NAMING AND CLASSIFICATION OF PLANTS

BASIC BOTANY

Importance of Plant Knowledge

• Improves plant performance in various aspects:

  • Vegetable and fruit crop yields.

  • Quality of ornamental and cut flowers.

  • Consistency in nursery stock crops.

Understanding Nutritional Needs

• Factors impacting availability:

  • Fertilizers: organic/non-organic.

  • pH effects.

  • Helper organisms enhancing nutrient absorption.

Disease and Problems in Plants

• Caused by:

  • Micro-organisms (pathogens, parasites).

  • Physiological disorders from poor environment and nutrient regimes.

Understanding Plant Genetics

• Breeding new cultivars.

• Improving crop yields and quality.

• Hybridization and combining desired traits.

Characterization and Grouping of Plants

• Efficient management practices.

• Understanding relationships between plants and their environment.

• Establishing genetic closeness and family relationships (e.g., Potatoes and Tomatoes share the same family).

NAMING & CLASSIFICATION

Classing Plants

• Grouping based on similar characteristics for optimal growing and management strategies.

• Reliance on morphological methods for naming and classification.

NAMING - Nomenclature

Definition

• Application of technical names to plants based on an agreed set of rules.

Plant Identification

• Assigning existing names to unknown plants.

NAMING - Importance

Need for Unified Naming

• Prevents confusion in international communication (e.g., common names can vary globally).

• Example of common plants: Ragwort in Ireland vs. Chinese names.

Historical Variation in Local Names

• Use of unified nomenclature mitigates confusion.

• Establishing rules for selecting the correct taxon names (species, genus, family).

NAMING & CLASSIFYING - Historical Context

Historical Interest in Plants

• Recognition of plants for their specific uses dates back thousands of years.

• Early classification systems existed prior to Greeks in 300 B.C.

NAMING & CLASSIFICATION - European Developments

Increased Plant Discovery in Europe

• Plant collection expeditions from the 1400s to late 1890s.

• Impact on European horticulture and botany studies.

HERBARIA

Definition

• Pressed collections of plants grouped into herbaria.

• Forms the basis of institutional collections in botany.

Centers of Botany Development

• Development of taxonomic disciplines in Europe and America around botanic gardens and universities.

SYSTEMATICS AND TAXONOMY

Definition

• Study of classification, naming, rules, and procedures in botany.

Broader Implications

• Systematics applies to diverse organisms beyond plants.

CLASSIFICATION

Hierarchical Arrangement

• Structure is based on information accumulation about plants.

• Two types: Artificial and Phylogenetic.

ARTIFICIAL CLASSIFICATION

Characteristics

• Based on obvious or convenient traits like height or color.

• Does not necessarily reflect genetic relationships.

Examples

• Grouping by ease of observation (e.g., roadside floras).

NATURAL CLASSIFICATION

Basis

• Relies on morphological features correlating among plants.

• Predictive value increases with inclusion of more attributes.

PHYLOGENIC CLASSIFICATION

Definition

• Attempts to follow the evolutionary lineage of plants.

• Utilizes information from diverse sources and fossil records.

IDENTIFICATION

Process Description

• Assigning names to unknown plants based on characteristics.

• Recognition is through comparison with known plants.

Alternative Terminology

• Also referred to as determination.

IDENTIFICATION & KEYING

Role of Keying in Plant Identification

• Keys assist in identifying and naming unknown plants.

• Taxonomic keys often use dichotomous formats.

CLASSIFICATION OF SPECIES

Definition

• Species are basic units of diversity distinguished by individual characteristics.

Groups Formation

• Similar species are classified into genera.

SPECIES DEFINITION

Characteristics

• Sets of individuals derived from common ancestors.

• Ability to interbreed within the species, but not with others.

HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION

Structure

• Kingdom > Phylum > Class > Order > Genus > Species.

INTERNATIONAL CODE OF BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE

Latin Names

• Published and described under a specific set of rules (ICBN).

• Updated every 6 years at International Botanical Congress.

LATIN NAMES

Characteristics

• Often descriptive, indicating features or origins.

SYNONYMS

Definition

• Plants may have more than one name due to historical naming changes.

RULE OF PRIORITY

Guidelines

• Older names are generally considered to have priority.

ST. LOUIS CODE

Purpose

• Allows conservation of well-established names over rediscovered ones.

HOMONYMS

Definition

• Names wrongly applied to different plants that share the same spelling.

BASIONYM

Definition

• A previously published legitimate name that forms a basis for a new name.

EXAMPLES OF BASIONYM

Case Studies

• Pinus abies as the basionym of Picea abies.

AUTHORITY NAMES

Guidelines

• Include responsible names in references indicating contributions to nomenclature.

INFRASPECIFIC NAMES

Overview

• Addresses variation within species, identifying subspecies, varieties, or forma.

GROUPS/GREX

Definition

• Intermediate categorization between cultivar and species.

SELLING NAMES/TRADE DESIGNATIONS

Importance for Marketing

• Usage of attractive names for market appeal while maintaining the original cultivar name on labels.

PLANT BREEDERS RIGHTS (PBR)

Protection Rights

• Indicates legal protection status of cultivars.

CLONES

Definition

• Genetically identical group derived from a single individual through vegetative propagation.

WHAT IS A HYBRID?

Definition

• Crosses between different species resulting in hybrids that may possess unique names.

INTERSPECIFIC HYBRIDS

Characteristics

• Hybrid plants between two species are often given collective Latin names.

INTERGENERIC HYBRIDS

Definition

• Hybrid plants resulting from crosses between different genera.

GRAFT HYBRIDS

Definition

• Chimaeras occur between species of two different genera.

SUBGENERA, SECTIONS, ETC.

Structure

• Subdivisions within larger genera to organize complexity of classifications.

SYNONYMS

Definition

• Old or invalid names for plants indicating previous nomenclature.

AWARDS IN BOTANY

Overview

• Plants receive recognition and awards through various horticultural societies based on excellence.