Transcript PLANT CLASSIFICATION - Mineral Area College

PLANT CLASSIFICATION
PLANT CLASSIFICATION
How has plant classification evolved?
• Common name insufficient; limitations in
communication
• Need for uniform and internationally acceptable
system
• Many ways to classify plants
– climate; seasons; edible parts; use; foliage, flowers,
growth habits, etc.
• System based on how classification is to be used
PLANT CLASSIFICATION
• Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778)
system led to modern taxonomy
• Modern scientific naming/classification
grouped by taxa based on physical
characteristics (see link below)
http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/
07701.html#top
PLANT CLASSIFICATION
• Plant taxonomic classification changes with continuing
research, so inconsistencies in nomenclature will be
found among different textbooks
• The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, the
rules that govern the naming of plants, currently
recognizes seven ranks (see link below)
http://www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/botany/class_intro.html
PLANT ID & NOMENCLATURE
• Family usually highest taxon in ID or study
• Latin names; others – Greek, Arabic
• Names give clues to appearance
– May also clue characteristics, habitat, person
named for, etc.
PLANT ID & NOMENCLATURE
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Each plant has a two-word (binomial) name
Binomial name will be Latin
First name – genus; Second name – species
Species is technically “specific epithet”
Complete Linnaen names also have authority
– abbreviated name of scientist who named plant
– Example: “L.” means Linnaeus
NOMENCLATURE GUIDELINES
• Genus (generic name) always capitalized
• Species (specific epithet) never capitalized
– Except may be capitalized if a person’s name
• Either underlined or italicized
• Authority name is never italicized
• Listings of several plants in same genus:
– Full genus name for first, capitalized initial for
subsequent plants in list
NOMENCLATURE GUIDELINES
• “sp.” or “spp.” stands for species
• indicates exact species is not known for
the genus being considered
– “sp.” or “spp.” never underlined or italicized
SUBSPECIFIC CATEGORIES
• Botanical Variety
– “var.” from Latin varietas, “variety”
– sufficiently different to warrant unique name
• Cultivar
– “cv.” from cultivated variety
– may place cultivar name in single quotes
– always capitalized; never underlined/italicized
• Group
– Many cultivars that are similar
PLANT ID KEY
• Dichotomous Key
– process of elimination by “yes/no” decisions to
characteristics offered in key
– see pp. 285-286 in text