Botany is the specific, scientific study of plants. It is also called plant biology as it is officially a subset of the biological sciences that involves the scientific study of plant life. Botany, or plant biology, includes the study of a the growth, reproduction, metabolism, diseases, chemical properties, structure and evolutionary relationships among taxonomic groups of plants, algae and fungi. Botany might just be one of the oldest science coming from a basic human need to know which plants are safe for human and animal (livestock) consumption.