What is "systematic botany"

Botany \Bot"a*ny\, n.; pl. Botanies. [F. botanique, a. & n., fr. Gr. ? botanic, fr. ? herb, plant, fr. ? to feed, graze.]

1. The science which treats of the structure of plants, the functions of their parts, their places of growth, their classification, and the terms which are employed in their description and denomination. See Plant.

2. A book which treats of the science of botany.

   Note: Botany is divided into various departments; as,

   Structural Botany, which investigates the structure and organic composition of plants;

   Physiological Botany, the study of their functions and life; and

   Systematic Botany, which has to do with their classification, description, nomenclature, etc.

Systematic Botany is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering the study of systematic botany. It is published quarterly by the American Society of Plant Taxonomists. According to the Journal Citation Reports, the journal has a 2010 impact factor of 1.897.

Systematic Botany was established in spring 1976 under founding editor-in-chief William Louis Culberson ( Duke University). The current editor-in-chief is James F. Smith ( Boise State University).

The American Society of Plant Taxonomists also publish the peer-reviewed taxonomic monograph series, Systematic Botany Monographs since 1980.