Why do you think the system for plant classification kept being changed before Linnæus’s system was adopted by science?
The system for plant classification underwent several changes before Linnæus's system was adopted by science because there was no consensus on how to classify plants based on their characteristics. Prior to Linnæus's system, plants were classified based on their medicinal properties, growth habits, and other subjective characteristics.
There were also several attempts to classify plants based on their physical characteristics, such as the number of petals or the shape of the leaves. However, these systems were often incomplete, inconsistent, and failed to account for the wide diversity of plant species.
Linnæus's system, also known as the binomial system of nomenclature, was revolutionary because it provided a standardized and systematic way to classify plants based on their physical characteristics. His system was based on the use of two Latin names to describe each plant, the first name denoting the genus and the second name denoting the species.
This allowed scientists to easily identify and classify plants based on their unique characteristics and relationships to other species. Linnæus's system became widely accepted because it provided a clear and concise way to classify and communicate information about plants, and it is still widely used today.