Amid these stacks of specimens is where the bulk of the botanists' research takes place. The exacting science of systematics - also known as taxonomy - is their primary activity. The MBG is known for its expertise in this highly specialized and valued field.

Systematics is more than just a name game. Experts in this discipline document organisms and group them in a way that reflects their evolutionary relationships. Garden systematists use a variety of techniques to learn the basic characteristics of a plant under study, from simple measurements of plant parts and shapes, to more sophisticated microscopic, biochemical, and molecular approaches. Then, they can assign the plant to a particular taxonomic group based on its similarities to others.