Plant Taxonomy Lecture Notes

Flashcards for plant taxonomy review.

Carolus Linnaeus

Known as the 'Father' of Plant Taxonomy due to his consistent use of binomial nomenclature.

Taxonomy

The method/system of classifying things, including the analysis and description of plants using Latin names.

Taxon

A technical term for a group of like-objects arranged by a taxonomist based on their similarities.

International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (ICBN)

Provides standard guidance for naming plant species and higher taxonomic ranks.

Plant Family Names Suffix

The standard suffix that is applied to plant Family names is -aceae.

Specific Epithet

The second part of a binomial name (e.g., in Quercus michauxii, 'michauxii' is the specific epithet).

Nuttall in Quercus michauxii Nuttall

Author who described the species.

Italicized Binomial

Binomial names are italicized because they are in Latin.

(Linnaeus) in Morella cerifera (Linnaeus) Small

The original descriptor and name of the plant.

Parentheses around (Linnaeus)

Indicates the current descriptor used the original descriptor, recombined in new genus'

Small in Morella cerifera (Linnaeus) Small

The current genus name.

Synapomorphy

Shared, derived physical characteristics for grouping similar objects in biology.

Homoplasy

Shared similar characteristics by two or more unrelated taxa due to convergent evolution.

Pteridophytes dispersal

They make Spores.

Spermatophytes dispersal

They make Seeds.

Vascular Plants

Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms are vascular plants.

Fruit

Mature ripened ovary enclosing the seeds of flowering plants (Angiosperms).

Divisions of Angiosperms

Dicot and Monocot divisions of Angiosperms

Tepals

Individual parts of the Perianth in Basal Angiosperms where the perianth is undifferentiated.

Calyx

he outer or lower-most whorl is composed of individual palm ate which collectively make up the perianth

Corolla

whorl composed of Stamens which collectively make up the Staminate.

Filaments and Anthers

Parts of the Stamens in the Androecium of a flower

Carpels, Style, Ovary

Parts of the Pistils in the Gynoecium of a flower.

Monoecious

A species with staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers on separate parts of the same plant.

Dioecious

A species producing all male or all female flowers on separate individuals of the same species.

Actinomorphic/Radial

Flower symmetry type.

Zygomorphic/Bilateral

Flower symmetry type.

Seeds and Spermatophytes

Seeds are shared among the Spermatophytes: gymnosperm and angiosperm.

Ravenel

Embarked on a journey across Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands and later produced the first color depictions of North American plants and animals that Europeans had ever seen.