Classification of Economically Important Plants: Scientists from time to time classified the plants on the basis of different aspects. The classification of plants followed by A.F. Hill (1952) in his book “Economic Botany” is most accepted in this regard. Hill classified economically important plants into four groups on the basis of their use. These are as follows:
Edible or food plants:
1. Cereals and Millets: Wheat, Rice, Maize, Sorghum and Bajra etc.
2. Pulses: Gram, Mung, Urad (Black gram), Arhar, Moth, Chaula (Lobia) etc.
3. Vegetables: Potato, Brinjal, Tomato, Pumpkin, Ladyfinger etc.
4. Fruits: Pomegranate, Orange, Banana, Apple etc.
Food Adjuncts:
1. Spices and Garam Masala: Turmeric, Pepper, Black pepper and Coriander seeds etc.
2. Beverage: Tea, Coffee, Cocoa.
Medicinal Plants:
1. Medicinal plants: Ashwagandha (Withania portfolio), Giloy (Tinospora portfolio), White Musli (Chlorophytum Bonvillain) Neem (Azadirachta indica), Atees (Equinetum heterophile), Opium (Papaver somniferum), Indian Snake Root (Rauvolfia serpentine).
2. Smoking, Chewing and Narcotic Products: Tobacco, Supari (Betel nut), “Bhaang” (Cannabis).
Industrial Plants:
1. Fibre Yielding Plants: Cotton, Jute, Hemp, Flax etc.
2. Timber Yielding Plants: Teak, Sheesham (Indian Rosewood) etc.
3. Rubber Yielding Plants: Natural Rubber.
4. Gums and Resins: Babool (Gum arabic Tree, Vachellia portfolio), Pine (Pinus).
5. Aromatic oils: Indian Sandalwood (Santalum album), Mogra (Arabian jasmine, Jasminum sambac).
6. Fatty Oil: Mustard, Groundnut, Coconut, Castor oil.
7. Sugar and Starch: Sugarcane, Sugar beet (Beta vulgaris), Walnut, Sago (Saboodana).
