Plant List for Plant ID 2021 TREES Latin name Common name Acacia aneura Mulga Acacia farnesiana Synonym: Vachellia farnesiana Sweet Acacia, Sweet Vachellia Acacia salicina Weeping Acacia Acacia stenophylla Shoestring Acacia Caesalpinia mexicana Mexican Bird of Paradise Chilopsis linearis Desert Willow xChitalpa tashkentensis Chitalpa Corymbia papuana Synonym: Eucalyptus papuana Ghost Gum Eucalyptus Dalbergia sissoo Indian Rosewood, Sissoo Eucalyptus microtheca Coolibah Eucalyptus spathulata Narrow Leaf Gimlet Ficus microcarpa var. nitida Indian Laurel Fig Fraxinus velutina Arizona Ash Jacaranda mimosifolia Jacaranda Mariosousa willardiana Palo Blanco Melaleuca viminalis Synonym: Callistemon viminalis Weeping Bottlebrush Olneya tesota Desert Ironwood Olea europaea olive; many cultivars Parkinsonia florida Blue Palo Verde Parkinsonia hybrid thornless palo verde; various cultivars Parkinsonia microphylla Foothills Palo Verde, Little Leaf Palo Verde Parkinsonia praecox Palo Brea Pinus brutia var. eldarica Afghan Pine Pinus halepensis Aleppo Pine Pistacia chinensis Chinese Pistache Prosopis chilensis Chilean Mesquite Prosopis glandulosa Honey Mesquite Prosopis hybrid, (Prosopis alba x Prosopis chilensis) South American hybrid mesquite Prosopis velutina Arizona or Velvet Mesquite Quercus virginiana Southern Live Oak TREES (Con’t) Sophora, Texas Mountain Laurel, Mescal Sophora secundiflora Synonym: Calia secundiflora Bean Tipuana tipu Tipu Tree Ulmus parvifolia Chinese Evergreen Elm Vitex agnus-castus Lilac Chaste Tree PALMS or PALM-LIKE PLANTS Latin name Common name Chamaerops humilis Mediterranean Fan Palm Cycas revoluta Sago Palm Phoenix canariensis Canary Island Date Palm Phoenix dactylifera Common Date palm Phoenix roebelenii Pigmy Date Palm Washingtonia filifera California Fan Palm Washingtonia robusta Mexican Fan Palm VINES & GROUNDCOVERS Latin name Common name Bignonia capreolata Crossvine Bougainvillea spp. Bougainvillea Dolichandra unguis-cati Synonym: Macfadyena unguis-cati Cat’s Claw Vine Eremophila glabra ‘Outback Sunrise’ Outback Sunrise Emu Ficus pumila Creeping Fig Purple Trailing Lantana, White Trailing Lantana montevidensis, L. montevidensis ‘Alba’ Lantana Myoporum parvifolium Trailing Myoporum SHRUBS & FLOWERING PERENNIALS Latin name Common name Caesalpinia cacalaco Cascalote Caesalpinia gilliesii Yellow Bird of Paradise Caesalpinia pulcherrima Red Bird of Paradise Calliandra californica Red Fairy Duster (Baja) Calliandra eriophylla Pink Fairy Duster Carissa macrocarpa Natal Plum; many cultivars Chrysactinia mexicana Damianita Convolvulus cneorum Bush Morning Glory Dodonaea viscosa, D. viscosa ‘Purpurea’, D.v. ‘Saratoga’ Hopseed Bush, Purple Hopseed Bush Encelia farinosa Brittle Bush Eremophila maculata Eremophila, Emu Bush Eremophila spp. many spp. and var. Justicia californica Chuparosa Justicia spicigera Mexican Honeysuckle Lantana spp. lantana hybrids Larrea tridentata Creosote Bush Leucophyllum candidum Silver Leaf Sage Leucophyllum frutescens Texas Sage Leucophyllum laevigatum Chihuahuan Sage Melaleuca viminalis ‘Little John’, Synonym: Callistemon viminalis Little John Bottlebrush Nerium oleander Oleander Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary Ruellia peninsularis Baja Ruellia or Desert Ruellia Ruellia brittoniana Synonym: Ruellia simplex Purple Ruellia, ‘Katie’ (purple), ‘Chi Chi’ (pink) Senna artemisioides subsp. artemisioides Feathery Senna, Feathery Cassia Senna artemisioides subsp. oligophylla Outback Senna Simmondsia chinensis Jojoba, Goatnut Tecoma fulva subsp. guarume Synonym: Tecoma alata Orange Bells Tecoma stans, T. stans cultivars, Tecoma x hybrids Yellow Bells, ‘Gold Star’, various colors Tetraneuris acaulis Angelita Daisy SUCCULENTS & GRASSES Latin name Common name Agave americana Century Plant Agave angustifolia var. marginata or variegata Maguey Lechugilla Agave desmettiana Smooth Agave Agave geminiflora Twin-flowered Agave Agave vilmoriniana Octopus Agave Aloe barbadensis Medicinal Aloe Carnegiea gigantea Saguaro Cylindropuntia bigelovii Synonym: Opuntia bigelovii Teddy Bear Cholla Dasylirion wheeleri Desert Spoon, Sotol Echinocactus grusonii Golden Barrel Euphorbia antisyphilitica Candelilla Euphorbia tirucalli ‘Rosea’ Firesticks Fouquieria splendens Ocotillo Hesperaloe funifera Giant Hesperaloe Hesperaloe parviflora Red Yucca Muhlenbergia capillaris Pink Muhly, ‘Regal Mist’ Muhlenbergia rigens Deer Grass Opuntia spp. prickly pear; many species and cultivars Pennisetum setaceum var. cupreum Purple Fountain Grass Stenocereus marginatus Mexican Fence Post Yucca elata Soap Tree Yucca Yucca recurvifolia Curveleaf Yucca 12/19/19 Rev., Reconciled 10/22/20 with The Plant List and Plants of the World Online Why is it Importantp nt to Learn How to Identify Plants? Is itit Worthh the Effort? • The ability to know or identify a plant allows us to assess many important variables in the plant life and environment that are critical to its proper management and care. • It is one thing to be able to identify a plant and quite another to know its use or values as it INTRODUCTION TO relates to our landscape environment. PLANT IDENTIFICATION • Once we understand the importance of knowing our plants and how to use them in the landscape, we must first be able to identify them. If you do not know the plant, you cannot do your job. Helpful Tools to Use for Identifying Plants Plant Identification Resources • HandHdl lens or magnifyingif i glassl –235 2x, 3x, 5x • Individuals that know their plants • Loop – 10x • Botanical Gardens and Arboreta • Dissecting kit • Nurseries and their catalogs • Collecting bags – plastic or paper • Books • • Hand shears, clippers, Snip-It Plant Societies • Conferences and Trade Shows • Plant Press or magazine, book • Internet/Apps--plant.id • Labels with pencil • Camera • 3 X 5 index cards Classification System Plant Taxonomy: the science that finds, describes, identifies, classifies, and Five Kingdom: Six Kingdom: names plants. Plantae Plantae Animalia Animalia Eukaryota Domain Two goals of plant taxonomy: Fungi Fungi Protistaƈ Protista o Identification - determining identity of Monera* Eubacteria Bacteria Domain unknown plant by comparison with previously Archaea Achaea Domain collected specimens • ΆSlime molds and algae o Classification - placing of known plants into • *Bacteria groups or categories to show some relationship Representative drawing or photo Scientific Classification Conservation • Domain: Eukaryota status • Kingdom: Plantae Clade: A group of organisms • Clade believed to have evolved from a • Clade common ancestor • Clade Current • Order classification • Family These two together identify the plant. • Genus This is the binomial system of • species nomenclature developed by Carl von Linné 250 years ago. (1707-1778) • ( ) Author or authority specific epithet Synonyms ScientificScientific NNames:ames: Dalbergia sissooo Roxb.** / Indian rosewood Values and Weaknesses Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Plantae • Many scientific names are used as common names. Clade: Tracheophytes • You are assured of getting the plant you want. Clade: Angiosperms • You can talk to people in other parts of the world about the same plant! Clade: Eudicots • They are organized and evaluated according to a definite system of Order: Fabales laws and rules. • Scientific names often are descriptive of the plant or its place of origin, Family: FABACEAE color, growth habit: Olea europaea, Prosopis chilensis, Genus: Dalbergia Fraxinus velutina, Caesalpinia mexicana, Prosopis velutina, species: sissoo Washingtonia robusta, Leucophyllum candidum Note: Genus name is always capitalized, species is never • capitalized. Scientific names may not be uniform around the world • Changes in old familiar names may occur • * William Roxburgh Names are sometimes long made up of unusual or unfamiliar syllables. Nerium oleander Pronunciations Eucalyptus • Follow guidelines for Latin or Greek • Use frequently used pronunciation o Caesalpinia pulcherrima o Dodonaea viscosa • Give it your best shot! • Do not get into arguments over ‘correct’ pronunciation • To hear pronunciations of names on the plant list, visit Acacia google. Common Names Common Names can be Confusing and Misleading • They are the names known and familiar to most people. o Yew pine – Podocarpus macrophyllus • They are usually simple and relatively easy to remember, using words in common use. • Neither a yew nor a pine For example; desert ironwood or olive. o Evergreen Elm – Ulmus parvifolia, • They are often descriptive of the plant. Such as desert willow or yellow bells. • Is not totally evergreen in central Arizona o Bird-of-Paradise – Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Strelitzia regina Bird-of-Paradise Plant Groupings other than Species Hybrids Cross of three Parkinsonia • A hybrid is the offspring of different varieties, species: species or genera. (Parkinsonia aculeata x o xChitalpa tashkentensis is an inter-generic hybrid cross P. microphyllum) x P. florida between Chilopsis linearis and Catalpa bignonoides Thornless Palo Verde • A variety (var.)is a natural variation within a species. • Pennisetum setaceum var. cupreum • A cultivar is selected and grown by humans, a Cross of two genera: cultivated variety. Chilopsis linearis x Catalpa o Dodonaea viscosa `Purpurea’ bignoniodes Chitalpa Dodonaea viscosaa `Purpurea’ Pennisetum setaceumm var.r. cupreum Purple Hopseed Bush Purple Fountain Grass Dodonaea viscosa `Purpurea’ Genus species Cultivar Capitalized not capitalized Capitalized `with single quotes’ First Steps Plant Morphology 1. Understand that plants have