Advances in Botany
Overview
With the beginning of the Renaissance in the fifteenth century came a new interest in the natural world, including the world of plants. This was manifested in closer observation of plant structures, the identification of new species, and the formation of botanical gardens and plant collections to serve as resources for botanists. In the seventeenth century, interest in experimentation led to early work on plant physiology, or function; and the development of the microscope prompted increased attention to the careful study of plant anatomy.
Background
In 1455 the printing press was a new invention, and it was one that had perhaps a greater influence on botany than on other sciences. While the printing press made it much easier to communicate all scientific ideas, it was particularly important in botany because it allowed for the accurate reproduction of images of plants. Until that time, illustrations had to be made by hand, and each time an illustration was copied there was the likelihood that inaccuracies would be introduced. Also, as images were copied repeatedly they tended to become simpler and carryless information. This meant that it was often impossible to identify a plant species from an illustration.
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