Overview

Botany, the study of plants, developed as a science in ancient Greece, with Theophrastus (c. 371-287 B.C.) considered the father of botanical science. But a practical interest in plants extended far back before recorded times, because plants were not only a source of food but also of medicines. With the dawn of agriculture, interest in plant growth became more focused, as better methods for cultivating crops and protecting them from weather and pest damage were developed. Also, in many ancient civilizations, including those in China, Egypt, Babylonia, and Greece, sophisticated medical practices developed in which plant materials were important medicinals. What Theophrastus brought to such practical interests in plants was an inquiry that was more theoretical. After Theophrastus, botanical science progressed very little until the rediscovery of his writings in the fifteenth century, just as the Renaissance was beginning.

Background