1/27/2016
Plant ID Tools and Tricks Lynda Garvin Agriculture Agent Sandoval County Cooperative Extension [email protected]
Why is it useful?
You may want to learn what’s native to your area so you can watch for invasive species. You may want to monitor the diversity of plants in your area – is it on the decline? are you working to improve it? You may take delight in the beauty of flowers or the majesty of trees. You may already be a bird watcher and now you want to know the names of the plants that are hospitable to birds. You may simply want to know the names of the living things in your surroundings. You’ll need to know the plant families for vegetable rotations
Is a rose always a rose? Rose of Sharon ≠
It’s not a rose at all but in the mallow family: Hollyhocks Hibiscus Okra Cotton Cacao Kola Nuts Baobab Trees
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Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of systematically naming and organizing organisms into groups using similar patterns.
Systematics -- The study of diversity (taxonomy) and the history of organisms and the evolutionary relationships between them.
Taxonomy of Living Things The basic categories are:
Kingdom (Plantae, Animalia, Fungi…) Division (Phylum for animals) Class Order Family Genus Species Increasing degree of specificity – towards a single, definable, named species
Plant Diversity in North America
Plant Families - 210 Genera – 2,350 Species - 20,000+
400,000 species have been described worldwide
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Nomenclature
System by which plants are named. Common names. Scientific names. Carl Linnaeus (1707 –1778) Swedish MD & Botanist Binomial Nomenclature – the system we still use today
Common Names
Disadvantages Advantages No rules -- not Often descriptive consistent Easy to pronounce Applied to various Easy to remember taxonomic levels Familiar to people May not exist for some plants
Use Common Names, Confusion reigns.
Rabbitbrush 3 related genera of the family Asteraceae: with 17 species All called rabbitbrush.
What is it’s common name in NM?
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Scientific Names
Every plant gets one scientific name. The scientific name is a combination of the generic name and a specific name. Genus - Generic names Species - Specific name Names are in Latin. Italicized or underlined.
Taxonomic Classification of NM Locust
Kingdom: Plantae (plants) Division: Magnoliophyta (flowering plant) Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicot) Order: Fabales Family: Fabaceae (Leguminosae) Genus: Robinia Species: neomexicana
Scientific Name (binomial nomenclature)
Genus & species: Robinia neomexicana Robinia = Latin for locust tree Neomexicana = New Mexico
Common name: New Mexican Locust
Tool: Dictionary of Botanical Terms
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Where to start?
Get out and look at plants, especially when they are in bloom! Look at their form: flowers, leaves, fruit, stems, etc. Study how they grow – upright, vining, prostrate… Where they grow (soils, sun, shade, neighboring plants, disturbed areas…) Sketch them Take photos
Go to local botanical gardens
The plants are already identified ☺ Get a buddy Go throughout the seasons
What do you need?
Carry a hand lens ID books Camera Note pad pen Plastic bags (Know where you can and cannot collect plants)
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Lets Get To It!
Looking for those family resemblances to identify plants The following information is based on Botany in a Day and their website: http://www.wildflowers- and-weeds.com/
Plants, like people, the more you know about them the easier it is to recognize them, remember their names, and family members.
Good starting place – Is it a…
Fern & Moss Herb/Grass
Shrub Tree Under 12ft
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First question: Is it a…
Gymnosperm Angiosperm Naked Seeds – egg cells 90% of all plants exposed to open air Conifers Flowering Plants – eggs protected in an ovary Cycads Ginkgo
Angiosperm – Is it a …
Monocot Dicot Parallel veins Branching veins
Monocot Families
Orchidaceae - orchids Poaceae – true grasses & grains corn, wheat, oats, rice, sugarcane Agavoideae – Agave Amaryllidaceae – lilies, onions, garlic, daffodils, narcissus… Arecaceae – palms Zingiberaceae - ginger
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General Tips for Tree ID
Pine Gymnosperms Needles - # in cluster & length Juniper Leaf shape Cone shape & size or fruiting body Habitat & elevation Cypress Bark – smooth, chunky, shingle like… (Ponderosa Pine bark smells like butterscotch)
Pinus ponderosa
Pinyon Pine – Pinus edulus
2 needles Cone Habitat Form
Flowering Trees - Angiosperms
Leaf Shape Branching alternate or opposite Habitat Conspicuous flowers?
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Branching pattern will narrow your choices
Branching Pattern
Opposite
M.A.D Maple – Acer spp. Boxelder – Acer negundo Ash – Fraxinus spp. Rocky Mtn Maple - Acer glabrum Dogwood – Cornus sp. Look up!
Green Ash – Faxinus pennsylvanica
Branching Pattern
Alternate
Oaks – Quercus spp. Fruit & Nut trees Willow – Salix spp. Desert Willow – Chilopsis Rio Grande Cottonwood – Populus wislizenii NM Olive/Privet - Forestiera neomexicana Gamble Oak – Quercus gambelii
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Learning Plants by Family
Related plants have similar characteristics/patterns Learn the family characteristics of the following families Cover more than 45,000 species worldwide
Sunflower Family- Asteraceae/Compositae
Most have nd 2 Largest Composite Family 346 flowers genera & 2,687 species Many have in North milky sap America Many fluffy seed pappus
Composite Flowers
Ray Florets – outer florets, look like Disk Florets in center petals - have only pistils (female) – - have both stamens rays of the sun and pistils (male and Female)
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Sunflowers – Helianthus spp Daisy Zinnia Mexican Marigold – Tagetes erecta Coneflower – Echinacea spp & Ratibida spp Thistles Blanket Flower – Gallardia pulchella Cosmos – Cosmos spp Aster – Aster spp Yarrow – Achillea spp Goldenrod – Solidago spp Blazing Star/gay feather –Liatris Chrysanthemum & Mums Ragweed/Sneezeweed/Cocklebur
Chicory Subfamily - Chicoriodideae
Strap shaped petals (parallel edges) Milky sap Fluffy pappus Lettuce – Lactuca spp. Dandelion – Taraxicum officinale Chicory – Chicorium intybus Salsify & Goatsbeard - Tragopogon spp.
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Family- Rose Rosaceae Rose subfamily Risiodaea
5 sepals & petals, many stamens
Alternate branching
Fruit 5 pointed star bottom – Worldwide 100 genera & true rose 3,000 species
More
Strawberry – Fragaria spp Blackberry & Raspberry - Rubus spp Apache Plume – Fallugia paradoxa
Family- Rose Almond Subfamily:Amygdaloidaea
Apples Fleshy fruit 5 pointed star Malus sp. (Inferior ovary)
5 petals Numerous stamens
Serrated leaves
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Is there a pattern here?
Pear - Pyrus spp Serviceberry - Amelanchier Hawthorn - Crateagus Cotoneaster Pyrocantha
What about Blueberries & Cranberries?
They have a 5 pointed star at the bottom of the fruit. They are in the Heather Family – Ericaceae Have bell shaped flowers Love acid well drained soils. It’s important to look at as many parts of the plant as possible and the growing conditions.
Family- Rose Roseceae Almond subfamily: Amygdaloidaea
5 petals/sepals many Plums stamens
Fleshy fruit Prunus with a seam sp. Almond-like pit
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Also Includes
Apricots – Prunus armenicac Choke Cherry – Prunus virginiana Peaches – Prunus persica Nectarines - P. persica var. nucipersica Almonds – Prunus dulcis
Mint Family- Lamiacea/Labiatea =
Square Stem*
False whorls
Many Lower petals fused – landing Aromatic strip for pollinators
Many kitchen herbs
Mint – Mentha sp. Basil – Ocimum basilicum Rosemary – Rosmarinus officinalis Oregano - Origanum vulgare Sage – Salvia sp. Marjoram – Origanum marjorana Thyme – Thymus Savory - Satureja
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Many ornamental plants
Lavender – Lavendula sp. Chaste Tree – Vitex agnus-castus Coleus – Coleus sp. Beebalm/Bergamot – Monardia sp Agastache rupestris Sage - Salvia officianlis
Other plants with square stems & opposite leaves not in the Mint family
Loosestrife – wetlands NE US & Canada Verbena – small 5 petals fused together Stinging Nettle – minute flowers, stinging hairs
Pea Family- Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Peas Flower has a banner, Beans wings, keel Vetch Clover Pea-like Locust pods Redbud Spanish Broom Often pinnate leaves
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Cover & Forage Crops
Clover Vetch Alfalfa
Peanuts
The flowers self-pollinate and then lose their petals as the fertilized ovary begins to enlarge. The budding ovary or "peg" grows down away from the plant, forming a small stem, which extends into the soil. The peanut embryo is in the tip of the peg, and begins to mature taking the form of a peanut.
Comparison of Flowers
Pea Mint
Banner like a headdress Bottom lip – landing strip
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Mustard Family- Brassicaceae (cruciferae – “cross-bearing”)
Flowers 4 Major food petals x or crops - 55 H pattern Genera in Seed pods radial North pattern America 6 stamens 2 short, 4 long
Favorites in the garden
Broccoli Cauliflower Broccoli flowering Kale Cabbage Turnips Rutabaga Canola/rapeseed Radish Collard Greens Mustard Horseradish Bok choy/Tatsoi Arugula ….
Radish and seed pods
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Parsley Family- Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) umbrella-like
Flowers compound umbels
Aromatic oils (most)
Pinnate leaves
Favorites in the garden
Parsley Carrot Dill Anise Cilantro Parsnip Celery Note: Poison Hemlock
Nightshade Family- Solanaceae
5 united Tomato petals & Chilies sepals Eggplant… 5 stamens 85 genera attached 2,300 species to petals worldwide Alternate leaves often fuzzy
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Members of the Solanaceae Family
Tomato – Solanum lycopersicum Tomatillo – Pysalis philadelphica Potato – Solanum tuberosum Hot Chili & Sweet Peppers - Capsicum annuum Petunia – Petunia spp Jimsonweed – Datura stamonium Tobacco – Nicotiana tabacum Nightshade – Solanum spp Gogi berry – Lycium barbarum
Gourd Family- Cucurbitaceae
Vining with Gourds, tendrils Funnel Squash, shaped fused flower & Melons (5)
Palmate leaves or vein pattern
Buffalo Gourd – Curcurbita foetidissima
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Grass Family- Poaceae
Grasses & Leaves parallel Grains veins 650 genera & 10,000 species North America ligules 230 genera & 1,000+ species
Knee-like nodes
Members Of the Grass Family
Wild Grasses – need ligules* & flowers to ID Ornamental Grasses Bamboo Sugar Cane Cereals/grains Wheat - Triticum Bamboo Corn – Zea mays Rice - Oryza Corn Oats - Avena Barley - Hordeum Rye – Secale Millet – several genera
*Ligule- the sheath where Oats the leaf attaches to the stem
You’re going to need some resources…
Books are good, best if they have color photos…although line drawings can be real useful also. Some examples: Botany in a Day: The Patterns Method of Plant Identification, by Thomas J. Epel Flowering Plants of New Mexico, by Robert DeWitt Ivey Peterson, Audubon, or other regional guides Weeds of the West, put out by the Western Society of Weed Science Shrubs and Trees of the Southwest Uplands, by Francis Elmore and Jeanne Janish Trees and Shrubs of the Southwestern Deserts, by Lyman Benson and Robert Darrow
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http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/index.html
http://desertblooms.nmsu.edu/
http://web.nmsu.edu/~jerriw13/Desert%20Blooms3/
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http://www.plantsofthesou thwest.com/
http://plants.usda.gov/java/
http://www.forestryimages.org/
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https://www.usanpn.org/natures_notebook
http://www.plantsystematics.org
Thank You
Pollinator Beds @ Los Lunas Science Center
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