APGbased

APGbased is an adjective used in botany to describe taxonomic work, classifications, or nomenclature that aligns with the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) framework for classifying flowering plants. The term signals that a given classification follows the APG philosophy, which emphasizes monophyletic groups and is driven by molecular phylogenetic data rather than solely by traditional morphology.

The APG system originated in the late 1990s and has undergone several revisions, including APG II, APG III, and APG IV. These editions revise the circumscription and composition of orders and families to reflect advances in DNA sequence analysis, with the goal of producing a more natural, evolutionary-based classification. APGbased classifications are now widely used in floras, checklists, and taxonomic treatises to indicate adherence to this standard.

In practice, APGbased classifications affect higher-level groupings, often resulting in redefined families and restructured orders. For example, revisions during the APG II era led to the broad restructuring of certain families, such as the reduction of Scrophulariaceae and the expansion of Plantaginaceae, among others, to reflect phylogenetic relationships. Such changes are typically noted in accompanying annotations to make clear that the treatment follows APG criteria rather than older, morphology-based systems.

Benefits of APGbased approaches include greater consistency across studies, easier data integration, and alignment with current phylogenetic understanding. Limitations include ongoing updates that can alter circumscriptions and the existence of alternative taxonomic opinions among researchers who favor different frameworks or traditional classifications.

See also: Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, APG IV, plant taxonomy, molecular systematics.