Setaphyta

Setaphyta is an obsolete botanical name that was formerly used to classify a group of flowering plants. The name, based on the presence of petals (from the Greek seta meaning "bristle" or "petal" and phyton meaning "plant"), is no longer considered a valid taxonomic grouping. Modern plant taxonomy, based on phylogenetic analysis (especially molecular data), has revealed that the characteristics used to define Setaphyta do not reflect a natural, monophyletic group. Plants previously assigned to this group are now dispersed among various families and orders within the angiosperms (flowering plants), reflecting a more accurate understanding of their evolutionary relationships. The term is primarily of historical interest in understanding the development of plant classification systems.