Scientific Classification of Plants 17.00: Apply procedures used in horticultural plant identification including scientific classification

Taxonomy  The science of _classification_ and identifying plants  Scientific names are used because the same common name is used for different plants in different areas of the world.

Karl von Linne  Swedish botanist that developed the binomial system of naming plants using two Latin words to indicate the genus and species.  Linne changed his name to the Latin name Carolus Linneaus.

Scientific Names  Latin is the language used for scientific classification.  The first word is the Genus and the second word is the species. If there are additional words, they indicate a variety or cultivar.

Genus vs. Species  Plants in the same genus have similar characteristic.  Plants in the same species consistently produce plants of the same type.

Scientific Classification  The broadest category of scientific classification is the kingdom -- either plant or animal.  The broadest category in the plant kingdom is division or phylum.

Linnaean System  The Linnaean system uses two Latin name categories, genus and species, to designate each type of organism. A genus is a higher level category that includes one or more species under it. Such a dual level designation is referred to as a binomial nomenclature or binomial (literally “two names" in Latin). For example, Linnaeus described humans in his system with the binomial Homosapiens, or "man who is wise"--Homo is our genus and sapiens is our species.

Scientific Classification  The groupings (taxa) of taxonomy from most general to most specific are:taxataxonomy  Kingdom (Plantae, Animalia, Protista, Fungi, Monera) Kingdom  Phylum (animals) or Division (plants) PhylumDivision  Class  Order  Family  Genus  species

Kingdom  Plants are in the Plantae Kingdom  27,000 named species of plants  Mosses, ferns, woody and non- woody flowering plants

Divisions  The four most important divisions of the plant kingdom are: –Thallophites –Bryophytes –Pteriophytes –Spermatophytes

Spermatophytes  Contains flowering or seed-bearing plants  Two subdivisions are: –Gymnosperms and angiosperms

Common Plant Genus  Pinus-pine  Acer-Maple  Ilex-Holly  Ficus-fig  Cornus-dogwood  Rhododendron- rhododendron  Quercus-oak

Genus and Species  White Oak’s genus and species would look like: –Quercus alba –The genus is always capitalized –The species is always lower cased

Growth Habits  trees  shrubs  vines

Form  Columnar  Spreading  Weeping  Round  Oval  Pyramidal

Growth Forms Spreading Weeping Columnar

Growth Forms Round Oval Pyramidal

Foliage Retention  Evergreen  Deciduous

Plant Parts-Leaves  Arrangement  Shapes  color  Vein pattern  Form (simple or compund)  Margin  Surface

Leaf Arrangement alternateoppositeWhorled

Leaf Shapes

Vein Pattern palmate Parallelpinnate

Plant Parts-Flowers Color Shape Size

Plant Parts- Stem  Bud - Shape and color  Stem modifications –thorns –spines –prickles

Thorns, Spines, Prickles Thorn Prickle Spine

Plant Parts-Roots Tap Fibrous Bulb

Root Types _______ Roots _________ Root

Plant Parts-Fruit  Cones  Nuts (acorn)  Capsules (willow)  Clusters or Drupes (raspberry)  Samara (maple)

Fruits and Nuts Cones Acorns Drupe

Fruits and Nuts Capsules Samara

Use and location  Not absolute but helpful  Indoor or Outdoor  Altitude  Wet or dry  Zone  Sun, partial shade, shade  Landscape purpose-specimen, border, etc.