View source for John Ray

=== Taxonomy ===

Ray's work on [[plant taxonomy]] spanned a wide range of thought, starting with an approach that was predominantly in the tradition of the [[herbalists]] and [[Aristotelianism|Aristotelian]], but becoming increasingly theoretical and finally rejecting Aristotelianism. Despite his early adherence to Aristotelian tradition, his first botanical work, the ''Catalogus plantarum circa Cantabrigiam nascentium'' (1660),{{sfn|Ray|1660}} was almost entirely descriptive, being arranged alphabetically. His model was an account by [[Gaspard Bauhin|Bauhin]] of the plants growing around Basel in 1622 and was the first English county flora, covering about 630 species.{{sfn|Jarvis|2012}} However at the end of the work he appended a brief taxonomy{{sfn|Ray|1660|loc=pp.&nbsp;100–102}} which he stated followed the usage of Bauhin and other herbalists.{{sfn|Ray|1660|loc=pp.&nbsp;100–102}}{{sfn|Slaughter|1982|loc=p.&nbsp;62}}

==== System of classification ====

Ray's system, starting with his Cambridge catalogue, began with the division between the imperfect or lower plants ([[Cryptogams]]), and perfect (''planta perfecta'') higher plants ([[Seed plants]]). The latter he divided by [[life forms]], e.g. trees (''arbores''), shrubs (''frutices''), subshrubs (''suffrutices'') and [[herbaceous plants]] (''herbae'') and lastly grouping them by common characteristics. The trees he divided into 8 groups, e.g. ''Pomiferae'' (including apple and pear). The shrubs he placed in 2 groups, ''Spinosi'' ([[Berberis]] etc.) and ''Non Spinosi'' ([[Jasmine]] etc.). The subshrubs formed a single group and the herbs into 21 groups.{{sfn|Slaughter|1982|loc=pp.&nbsp;62–63}}

Division of Herbae;
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
# Bulbosae (''[[Lilium]]'' etc.)
# Tuberosae (''[[Asphodelus]]'' etc.)
# Umbelliferae (''[[Foeniculum]]'' etc.)
# Verticellatae (''[[Mentha]]'' etc.)
# Spicatae (''[[Lysimachia]]'' etc.)
# Scandentes (''[[Cucurbita]]'' etc.)
# Corymbiferae (''[[Tanacetum]]'')
# Pappiflorae (''[[Senecio]]'' etc.)
# Capitatae (''[[Scabiosa]]'' etc.)
# Campaniformes (''[[Digitalis]]'' etc.)
# Coronariae (''[[Dianthus|Caryophyllus]]'' etc.)
# Rotundifoliae (''[[Cyclamen]]'' etc.)
# Nervifoliae (''[[Plantago]]'' etc.)
# Stellatae (''[[Rubia]]'' etc.)
# Cerealia (''[[Leguminosae|Legumina]]'' etc.)
# Succulentae (''[[Sedum]]'' etc.)
# Graminifoliae (''[[Gramineae|Gramina]]'' etc.)
# [omitted]
# Oleraceae (''[[Beta (plant)|Beta]]'' etc.)
# Aquaticae (''[[Nymphaea]]'' etc.)
# Marinae (''[[Fucus]]'' etc.)
# Saxatiles (''[[Asplenium]]'' etc)
{{div col end}}

As outlined in his ''Historia Plantarum'' (1685–1703):{{sfn|Singh|2004|loc=[https://books.google.com/books?id=z6fMBQAAQBAJ&pg=PA302 John Ray p.&nbsp;302]}}
* Herbae ([[Herbaceous plants]])
** Imperfectae ([[Cryptogams]])
** Perfectae ([[Seed plants]])
*** [[Monocotyledons]]
*** [[Dicotyledons]]
* Arborae ([[Trees]])
** Monocotyledons
** Dicotyledons

==== Definition of species ====
Ray was the first person to produce a biological definition of [[species]], in his 1686 ''History of Plants'':

{{blockquote|... no ''surer criterion for determining species has occurred to me than'' the distinguishing features that perpetuate themselves in propagation from seed. Thus, no matter what variations occur in the individuals or the species, if they spring from the seed of one and the same plant, they are accidental variations and not such as to distinguish a species... Animals likewise that differ specifically preserve their distinct species permanently; one species never springs from the seed of another nor vice versa.<ref>Mayr ''Growth of biological thought'' p256; original was Ray, ''History of Plants''. 1686, trans E. Silk.</ref>}}