Identification of a species is the most critical task which necessitates application of instinct, knowledge and skill. A correctly identified species is given recognition with the help of an appropriate name. Nomenclature of organisms is thus a means to afford communication about them and to standardize and organize an unambiguous reference system about them. Inadequacy and inaccuracy of base-line information regarding delimitation of natural biotic entities and their recognition are likely to magnify small gross errors of correlation and extrapolation to large dimensions while digitalizing data for species distribution maps and their utilitarian perspectives. The events of misidentification of plant species, inadvertent use of totally unrelated species or by closely related inferior quality species can hinder their medicinal use, the adverse effects of which may even kill a consumer. The medicinally useful plants and plant products must have their specific identity correctly ascertained with standardized circumscription and nomenclature for quality control and prevention of adulteration of drugs. This serious challenge has to be taken up by biosystematics, the Post-Linnaean Systematics most appropriate to recognize species and variations within species for its in-built taxonomic philosophy and genecological principles to read both micro- and macro- biomolecules emitting diagnostic and phylogenetic signals. Through this field-based natural science life forms can be discovered, identified, described, named, classified and catalogued, with their diversity, ecology, phylogeny and distributions. In view of the virtues and prospect greater concern of biosystematics is an absolute necessity for augmenting success and prosperity of traditional as well as modern systems of medicines utilizing herbal medicines. In essence, biosystematics provides indispensable bioresources data-base to support many fields of beneficial research including medical science. |
