Nomenclature
Scientific Plant Classification
 Early Classification
 Started by the Greek philosopher Theophrastus
 Classified all plants into annuals, biennials, and perennials,
according to life span
 Herbs, shrubs, and trees, according to their growth habit
 Modern Taxonomy
 Modern classification of plants is based on Linnaeus (Carl
von Lenné), a 18th century Swedish physician and “the father
of taxonomy” who revolutionized the field of plant and animal
classification
 Use of binomial nomenclature
- Genus and species for scientific names
 Use of trinomial nomenclature for horticultural crops
 Genus, species, and cultivar for cultivated crops
Scientific Names
Red Delicious Apple
Classification
Kingdom
Division
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Variety
(cultivar)
Form
Individual
Red Delicious Apple
Plantae
Anthrophyta
Dicotyledonae
Rosales
Rosaceae
Malus (or Malus)
domestica (or domestica)
(naturally occurring)
‘Red Delicious’
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Botanical Names for Horticultural Crops
 Mostly deals with family, genus, species, and cultivar
 Binomial for botanical names
 Italicize or underline genus and species
 Genus species (or Genus species)
 Do not underline or italicize family and cultivar names
 Rosaceae (the rose family)
 Malus domestica cv. Golden Delicious
 Variety names may be underlined or italicized
 Picea glauca var. densata Black Hills Spruce
 Picea pungens cv. Hoopsii Hoops Blue Spruce
Blue Spruce


Natural botanical varieties are seed propagated
Cultivars are propagated asexually by cuttings or grafting
Picea pungens var. glauca
Picea pungens cv. Hoopsii
Red Delicious or Golden Delicious Apples
Malus domestica cv. Red Delicious
Malus domestica cv. Red Delicious
Malus domestica ‘Red Delicious’
Malus domestica ‘Red Delicious’
Malus domestica cv. Golden Delicious
Malus domestica cv. Golden Delicious
Malus domestica ‘Golden Delicious’
Malus domestica ‘Golden Delicious’
Golden Delicious was a sport of Red Delicious
Selected Terminology
 Variety – A group of variants within a species which have similar
characteristics
 Cultivar – Cultivated variety, usually human-made
Cultigen – A cultivar that has naturalized in a native stand
 Ecospecies – A subdivision of species that are formed by
ecological barrier (i.e., Cercis canadendensis, Redbud)
 Clone – A group of plants all of which arose from a single
individual (ortet) through asexual (vegetative) propagation
 Clonal Cultivar – An asexually propagated clone (i.e., Russet
Burbank potato, Royalty rose, etc.)
 Pure Lines – Homozygous inbred lines grown from seed
AAbbcc, aabbcc, aaBBcc, aabbCC
 Hybrid Cultivar – A cultivar developed by hybridizing (crossing)
two or more genetically diverse parental lines
Genetically heterozygous, phenotypically uniform (homogeneous)
AaBbCc (A=dominat allele, a=recessive allele)
Ecospecies of Redbud
 Formed by ecological isolation
 Clines with continuous variation in leaf pubescence from east to west
Redbud
Some Horticulturally Important Families
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Rosaceae
Solanaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Brassicaceae
Apiaceae
Liliaceae
Orchidaceae
Rose Family
Nightshade Family
Gourd Family
Mustard Family
Celery Family
Lily Family
Orchid Family
Rosaceae (Rose Family)
• About 100 genera, 3000 species
• Rose, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, prunus
(peach, cherry, apricot, almond, plum), apple, pear,
quince
• Examples
–
–
–
–
Rosa hybrida cv. Royalty
Pyrus communis cv. Bartlett
Malus domestica cv. Fuji
Fragaria ananasa
Royalty rose
Bartlett Pear
Fuji Apple
Strawberry
Examples of Rosaceae Crops
Pear
Rose
Strawberry
Apricot
Apple
Solanaceae (Nightshade Family)
•
•
•
•
About 90 genera, 2200 species
Mostly native to South America
Genus Solanum is the largest with 1700 species
Many species contain alkaloids, solanine, nicotine,
atropine
• Examples
–
–
–
–
–
Solanum tuberosum
Solanum tuberosum ‘Russet Burbank’
Petunia hybrida cv. Red Cascade
Lycopersicon esculentum
Capsicum frutescens ‘Red Bell’
Potato
Russet Burbank potato
Red Cascade petunia
Tomato
Red Bell pepper
Some Solanaceae Crops
Yukon Gold Potato
Bell pepper
Tomato
Potato
Eggplant
Cucurbitaceae (Gourd Family)
•
•
•
•
About 100 genera, 559 species
Native to both the old and new worlds
Mostly vines with tendrils
Examples
– Citrullus vulgaris
– Cucumis sativus
– Cucurbita pepo
– Cucurbita maxima
– Cucumis melo
Watermelon
Cucumber
Pumpkin
Squash
Muskmelon
Some Cucurbitaceae Crops
Watermelon, seedless
Muskmelon
Cucumber
Watermelon
Gourds
Pumpkin
Some Cucurbit Displays
at IHC06-Seoul
Brassicaceae (Cruciferae, Mustard Family)
• About 350 genera, 3200 species
• Cole crops such as cabbage, broccoli,
radish
• Many are common garden crops
• Typically 4-merous (cross-like flower petals)
• Examples
– Brassica oleracea
– Brassica napa
– Brassica juncea
– Raphanum sativa
Cabbage, kale, kohlrabi,
broccoli, cauliflower
Pak Choi, Napa cabbage,
turnip
Mustard
Radish, Daikon radish
Some Brassicaceae Vegetables
Apiaceae
Formerly Umbeliferae, Celery or Parsnip Family
• About 250 genera, 2500 species
• Annual or biennial herb
• Umbel shape inflorescence (compound
umbels)
• Examples
–
–
–
–
Daucus carota
Apium graceolens
Coriandrum sativum
Petroselinum hortense
Carrot
Celery
Coriander
Parsley
Some Apiaceae Crops
Coriander
Purple carrot
Liliaceae (Lily Family)
Monocots
• About 240 genera, 3000 species
• Specialized foot storage organs such as
rhizomes, bulbs, fleshy roots)
• Include many ornamental plants
• Examples
–
–
–
–
–
Asparagus officinalis
Lilium longiglorum
Aloe barbadensis
Allium cepa
Tulipa spp.
Asparagus
Easter lily
Aloe vera
Onion
Tulips
Some Liliaceae Plants
Asparagus
Garlic
Easter lily
Aloe vera
Tulip
Onion
Trillium
3-merous
Garlic Festival
 Held in Gilroy, CA, - Garlic capitol of the world (122,000 visitors in 2004)
 28th annual Gilroy garlic festival was held July 28-30, 2006
Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)
Monocots
•
•
•
•
•
About 800 genera, 30,000 species
Mostly native to tropical and subtropical regions
Epiphytic as well as terrestrial growth habits
Many species are used as ornamentals
Examples
–
–
–
–
–
–
Vanilla planifolia
Cattleya spp.
Dendrobium spp.
Phalaenopsis spp.
Cymbidium spp.
Cypripedium reginae
Vanilla orchid
Cattleya orchids
Dendrobium orchids
Phalaenopsis orchids
Cymbidium orchids
Lady slipper orchid
Some Orchidaceae Plants
Vanilla flower
Cattleya
Phalaenopsis
Lady Slipper
Cattleya hybrid
Vanilla orchid
Orchid popularity is
increasing worldwide