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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 in your area – is it on the decline? are you working to improve it?  You may take delight in the beauty of or the majesty of .  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 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 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 () Class: Magnoliopsida (Dicot) Order: Family: (Leguminosae) Genus: Species: neomexicana

Scientific Name (binomial nomenclature)

Genus & species: Robinia = Latin for locust Neomexicana =

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, , 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  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  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  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 – 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  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 -like Locust pods Redbud Spanish Broom Often pinnate leaves

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Cover & Forage Crops

 Clover  Vetch 

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 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  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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