PLANT IDENTIFICATION Once we understand the importance of knowing - PDF document

Why is it Important to Learn How to Identify p nt to Learn it Worth h the Effort? Plants? Is it it • 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 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 • Hand lens or magnifying glass – 2x, 3x, 5x H d l if i l 2 3 5 • Individuals that know their plants • Loop – 10x • Botanical Gardens and Arboreta • Dissecting kit • Nurseries and their catalogs • Books • Collecting bags – plastic or paper • Plant Societies • Hand shears, clippers, Snip-It • 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 Protista ⁺ Protista o Identification - determining identity of Monera* Eubacteria Bacteria Domain unknown plant by comparison with previously Archaea Achaea Domain collected specimens • � Slime mo lds and alg ae • *Bac te ria o Classification - placing of known plants into groups or categories to show some relationship

Representative Scientific Classification drawing or photo Conservation • Domain: Eukaryota status • Kingdom: Plantae Clade: A group of organisms • Clade believed to have evolved from a common ancestor • Clade • Clade Current • Order classification • Family These two together identify the plant. This is the binomial system of • Genus nomenclature developed by Carl von • s pecies Linné 250 years ago. (1707-1778) • ( specific epithet ) Author or authority Synonyms Scientific Names: Scientific Names: Dalbergia sissoo o 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 laws and rules. Order: Fabales • 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 • Scientific names may not be uniform around the world capitalized. • Changes in old familiar names may occur • Names are sometimes long made up of unusual or unfamiliar syllables. * William Roxburgh 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 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 • Neither a yew nor a pine to remember, using words in common use. o Evergreen Elm – Ulmus parvifolia, For example; Desert Ironwood or olive. • They are often descriptive of the plant. Such • Is not totally evergreen in central as Desert Willow or Yellow Bells. Arizona o Bird-of-Paradise – Caesalpinia pulcherrima, Strelitzia regina Bird-of-Paradise Hybrids Plant Groupings other than Species Cross of three Parkinsonia species: • A hybrid is the offspring of different varieties, species or genera. (Parkinsonia aculeata x P. microphyllum) x P. florida o xChitalpa tashkentensis is an inter-generic hybrid cross Thornless Palo Verde between Chilopsis linearis and Catalpa bignonoides • 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 bignoniodes o Dodonaea viscosa `Purpurea’ Chitalpa Dodonaea viscosa a `Purpurea’ Pennisetum setaceum m 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 a unique set of identifiable characters and characteristics. • T he study o f the physic al fo rm and e xte rnal struc ture o f plants. 2. Identify the unique set of observable characteristics that • Plant anatomy is the study o f the inte rnal struc ture may be associated with a specific plant species. o f plants, e spe c ially at the mic ro sc o pic le ve l. 3. Practice applying these characteristics to plants in the landscape. 4. Determine a means of associating these characteristics with the plant name. 5. Practice the spelling and pronunciation of each plant name. Repetition is essential to success. Simple Leaves Leaves Leaves come in many shapes and sizes! Midvein Lateral vein ↓ Petiole ↓ ← Apex or tip ↑ ← Blade Margin → Compound Leaves Pinnately compound leaf Palmately compound leaf Twice pinnately compound leaf Rachis Rachis ← Leaflet Petiole ↓ ↓

Leaf Venation Winged petioles and rachises Venation is the pattern of vascular tissues in the blade of a leaf. Vascular tissues are important for the transport of water, dissolved minerals and sugar. Pinnately-Veined Simple Leaves A, B, C: Pinnately-veined simple leaves D: Pinnately-Veined Compound Leaf E, F: Palmately-veined Compound Leaves Palmately -Veined Simple Leaves Leaf Surfaces There are six common leaf surfaces Parallel Glabrous Veination Pubescent Pubescent Tomentose Scabrous Glaucous Rugose Palmately-Veined Compound Leaf Tomentose Once-Compound Glabrous Pinnately-Veined Twice-Compound Leaf Pinnately-Veined Leaf

Leaf (leaflet) margin Entire, undulate (wavy) Crenate, serrate, dentate Scabrous Rugose Glacous Stem Terminology Doubly Serrate Crenate Node – point of leaf attachment on a stem, often swollen. Internode —part of stem between the nodes. Serrate Bud – site of potential growth; leaf, flower, stem . Axil – angle formed by the Lateral stem juncture of a leaf and a Blade stem. Undulate Leaf Arrangement Opposite leaf arrangement Lenticels – one of many raised Leaf arrangement is the pores in the stem of a woody number of leaves per node. plant that allows gas exchange between the atmosphere and the internal tissues. Stipules – Paired leaf parts Bud at a leaf base. Whorled leaf arrangement Alternate leaf arrangement

Flower Morphology Plants armed with thorns, spines or prickles Parts of a flower : A spine is a modified leaf. Sepals - functions as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom. Petals - modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers . They are often brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. A thorn is a Stamen – Flower part producing pollen modified stem Pistil - Flower part containing potential seeds, part from which the fruit develops. A prickle is an outgrowth from the epidermis or bark 1 A special thank you: • Mo st pho to s and so me te xt share d by: Dr. Chris Martin, Pro fe sso r o f Sustainable Ho rtic ulture at Arizo na State U nive rsity • Be th Po stma, All Se aso n Who le sale Gro we rs • Cindy Odg e rs • Jac kie L yle , Civano Gro we rs • K ase y Billing sle y, Harmo ny Ho rtic ultural Co nsulting ��������� • Shanno n Sc o tt, AAA L andsc ape ����� 2 2 3 Acacia Acacia an a aneura mulga ���������������������� ����������������������

4 5 Acacia Acacia alicina a salicina sa weeping acacia Acacia Acacia farnesiana sweet acacia Formerly known as Vachelia farnesiana 6 7 Acacia tenophylla Acacia a stenophylla st Caesalpinia mexicana shoestring acacia Mexican bird of paradise Chilopsis p is linearis xChitalpa tashkentensis xChitalpa chitalpa desert willow 8 9

10 11 Corymbia Corymbiapa apapuana p Dalbergia Dalbergia a sissoo a issoo si ghost gum Indian rosewood; Indian sisso Eucalyptus Eucalyptus us microtheca 12 13 coolibah Eucalyptus Eucalyptu yptu ptu usspathulata us s pathulat sp narrow w- w-leaf gimlet 15 14 Fraxinus Fraxinus s velut s velutina v Ficus microcarpa Ficus cus s microc Arizona ash va var ar . nitida ar ar nitida . n Indian laurel fig