Question

Which of the following is the correct date of publication of the book entitled Species Plantarum authored by Carolus Linnaeus? This date is the starting point date for the modern plant nomenclature.
(a) 1^st May 1753
(b) 1^st January 1935
(c) 1^st January 1856
(d) 1^st May 1856

Answer 1

Hint: Carolus Linnaeus published his book Species Plantarum in the mid- 18^th century when the French and Indian wars, revolutions like the French revolution and the Industrial revolution which radically changed human society took place.

Complete answer:
Carolus Linnaeus was a Swedish Botanist, Zoologist, and Physician who gave binomial nomenclature, the modern system of naming organisms used today. Species Plantarum was first published on 1^st May 1753 by Carolus Linnaeus as a 2 Volume work. Its prime importance is that it is the primary starting point of plant nomenclature used today. Since Species Plantarum was the first binomial nomenclature work it was chosen as the starting point for the nomenclature of most plants. - Carolus Linnaeus also published the first edition of Systema Naturae in the Netherlands. He also published a book named Genera Plantarum and Philosophia Botanica. - Species Plantarum was the first botanical work to apply binomial nomenclature. - The binomial nomenclature provides distinct and proper scientific names to a variety of organisms. Each name has two parts i.e. the first part comprises its generic name, while the second part is the specific epithet. - This naming system is universally accepted and used as it is more convenient to understand and follow.
So, the answer is, ‘1^st May 1753 ‘.

Note: - Species Plantarum has many editions out of which the first, second, and third edition was published before Carolus Linnaeus's death. - The second edition was published in 1762- 1763 and the third was published in 1764. - The fourth edition was published after the demise of Carolus Linnaeus in 1778 and the fifth edition was published during 1800 in 4 volumes.  - The abbreviation L. in Botany and Zoology is used to indicate Carolus Linnaeus as authority for a species name. LINN is also found as an abbreviation in older publications. - Any other name valid for any organism given after the publication of Species Plantarum in 1753 for plants is considered as synonyms.