Plant Taxonomy

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Plant Taxonomy

• Scientific Classification of Plants
• By Stephen Edwards, Johnny Jessup Scott
  Robison
• Agriculture Teachers/FFA Advisors

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Goals

• Define Plant Taxonomy
• Discover why plants are classified through the
  binomial naming system
• Order plants in each of the classification
  sections

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What Is Taxonomy?

• Taxonomy is the science of classifying and
  identifying plants using scientific names

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Why Use Scientific Names?

• Scientific names are necessary because
• Same common name are used for two different
  plants
• More than one common name are used for the same
  plant
• Sweetgum or Liquidamber?

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Carolus Linnaeus

• Swedish botanist Karl von Linne came up with the
  idea in the mid-18th century with a system that
  would give each species of plant its own name
• His system is called the binomial system

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Binomial System

• The system uses two words for the full name
• The system is based on the Latin language, since
  Latin is the language that is used worldwide by
  scientists
• To propose his new idea, Linne changed his name
  to its Latin form, Carolus Linnaeus

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Genus

• In the scientific name, the first name is the
  genus
• All plants in the same genus have the same type
  of reproductive structures
• The genus is always capitalized
• Examples of genera
• Cornus dogwood Acer - maple
• Quercus oak Ilex holly
• Magnolia - magnolia

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Species

• The second word, when combined with the first
  word is the species
• Species are able to reproduce sexually to end up
  with the same characteristics in their offspring
• The second word is usually descriptive of the
  plant in some type
• The second word, or specific epithet is always
  lower case

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Examples of Specific Epithets

• Large showy flowers grandiflora
• Red rubrum
• White - alba
• Flowering florida
• From Japan - japonicum
• From America americana
• Dwarf- nana

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Quick Review

• Using your previous notes what are the common
  names of the following species
• 1. Acer rubrum
• 2. Quercus alba
• 3. Cornus florida
• 4. Magnolia grandiflora

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Variety or Cultivar

• Variety is a variation of a plant that is found
  in nature and that can be reproduced through
  sexual propagation
• Cultivar is a cultivated variety and cultivated
  by man for a specific reason. They are usually
  asexually propagated

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Writing Varieties

• Varieties are written with a var. Following the
  species name, then the variety. Varieties are
  italicized
• Sanseveria trifasciata var. Laurentii

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Writing Cultivars

• Cultivars are written in single quotes following
  a species name. They are not italicized
• Ficus elastica Decora
• Cultivar cv.

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Plant Hierarchy

• Plant classification can be broken down in the
  plant hierarchy system
• All plants, from one cell organisms to the
  tallest trees are in the plant kingdom
• All members of the plant kingdom are autotrophs,
  meaning that they can produce their own food.
  Plants do this through photosynthesis

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Plant Hierarchy
General

• Kingdom
• Division
• Classes
• Orders
• Families
• Genera
• Species

Specific
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Plant Divisions

• The Plant Kingdom is broken down into many
  divisions. The four most important are
• Thallophytes
• Bryophytes
• Pteriophytes
• Spermatophytes

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Thallophytes

• No true stems, leaves, or roots
• Either one cell or a mass of cells. No
  form/function
• Examples include Algae and Lichens

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Bryophytes

• Lack a vascular system for the transportation of
  water
• Examples include Mosses and Liverworts

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Pteriophytes

• Non-seed vascular plants
• These plants reproduce through spores, not seeds
• Examples include ferns and club mosses

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Spermatophytes

• The Spermatophyte Division is the division that
  we work the most with in Horticulture
• These plants produce seeds
• This division is divided into two sub-divisions
• Gymnosperms
• Angiosperms

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Gymnosperms

• Cone Bearing Plants

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Angiosperms

• Fruit Producing Plants

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Subdivision Angiosperms

• Angiosperms are divided into two classes
• Monocotyledon
• Dicotyledonous

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Monocotyledon

• One-seed leaves
• Examples include Lilies, Palms, Corn, and Grass

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Dicotyledon

• Two seed leaves
• Examples include most of the broadleaf plants

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Class Breakdown

• Classes are broken into Orders
• Orders are broken into Families
• Families are broken into Genera
• Genera are broken into Species
• Species can be broken into varieties or cultivars

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Example of a Class Breakdown - Redbud

• Kingdom
• Division
• Classes
• Orders
• Families
• Genera
• Species

• Plant
• Spermatophyte
• Magnoliopsida
• Rosales
• Fabaceae
• Cercis
• Cercis canadensis

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Cercis canadensis - Redbud
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Plant Characteristics
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Identifying Plants

• Physical characteristics are used to identify
  plants which include.
• Life Cycle
• Form
• Foliage Retention
• Plant Parts
• Use Location

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Life Cycle

• Annuals
• Plants that complete their life cycle in
  one year.
• Biennials
• Plants that complete their life cycle
  in two years.
• Perennials
• Plants that live more than two years.

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Growth Habits

• Trees
• 20 or taller
• Shrubs
• Less than 20
• Vines

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Growth Forms

• Columnar
• Spreading
• Weeping

• Round
• Oval
• Pyramidal

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Growth Forms
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Growth Forms
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Foliage Retention

• Deciduous
• Loses leaves during the dormant season.
• Not necessarily winter, may be summer for some
  plants
• Evergreen
• Keeps leaves and remains green year-round.

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Deciduous vs. Evergreen
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Plant Parts Leaf

• Arrangement
• Shapes
• Color
• Vein Pattern
• Form Simple or Compound
• Margin
• Surface

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Leaf Arrangement Simple
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Leaf Arrangement Compound
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Leaf Shape
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Vein Pattern

• Pinnate
• Palmate
• Parallel
• Dichotomous

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Leaf Margin
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Leaf Surface

• There are 8 common leaf surfaces.

• Glabrous
• Pubescent
• Villous
• Tomentose

• Scabrous
• Glaucous
• Rugose
• Glandular

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Leaf Surface Glabrous

• The surface is smooth, not hairy.

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Leaf Surface Pubescent

• Short, soft hairs cover the surface.

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Leaf Surface Villous

• Long, straight hairs cover the surface.

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Leaf Surface Tomentose

• Covered with wool-like hair.

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Leaf Surface Scabrous

• Covered with short, prickly hairs.

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Leaf Surface Glaucous

• Covered with a bluish-white waxy substance.

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Leaf Surface Rugose

• Surface is wrinkly.

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Leaf Surface Glandular

• Glands filled with oil or resin cover the surface.

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Plant Parts Flowers

• Color
• Shape
• Size

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Plant Parts Bud Stem

• Shape Color
• Stem Modifications
• Thorns
• Spines
• Prickles

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Plant Parts Modified Stems
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Plant Parts Roots

• Tap
• Fibrous
• Bulb

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Plant Parts Roots
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Plant Parts Fruit

• Cones
• Nuts (Acorns)
• Pomes (Apple)
• Drupes (Peach)

• Brambles (Raspberries)
• Capsules (Willow)
• Samara (Maple)

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Plant Parts Fruit
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Plant Parts Fruit
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Use Location

• Not absolute, but helpful.
• Indoor or outdoor.
• Altitude
• Wet or dry
• Hardiness Zone
• Sun, partial shade, or shade.
• Landscape purpose specimen, border, etc.

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Reply to the Following Statement

• Explain how the binomial naming system is
  important to the Horticulture world
• Give 3-5 sentences for an answer

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Designed by

• Stephen Edwards
• South Granville High School
• Johnny M. Jessup
• Hobbton High School
• Scott Robison
• Knightdale High School