Botany is a Zillions adaptation of a two-player tile game. Each player begins with a Heart-tile face down in the center of the playing area. The rest of the 120 tiles begin in an off-screen reservoir managed by the computer dealer. The front of each tile is divided into 2 squares. The Heart-tile is divided into a Face-square and Heart-square. The other tiles are divided into Base-squares (distinguished by color -- Red, Yellow, Green, Blue) and Class-squares (Cross, Skull, Attacker, or Star). The significance of these squares will be explained later. The back of each tile (colored black) is considered Void and is not divided into squares. The significance of Void and Non-void will be explained later.

Botany is a turn-based game, with each turn divided into three phases indicated by colored letters which appear at the top center of the game board. The green circle symbol at the bottom of the screen is the button which starts a game. The red stop-sign symbol which replaces it is a button which ends the current phase and begins the next.
The first phase is the Void Phase (indicated by a green 'V'). During this phase the player may void tiles which are in play. If a player's Heart-tile is voided, it is unvoided at the start of this phase (the Heart-tile is the only tile which unvoids). At the start of the game the first player's Heart-tile unvoids and the computer dealer deals 5 tiles into the space at the bottom of the screen representing the player's 'hand'. If the Void-phase begins with the Heart-tile unvoided the computer deals one tile. Since there are no tiles in play except the Heart-tile at the start of the game, the first player can only void the Heart-tile (which would result in the discard of the 'hand' tiles) or pass to the next phase. The advantage of voiding tiles is that doing so often makes the tile harder to destroy (see Attack Phase below), eliminates potential connection conflicts (see Play Phase below), or -- in the case of Cross-tiles -- grants an extra tile draw. The disadvantage is that voided tiles cannot form connections with other tiles (see Play-phase below) and can only remain in play while adjacent to at least one Non-void square.
The second phase is the Attack Phase (indicated by a yellow 'A'). During this phase the player may perform an attack on the other player using attack-capable tiles in play. As mentioned before, tiles are organized into classes and certain classes -- Skull, Attacker, Star -- have the ability to perform attacks. An attack is performed by detaching an attack-capable tile in play and repositioning it adjacent to the desired target tile(s) on the opposing player's side of the board. Only one attack may be performed per Attack Phase but there is no limit to the number of eligible tiles which may participate. Eligible tiles are attack-capable tiles which are in play at the start of the Attack Phase. The result of an attack depends on the offensive properties of the attacking tiles and the defensive properties of the targeted tiles. All 3 exposed sides of a Star-tile will destroy targeted Non-void squares (and associated tiles). The exposed tip of an Attacker-tile will destroy targeted Void or Non-void squares (and associated tiles), while the remaining 2 exposed sides will destroy targeted Non-void squares (and associated tiles). All 3 exposed sides of a Skull-tile will destroy targeted Void and Non-void squares (and associated tiles). Voided tiles, the 2 sides of the Attacker-square, all 3 exposed sides of the Star-square, and all 3 exposed sides of a Face-square are considered Void for defensive purposes. (The exception with the Face-square is that a player may 'deflect' an attack by discarding a tile in hand). Attacking tiles are deployed by first clicking the desired tile and dragging it into the 'roundabout' located at the bottom of the screen (the 'X' with radiating arrows). When the attacking tile is properly re-oriented, the player clicks the square adjacent to the desired target tile(s) on the opponent's side of the board. After all of the attacking tiles have been positioned, the attacks are resolved in any order, as if they occured simultaneously. All destroyed and attacking tiles are discarded. A player may use the Heart-tile in an attack if there are no tiles attached to it. It functions as a Star-tile and returns to its 'home' position after the attack. During the Attack Phase the player may also detach and discard any unwanted tiles in play.
The third phase is the Play Phase (indicated by a red 'P'). During this phase the player may take tiles in 'hand' and put them into play. The rule for putting tiles into play is that their Base-square must lie adjacent to a white Class-square (Heart-square or Cross-square) or same-colored Base-square already in play. Different colored Base-squares may not lie adjacent. Tiles are put into play using the same drag-and-drop method used in the Attack Phase. The end of the Play Phase marks the end of the player's turn and the start of the opponent's Void Phase etc. Play continues until the capture of one of the Heart-tiles.