Terminology

Botany: the science of plants

Taxonomy: classification of plants

Terminology

Dicotyledons: flowering plants that contain two seed leaves

Monocotyledons: flowering plants that possess one seed leaf

Terminology

KingdomPhylum

ClassOrder

FamilyGenus

SpeciesCultivar

Terminology

Binomial nomenclature: all plants are given two names. These make up the scientific name and include the genus and species.

Cornus florida - flowering dogwoodcultivar - Fragrant cloud

Terminology Problems

Dicentra spectabilis : red bell flower

Common Bleeding Heart

Plant Parts

Plant parts fall into two categories:

a) vegetative

b) sexual reproduction

Vegetative Morphology

Duration: the length of time an individual plant exists.

• Annual: A plant lives for one growing season and then dies. Winter annuals survive the winter, summer annuals survive the summer.

• Biennial: A plant the requires two growing seasons to complete its life cycle.

• Herbaceous perennial: A nonwoody plant that lives for several years. It’s shoots die back every winter.

• Woody perennial: A tree or shrub

Vegetative Morphology

Stem• Xylem

• Phloem

• Cambium

Vegetative Morphology

Modified Stem

Stolon: above ground growth

Rhizome: below ground growth

Vegetative Morphology Root

Vegetative Morphology Flower

• Sepals - small, green, leaflike structures on the base of the flower

• Petals - highly colored parts of the flower

• Stamen - male reproductive parts

• Pistil - female reproductive parts

Vegetative Morphology Flower

• Perfect flower - has a stamen, pistil, petal and sepals.

• Incomplete flower - missing one of the four parts

• Complete flower - has a stamen and pistil

• Imperfect flower - has either a stamen (staminate) or a pistil (pistillate)

Vegetative Morphology Flower

• Dioecious - have staminate (male) and pistillate (female) on separate plants ie, hollies.

• Monoecious - have male and female flowers on the same plant ie, squash and cucumbers.

Leaf Morphology

• Venation refers to the pattern in which the veins are distributed in the blade

• Parallel or Net-veined

• Net-veined can be either pinnate or palmate

Identifiable Leaf Morphology

Shape of the leaf blade and the type of margin is important in plant identification.

Identifiable Leaf Morphology

Acute - ending in an acute angle

Obtuse - tapering to a round edge

Acuminate - tapering to a long, narrow point Truncate - having

a relatively square base

Identifiable Leaf Morphology

Entire - smooth edge

Serrate - having small teeth pointed toward the apex

Dentate - teeth pointed outward

Lobed - incisions extending less than 1/2 way to midrib

Cleft - incision deeper than1/2 way to midrib

Identifiable Leaf Morphology

The various ways leaves are arranged along the stem can also be used to identify plants.