The graphic evolution had to prove its flexibility, because a large number of systematists are permanently fine-tuning the phylogenetic relationships. They are assembled in the so-called Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG), which publishes the progress at intervals. Right now the APG IV is the valid system. brh had to adapt to these changes.
The trees in this line are based on APG IV and are an illustrative implementation of a recent publication dealing with almost all plant families.
Our long stay in the south of Switzerland was inspiring: It was possible to record the botanical changes in our garden in a system-relevant manner over a whole vegetation period.
This resulted in the blossom tree (left) and the autumn tree (right) – real Ticinesi!
Now the way was paved for the creation of thematic trees.
On the left we see a tree with fruits from temperate and warmer regions and on the right a horticultural tree typical of our climate.
The arrangement of known or lesser known fruits and vegetables in a phylogenetic setting visualizes the systematic relationships and and arouses the appetite – didactics with all senses!
Although I was delighted with the caffeine tree, brh was not. In the next project, the tree was structured based on plant orders, with a flower at the tip of the branch indicating with its (generic) name that of the order.
The first version was still a little bit right-heavy and was soon replaced by the tree on the left, slightly erected and giving (on its left side) some orders the space they deserve.
As caffeine expert I (twb) wondered, how the occurrence of this substance in the plant kingdom can be simply visualized? Since the phylogenetic trees used by molecular systematists are of little didactic value, I asked my wife (brh) to match the molecular tree to a natural one.
Interestingly, a tree drawing she had made as a child served as the initial scaffolding - arrangement and number of branches were almost perfect. See to the right!
phylotree art – a graphic evolution
The 'Caffeines'
The
Caffeine Plants
