Plant Naming
Common Name - alternative name(s) used in everyday language to refer to the plant, often relating to its appearance, traditional usage or folklore.
Botanic Name - based on a Latinised naming system of classification, to give the plant a unique and unambiguous name that is used internationally. This name consists of a Genus name (initial capital letter) and species name (lower case letters):
Genus (plural = genera) - classifies the plant as belonging to a closely-related group, sharing common characteristics.
Species - identifies plants with sufficient features in common that they can inter-breed. The name is usually descriptive and chosen to express a distinctive feature of the plant, where it grows or is named after a scientist.
When the genus and species names are taken collectively, forming the scientific name, this gives a unique combination to unambiguously refer to the plant.
Family Name - genera with common characteristics are grouped into families. The family name (ending with -aceae) identifies which of these families a plant belongs to, based on its genus. plants belonging to the same family share similar basic characteristics. For example:
- plants in the Brassicaceae family have flowers formed of four petals, arranged in a cross-shape.
- plants in the Asteraceae family have composite flowerheads, formed of many disc and ray florets.
- plants in the Fabaceae family bear their fruit as legumes.
Families are sometimes referred to by a common name, which is usually based on a representative species, for example, the 'Cabbage Family' (Brassicaceae), the 'Daisy Family' (Asteraceae), and the 'Pea Family' or 'Bean Family' (Fabaceae).
Growth Characteristics
Origin - where a plant originates from:
- Native - an indigenous plant, that is, one that has been found growing naturally in the UK for a very extended period.
- Non-Native - a plant introduced to the UK from elsewhere, intentionally or otherwise, that has established itself in the wild (growing without cultivation). A non-native plant originating from garden cultivation is usually called a 'garden escape'.
- Invasive Non-Native - a non-native plant which is difficult to control and may harm the environment.
Habitat - type of location where the plant species is typically found growing, or grows well, owing to environmental factors (note that on this website only one example habitat has been given and the plant may well have other favoured habitats).
Lifecycle Completion - the duration to complete a lifecycle, from seedling to flowering and seed production:
- Annual - takes one growing season to complete and then the plant dies off completely.
- Biennial - takes two growing seasons to complete:
- Season 1 - the plant grows leaves, often close to the ground.
- Season 2 - the plant extends its stem, flowers, sets seed and dies off completely.
- Perennial - plant grows indefinitely, dying back each year and regrowing from roots/ tubers/ bulbs.
Flower Parts
1) Pistil - female reproductive structure, consisting of stigma, style and ovary containing ovules:
- Stigma - sticky tip, designed to receive pollen (which grow a tube to reach ovules in the ovary).
- Style - structure presenting the stigma for pollination and connecting the stigma to the ovary.
- Ovary - female reproductive organ containing the ovules and developing into a fruit.
- Ovule - develops into a seed, following fertilisation by pollen via the pollen tube.
2) Stamen - male reproductive structure, consisting of anthers and filament:
- Anther - produces and presents pollen for fertilisation.
- Filament - a stalk-like structure that supports and presents the anthers and pollen for pollination.
3) Floral Nectary - a gland below the reproductive parts producing sugary nectar, to attract pollinators.
4) Perianth - structure surrounding the flower reproductive parts - consists of corolla and calyx:
A) Corolla - flower inner non-reproductive structure formed of the petals:
- Petal* - soft structure with colour, markings and shape to attract target pollinators.
B) Calyx - flower outer non-reproductive structure formed of the sepals:
- Sepal* - firm structure to protect the petals and flower reproductive parts (may be modified to become petal-like in appearance and function).
- *Tepal - is a term used instead where petal/ sepal modification makes them indistinguishable.
5) Pedicel - the flower stalk, connecting the flower to the stem.
Floral Symmetry
Floral Symmetry - the ability to divide a flower, by drawing one or more lines across it ('planes of symmetry'), to give parts that all look the same:
- Radial Symmetry/ Actinomporphic flowers - multiple planes of symmetry (examples: Iris; Cress; and Rose).
- Bilateral Symmetry/ Zygomorphic flowers - one plane of symmetry (examples: Anthurium; Orchid; and Pea).
- Asymmetry - no planes of symmetry - unable to divide into equal parts (example: Canna).
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