(A) P-4; Q-3; R-2; S-1

(B) P-1; Q-3; R-2; S-4

(C) P-1; Q-2; R-4; S-3

(D) P-2; Q-1; R-4; S-3

The correct matching is: P‑4, Q‑3, R‑2, S‑1, so the right option is (A).

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Correct matches of plant taxonomists and books

• John Hutchinson → The Families of Flowering Plants (P‑4)
  John Hutchinson, a British botanist at Kew, proposed a phylogenetic system of angiosperm classification that first appeared in his two‑volume work “The Families of Flowering Plants” (dicots in 1926 and monocots in 1934).
  This book deals exclusively with flowering plants and became a major reference for modern, evolution‑based plant taxonomy.

• Adolf Engler & Karl Prantl → Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien (Q‑3)
  German botanists Adolf Engler and Karl Prantl jointly published the monumental multi‑volume work “Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien” between 1887 and 1915.
  This series arranged all known plant families, from algae to angiosperms, in a phylogenetic sequence and provided detailed descriptions and identification keys.

• Arthur Cronquist → Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants (R‑2)
  Arthur Cronquist is famous for his angiosperm system presented in the book “Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants.”
  In this work he divided the division Magnoliophyta into classes Magnoliopsida (dicots) and Liliopsida (monocots), using extensive anatomical, morphological and other evidence.

• Alfred Barton Rendle → Classification of Flowering Plants (S‑1)
  British botanist Alfred Barton Rendle authored “Classification of Flowering Plants” in two volumes published in 1904 and 1925.
  His book treated angiosperms only, recognizing main groups such as Monocotyleae and Dicotyleae and became an important early 20th‑century reference in plant taxonomy.

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Why each option is right or wrong

Option (A) P‑4, Q‑3, R‑2, S‑1 – Correct

• P‑4: Hutchinson’s key work is “The Families of Flowering Plants,” not the other titles, so linking P with 4 is correct.

• Q‑3: Engler & Prantl together wrote “Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien,” hence Q must match 3.

• R‑2: Cronquist’s classic text is “Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants,” so R correctly pairs with 2.

• S‑1: Rendle wrote “Classification of Flowering Plants,” making S‑1 the only accurate remaining match.

Option (B) P‑1, Q‑3, R‑2, S‑4 – Incorrect

• P‑1 wrongly assigns “Classification of Flowering Plants” to Hutchinson, but that title belongs to Rendle.

• S‑4 incorrectly links Rendle with “The Families of Flowering Plants,” which is Hutchinson’s work.

• Although Q‑3 and R‑2 are individually correct, one wrong pair makes the entire option invalid.

Option (C) P‑1, Q‑2, R‑4, S‑3 – Incorrect

• P‑1 is wrong for the same reason as above; Hutchinson did not write “Classification of Flowering Plants.”

• Q‑2 incorrectly assigns “Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants” to Engler & Prantl, while that book is by Cronquist.

• R‑4 wrongly links Cronquist with “The Families of Flowering Plants,” and S‑3 wrongly links Rendle with “Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien.”

Option (D) P‑2, Q‑1, R‑4, S‑3 – Incorrect

• P‑2 incorrectly gives Hutchinson the Cronquist title “Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants.”

• Q‑1 incorrectly credits Engler & Prantl with “Classification of Flowering Plants,” which belongs to Rendle.

• R‑4 incorrectly links Cronquist to “The Families of Flowering Plants,” while S‑3 incorrectly links Rendle to “Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilien.”

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Quick reference table: taxonomists and their books

SEO‑friendly introduction

Plant taxonomy questions often ask students to match the names of the plant taxonomists with the titles of the books they authored, especially in competitive exams such as CSIR NET, GATE, ICAR and NEET. Knowing which classic works belong to John Hutchinson, Adolf Engler and Karl Prantl, Arthur Cronquist and Alfred Barton Rendle helps in quickly solving assertion‑reason and matching‑type MCQs in systematics and angiosperm classification.