Classifying Ornamental Plants

Suppose you were walking through the woods and stumbled upon an unusual plant. What would you call it? Would you know how to classify it? Could you identify its characteristics? These are questions many taxonomists ponder when labeling a new plant.

 Take a couple of minutes and list as many plants as you possibly can. Let’s classify them as deciduous (loose their leaves) or coniferous (remain as evergreens).  Now list as many animals as you can. Can you classify them as birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, fish, or mammals?  Why do you know more about animals?

Student Learning Objectives  1. Describe the system used for naming and classifying plants  2. Identify the major groups of plants  3. Describe the differences between annuals, biennials and perennials  4. Understand how this information is important to the Horticultural industry

Terms to Know  Angiosperm  Annuals  Biennials  Binomial nomenclature  Bryophytes  Conifer  Cotyledons  Deciduous  Dicots  Evergreen  Ferns  Genus  Gymnosperms  Herbaceous  Monocots  Perennials  Species  Woody

How Are Plants Named and Classified?  Plants are classified by the similarities of their characteristics. –Taxonomists compare flower patterns, stem and leaf structures, life cycles, genetic similarities and many other characteristics.  They are then grouped in specific categories, or taxas:

KingdomPlantae Phylum (Division)Magnoliophyta ClassLiliopsida OrderCyperales FamilyPoaceae GenusTriticum Speciesaestivum *Sample classification of bread wheat Categories/TaxasExample*

 Botanists call plants by their last two taxas – genus and species –This system is known as binomial nomenclature (two-word naming system) –Developed by Carl Linnaeus –Uses Latin for three reasons:  Universal (known by all scientists)  Very descriptive  Unchanged (contains no slang words) –Genus is capitalized; Species lower case  Ex. Triticum aestivum

Cultivars  In the Horticulture industry, we usually use cultivar names as well. Ex;  Malus domestica ‘Fuji’  Picea pungens ‘Procumbens'

What Are Some Ways That We Can Put Plants Into Groups?  Plants live in a variety of climates and niches  The adaptations that plants have made to survive in different climates allows for them to be classified into one of four major groups: –Bryophytes, Ferns, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms

Bryophytes  Belong to the phylum Bryophyta  Non-vascular plants –No conducting tissues  Live in damp places  Limited in size due to lack of conducting tissue  Ex. Mosses and liverworts Liverwort Moss Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Ferns  Vascular plants  Reproduce by spores  Have no true leaves; 0nly fronds  Fronds produce food and spores  New fronds called fiddleheads Ferns in the forest Fiddleheads Spores on underside of frond Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Gymnosperms  Reproduce with seeds found in cones  Also known as a conifer  Leaves reduced to scales or needles  Most are evergreen – hold on to their green color year round –Ex. Pines, spruce, cedar  Some can be deciduous- lose their leaves –Ex. Ginkgo, larch Coniferous evergreen – Pinus contorta Deciduous conifer – Ginkgo biloba Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Angiosperms  Plants that reproduce by flowers  There are two types: monocotyledons (monocots) & dicotyledons (dicots)  A cotyledon is a food storage structure in the seed. –Monocots have a single cotyledon  Ex. Grasses, corn and lilies –Dicots have two cotyledons  Ex. Roses, petunias and geraniums, beans

Angiosperms - Monocot HHave flower parts (sepals, petals, stamens, pistils) in multiples of three –3–3, 6, 9… PParallel venation within the leaves SStems with scattered vascular bundles NNarrow leaves FFibrous root system Orchid – Paphiopedilum curtisii Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Angiosperms - Dicot FFlower parts are in multiples of 4’s or 5’s –4–4,12,16 or 5, 10, 15 NNetted veins VVascular bundles are in rings around the stem HHave broad leaves TTaproot system Hibiscus sp. Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Monocot vs. Dicot Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers

Monocot vs. Dicot

Why is distinguishing between monocots and dicots important in landscape maintenance?

Stem Cross Section

What Is the Difference Between Annuals, Biennials and Perennials?  Plants are often classified based on their life cycles  Even though gymnosperms and angiosperms reproduce by seed, there are different strategies for passing the seeds on to future generations

Annuals PPlants grow from seed, flower, produce new seeds all in one season IIt dies after producing new seeds HHave an herbaceous stem – green & fleshy –E–Ex. Impatiens, corn, snapdragons Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers Corn – Zea mays See life cycle

Biennials PPlants that live for two years, then flower and die FFood is produced during the first year, flowers the second year –E–Ex. Foxglove, carrot, queen Anne’s lace Foxglove – Digitals purpurea Courtesy of Wm. C. Brown Publishers See life cycle

Perennials PPlants that live for three or more years FFlower for a short time DDo not die after flowering CCan be herbaceous or woody – having thick stems made of wood –E–Ex. Tulips, Kentucky bluegrass, trees and shrubs Bristlecone pine – Pinus longaeva See life cycle

Courtesy of Interstate Publishing Germination----Growth---Flowering----Death Germination---- Growth---Flowering----Dormancy One or more flowering cycles Germination---Growth---Dormancy---Growth---Flowering---Death Season 1Season 2 Back to Annuals Back to Perennials Back to Biennials

Summary  What is the difference between an angiosperm and a gymnosperm?  How is a monocot different from a dicot?  Are evergreens herbaceous or woody plants?  How would you classify the grass found outside on the lawn?

Summary Cont.  What makes up the scientific name of a plant?  Why are scientific names written in Latin?  In what group would you find mosses? Describe their habitat.  Describe the life cycle of a perennial.  Name all 7 taxas in the classification system.

Summary Cont.  Can I spray Weed-b-gon on a lawn?  Can I spray Grass-b-gon on day lilies?  Could I spray Weed-b-gon on my vegetable garden?  What is the downside to including biennials in a perennial flower garden?  What are some practical classifications I might want to give landscape plants?