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

phylogenetic In biology, phylogenetics () is the study of the evolutionary history of life using observable characteristics of organisms (or genes), which is known as phylogenetic inference. It infers the relationship among organisms based on empirical dat ...

(phyletic) or

evolution Evolution is the change in the heritable Phenotypic trait, characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. It occurs when evolutionary processes such as natural selection and genetic drift act on genetic variation, re ...

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 and

Gymnosperms The gymnosperms ( ; ) are a group of woody, perennial Seed plant, seed-producing plants, typically lacking the protective outer covering which surrounds the seeds in flowering plants, that include Pinophyta, conifers, cycads, Ginkgo, and gnetoph ...

and the former into Monocotyledonae and Dicotyledonae. 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 ) is an informal term for any organisms of a large and diverse group of photosynthesis, photosynthetic organisms that are not plants, and includes species from multiple distinct clades. Such organisms range from unicellular ...

'' *::: group I. Cyanophyceae *::: group II.

Diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma'') is any member of a large group comprising several Genus, genera of algae, specifically microalgae, found in the oceans, waterways and soils of the world. Living diatoms make up a significant portion of Earth's B ...

eae *::: group III. Chlorophyceae p. 8 *::: group IV. Phaeophyceae *::: group V. Rhodophyceae *:: classis II. ''

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

'' *::: group I. Schizomycetes *::: group II. Eumycetes *::: group III. '' Lichenes'' *: division II. '' Bryophyta'' *:: classis I. '' Hepaticae'' *:: classis II. '' Musci'' *: division III. '' Pteridophyta'' p. 21 *:: classis I. '' Equisetinae'' *:: classis II. '' Lycopodinae'' *:: classis III. '' Filicinae'' * B. '' Phanerogamae'' *: division I. '' Gymnospermae'' p. 33 *: division II. '' Angiospermae'' p. 34 *:: classis I. '' Monocotyleae'' (7 orders) p. 34 *::: order I. Liliiflorae p. 34 *::: ordo II. Enantioblastae *::: ordo III. Spadiciflorae *::: ordo IV. Glumiflorae *::: ordo V. Scitamineae *::: ordo VI. Gynandreae *:: classis II. '' Dicotyleae'' p. 39 *::: subclassis I. '' Choripetalae'' *::: subclassis II. ''

Sympetalae Sympetally (fused petals) is a flower characteristic that historically was used to classify a grouping of plants termed Sympetalae, but this term has been abandoned in newer molecular based classifications, although the grouping has similarity to ...

'' p. 58

Class Monocotyleae

*: order I. Liliiflorae p. 34 (6 families) *:: 1. Liliaceae (3 subfamilies) *::: a. Lilieae *:::: ''

Tulipa Tulips are spring-blooming perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophytes in the ''Tulipa'' genus. Their flowers are usually large, showy, and brightly coloured, generally red, orange, pink, yellow, or white. They often have a different coloured ...

Gagea Fritillaria

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

Ornithogalum Allium Hyacinthus Asphodelus Aloë'' *::: b. Melanthieae *:::: ''

Colchicum ''Colchicum'' ( or ) is a genus of perennial plant, perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of the botanical family (biology), family Colchicaceae, and is native plant, native to ...

Veratrum Tofieldia'' *::: c. Smilaceae *:::: ''

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

Convallaria

Asparagus Asparagus (''Asparagus officinalis'') is a perennial flowering plant species in the genus ''Asparagus (genus), Asparagus'' native to Eurasia. Widely cultivated as a vegetable crop, its young shoots are used as a spring vegetable. Description ...

Smilax'' *:: 2.

Amaryllidaceae The Amaryllidaceae are a family of herbaceous, mainly perennial and bulbous (rarely rhizomatous) flowering plants in the monocot order Asparagales. The family takes its name from the genus '' Amaryllis'' and is commonly known as the amaryl ...

p. 35 *:::: '' Galanthus Leucojum Narcissus Agave'' *:: 3. Juncaceae p. 35 *:: 4. Iridaceae p. 35 *:: 5. Haemodoraceae p. 35 *:: 6. Dioscoreaceae p. 35 *:: 7. Bromeliaceae p. 35 *: ordo II. Enantioblastae p. 35 *: ordo III. Spadiciflorae p. 36 *: ordo IV. Glumiflorae 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