Here are common types of specific epithets
Honor a person, often the plant’s discoverer. These abbreviations are not italicized.Īspect of the plant’s color, form, habitat, or the area it comes from. Using “cf.” before the epithet indicates thatĬonfirmation is required. Specified, “sp.” can be used as an abbreviation “spp.” is This classification differentiates the plant from other members of its genus. The second word of the binomen is the specific epithet, or species. In, and even disease and pest resistance. Soil, nutrition, and moisture levels, the temperature and humidity they thrive Knowing the genus offers basic informationĪbout the individual needs of a plant. Plants in the same genus share characteristics and have a The generic epithet describes the genus a The genus may be abbreviated to only this letter if it is understood by the reader. The first term of the binomen depicts the plant’s genus it is called the generic epithet. This two-termed name is called a binomen, and it should always be written in italics. Each name is unique within the Plantea kingdom. Non-Latin terms can be used, but they are Latinized for consistency.įor example, American plants may be descriptively named americanum.Īll plants are assigned two names: the genus and the species. Note that botanical Latin is not strictlyĬlassical. The naming convention conveys information
TINCTA BOTANICAL MEANING HOW TO
This is a collaboration between The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, The Harvard University Herbaria, and The Australian National Herbarium.Ĭarl Linnaeus, the father of modern taxonomy How To Read Latin Plant Names You can even browse the International Plant Names Index (IPNI), which provides nomenclatural information for all known plants. Only names that meet the specifications are accepted and considered validly published.
TINCTA BOTANICAL MEANING CODE
Today, the internationally accepted rules for naming plants are governed by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. The new system wasĪs it turned out, binomial nomenclature represented a rare event when an academic advance actually simplified a subject. Species had already been outlined by Aristotle. Though the modernĬoncept of evolution hadn’t been introduced at that time, the terms genus and Quickly adopted for its logic, economy, and ease of use. When Linnaeus’s binomial scheme appeared, it was Examples included grouping plants by their color, shape, or location.Īs more species were discovered, polynomial Early classification efforts seem far fetched and even humorous today. In his cataloging work, Species Plantarum, Linnaeus condensed plant names to a single term of classification followed by a one-word “trivial name.” He used Latin forms that were commonly understood by the scientific community of his time.īefore Linnaeus, formal plant names used a polynomial structure that consisted of a generic name combined with a secondary descriptive phrase. The current binomial naming convention was started by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus (1707–1778). How The Latin Plant Names System Was Developed Such as a plant’s color, geographical origin, or other characteristics. Each two-termed name, or binomen, has formal rules governing its Nomenclature because it uses two terms that together can identify every plant
The Latin naming system is called binomial Open to bias toward a certain region or language. It is not subject to change, and it isn’t Separate system using unique Latin names. Science’s answer was to create a completely Monstera deliciosa, also known by a wide range of common names Because these freewheeling labels aren’t universal, it can be hardįor people in different areas to accurately communicate about their plants.Īs confusing as Latin plant names may seem, they can actually be less confusing than their commonplace counterparts.įor example, the popular Monstera deliciosa is known in different locales as a Hurricane Plant, Mexican Breadfruit, Ceriman, Swiss Cheese Plant, Fruit Salad Tree, Window leaf, or Penglai Banana. Common names may be inconsistent, misleading, orĭuplicative. This universally adopted system has rules that govern how these names are officially assigned and updated. Latinized names offer information about a plant’s classification, origins, and characteristics. What is the purpose of latin plant names? A formal naming system was developed to uniquely and meaningfully identify every plant. In this article, we’ll explain all about latin plant names and how these reduce confusion and help growers better understand their plants.
Plants can have multiple common names, and a case of mistaken identity may lead to incorrect advice and unwanted purchases. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but it sure could lead to confusion.
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