Editorial

This thematic issue of ABN brings together papers on the classification of plants cultivated by man. The systematics of cultivated plants requires a somewhat different approach compared with that of plants as found in nature. Often, more than focusing on biosystematic relationships, a practical and pragmatic approach should be applied, as many users need simple classifications that serve their needs. In this vein, it has been proposed that we consider the systematic units of cultivated plants as culta, not taxa, and simplify their nomenclature. On the other hand, where modern techniques and approaches serve to unravel more details of the plant groups concerned, these proved to be very useful for improving classifications.