[11] The book is also notable for its detailed descriptions of plant families and their characteristics, as well as its emphasis on the importance of evolutionary relationships, providing a valuable resource for botanists.

[13] The reception for the book was positive, with de Candolle being considered one of the "founding fathers" of natural systematics thanks to this work, in which he introduced a new classification system and the term taxonomy.

[14] After the first publication in 1813, de Candolle received criticisms from proponents of intelligent design for dealing with the problem of useless organs in plants.

[16][7] Charles Darwin later criticized these ideas, claiming that: "At a period not far distant, naturalists will hear with surprise, perhaps with derision, that grave and learned men formerly maintained that such useless organs were not remnants retained by inheritance, but were specially created and arranged in their proper places like dishes on a table (this is the simile of a distinguished botanist) by an Omnipotent hand to complete the scheme of nature.

In 1824, de Candolle began the publication of the collection, Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis, a summary of all plant types known at the time along with their characteristics, including taxonomy, evolutionary history, and biogeography.