Biosystematics is at the present time an unfashionable biological discipline, except perhaps insofar as it now utilises modern computer technology. The once predominant phylogenetic approach is also under attack due to an excessive generation of highly speculative evolutionary hypotheses in the past. This has tended to divert the major thrust of taxonomic research from areas of the greatest practical application, that is those of a phylogenetic and evolutionary nature, to more abstract consideration of taxonomic principles. In spite of this, there has been a welcome kindling of interest in the taxonomic problems of plant groups of economic importance. The applied biologist in the past had probable justification in his suspicion that taxonomists shied away on principle from the study of groups which are of economic importance. The practical value of taxonomy in legume research has however been handsomely, if belatedly, recognised by the publication of work such as that of Polhill and Raven (1981) which provides a good working synthesis of modern ideas on legume taxonomy. The activities of taxonomists can be of particular benefit to plant breeders and those concerned with the collection, conservation and evaluation of germplasm resources. Conversely, the taxonomist benefits from the studies of plant hybridists, cytogeneticists and biochemists in providing additional information for incorporation into the body of taxonomic knowledge. These studies also give taxonomists the opportunity of devising more comprehensive and sophisticated approaches to classification. The proper integration of highly disparate types of information certainly poses problems and challenges.