... Roxburghiaceae

Class VI: Gymnogens 4 orders p. 221

Cycadaceae, Cycads Pinaceae, Conifers p. 226 Taxaceae Gnetaceae

Class VII: Exogens 4 subclasses

… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Lindley system

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Lindley system claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Lindley system before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Lindley system ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Lindley system

In research: Lindley system appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Lindley system in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Lindley system is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Systems of plant taxonomy, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Lindley system outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

How to study Lindley system in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Lindley system means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Lindley system out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Lindley system in simple terms?

An early system of plant taxonomy, the Lindley system, was first published by John Lindley as An Introduction to the Natural System of Botany (Natural History, 1830). This was a minor modification of that of de Candolle (1813).

Why does Lindley system matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Lindley system?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Lindley system.