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.