The answer to the question Why study botany? differs, even among the three of us, and likely will be different from your answer; however, we feel that understanding plants is central to understanding life on earth and its evolution. Never before have so many people been concerned about the fragile, botanical wonders of this planet. With the exception of a few organisms at the bottom of the ocean and certain microorganisms, all other organisms rely on plants and algae directly or indirectly for their source of food and oxygen. Whether you think about plants or not, they are essential to your existence, and they form the foundation for all the interactions within terrestrial communities. It also may be surprising to learn that plants share many genes and characteristics with humans and other animals, and because of this, when we study plants, we learn about how other organisms function. Finally, plants are interesting organisms because of the diversity of habitats in which they live and the myriad of adaptations that have allowed them to survive.