Plant Taxonomy All the cool kids are doing it. What is taxonomy? • The science dealing with description, identification, naming, and classification of organisms. • Basically… narrowing things down into similar groups The 7 levels of organization: • Kingdom • Phylum • Class • Order • Family • Genus • Species Example #1: The Blackburnian Warbler Example #2 Panther Example of animal taxonomy: Then What is plant taxonomy? • A system that describes, classifies, identifies, and scientifically names plants. Example #3: Rose So why can’t we juSt Say… “Rose” instead of “Rosa Gallica”? Why not just use a common name? • Common names are often misleading and confusing • Languages are different across the world • Scientific names are more precise For example… • If you go to the nursery looking for a Black Eyed Susan… you could end of with any of the following. or Rudbeckia hirta Thunbergia alata Common names can also Sound the Same… • Hummingbird bush • Hummingbird flower • Hummingbird mint So we use scientific names… but what’s really in a name? • The first part of a scientific name is the… •GENUS • The second part is the… •species (Usually a descriptive word, always lowercase) The 7 levels of organization: • Kingdom • Phylum • Class • Order • Family • Genus • Species Where did these crazy names come from? • The person who described them • Or clues to their characteristics For example… • Sollya heterophylla (Means different or various) (Means leaves) Some lanceolate leaves and some oblong. Is that English ? • Yes, some scientific names are much like English! • Prostratum (Prostrate: To lay flat) • Compacta (Compact) • Deliciosa (Delicious) • Fragrans (Fragrance) • Pendula (Pendulum: Hanging from a fixed point) Cfu: Q: Turn to page 754… What is the commonly used botanical name for red? A: rubens, ruber In your swgb • BOTANICAL/GENUS • Alternate Botanical Name in ( ) • COMMON NAME • Family Name • .species The 7 levels of organization: • Kingdom • Phylum • Class • Order • Family • Genius • Species CFU • Turn to page 237 and match the following… 1. CALATHEA A. Common Name 2. Marantaceae B. Genus/Botanical 3. zebrina C. Species 4. Zebra Plant D. Family Assignment: • List the following for the 5 plants on your handout BOTANICAL/GENUS Alternate Botanical Name in ( ) COMMON NAME Family Name .species .