Plant Identification
Why do we identify plants?
DICOT
MONOCOT
• Leaves with parallel veins
• Petals in multiples of three
• Vascular bundles in stems scattered
• Leaves with net-like veins
• Petals in multiples of four or five
• Vascular bundles form rings in stems
Plant Parts
Important:
• Shoot
• Root
• Node
• Internode
• Leaf parts
(more on those next)
Compound Leaves
OR
PINNATE
Leaf Monster
Grass Leaf Part Names
Inflorescence
Types
HEAD
CORYMB
CYME
http://www.vplants.org/plants/glossary/plate08.html
Taxonomy
Level
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Example
Plantae
Magnoliaphyta
Magnoliopsida
Sapindales
Anacardiaceae
Taxicodendron
radicans
Scientific name
Scientific Names:
Italics or Underlined
Genus species
Capitalized
lower case
Plant Families You Need to Know
Latin
Typhaceae
Juncaceae
Cyperaceae
Poaceae
Fabaceae
Asteraceae
Anacardiaceae
Common
Cattails
Rushes
Sedges
Grasses
Legumes
Asters
Sumac
Typhaceae
Typha angustifolia
Narrow-leafed cattail
Leaves:
- Strap-like
- Helical twist
Flowers:
- Unisexual
- Staminate above carpellate
Typha latifolia
Broad-leafed cattail
INVASIVE
Juncaceae
Stems:
- Round
Leaves:
- Usually only at the base
-Two-ranked
- Ligules absent, Auricle present
Flowers:
- Appear to come from the side of
the stem (floral bract sticks up)
Juncus effusus
Common reed
Cyperaceae
Stems:
- Triangular (trigonous)
Leaves:
-Three-ranked
- No Ligules
Cyperus esculentus
Yellow nutsedge
Poaceae
Stems:
- Round or oval
Leaves:
- Alternate
- Open tubular sheaths
- Usually have ligules
Flowers:
- Spikelets
Leersia oryzoides
Rice cutgrass
Fabaceae
Leaves:
-Compound
- Stipulate
- Margins entire
Flowers:
- Bilateral symmetry
- “Banner” petals & “wing” petals
Amorpha fruticosa
False indigo
Sweet Pea Flower- Example of
a typical “fab” flower
Asteraceae
Leaves:
- Highly variable
Flowers:
- Compound “heads”
- Ray flowers & Disc flowers
Helianthus angustifolius
Swamp sunflower
Aster Flowers
Anacardiaceae
Leaves:
- Usually alternate
- No stipules
- Simple, trifoliate, or oddly
pinnate
Toxicodendron radicans
Poison ivy
Toxicodendron vernix
Poison sumac
Leaf Shapes
http://www.paulnoll.com/
Margins
Grass
Life Cycles
• Annual
• Biennial
• Perennial