Regional Flora- Introduction to Plant Taxonomy Plant taxonomy Palynology Paleobotany Molecular Biology Morphology Anatomy Biochemistry Genetics Taxonomy Physiology Evolution Ecology Population Biology Forestry Agriculture Biogeography Horticulture Economic Botany Anthropology Taxonomists use information about: -structure -chemical composition -physiology -ecology -genetics -evolution -geographical distribution Why should you study taxonomy? -positions in research and teaching -naturalists in parks and recreational areas -inspectors of agricultural products -plant breeding -environmental monitoring -habitat restoration
Plant taxonomy involves three general processes: -identifying -classifying -cataloging Identification of plants can take place in several ways- A dichotomous key uses a series of paired mutually exclusive statements that divides a set of objects into progressively smaller subsets.
Classification-Botanical nomenclature Scientific names Generic name: Amorphophallus Species name: titanum (specific epithet) Scientific names are generally based in classical languages such as Greek or Latin. The organization of objects into groups and rankings is classification. Amorphophallus titanum Grouping Ranking -The organization of the groups into a nested hierarchy of small groups within progressively more inclusive groups.
Cataloging Around the world there are many important plant collections known as herbaria (sing. herbarium). Herbaria Herbarium specimens
Botanical Nomenclature Nomenclature the giving and using of names Historically, there have been two independent kinds of nomenclature. Common names Through the ages, humans have given organisms common names of local relevance, which often reflect appearance and usefulness. Disadvantages Scientific names Scientific names developed during the period from the 13 th -18 th century. The language of learned men of the day was Latin. Carl von Linné, Alexander Roslin, 1775. Currently owned by and displayed at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. The process of naming plants varied from botanist to botanist. The name of a species consisted of a generic name (noun) followed by 1 or more Latin modifiers. This species description is an example of a polynomial. - Name - Diagnosis Ex: buttercup Ranunculus calycibus retroflexis, pedunculis falcatis, caule Erecto, foliis compositis the buttercup with bent-back sepals, curved flower stalks, erect stems and compound leaves.
Scientific names (Binomial system) Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1779) (originally Carl von Linné) Botanists gradually adopted a set of standardized procedures for naming plants Linnaeus published a book called Philosophia Botanica in 1751 with principles for botanical nomenclature. Carl von Linné, Alexander Roslin, 1775. Currently owned by and displayed at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Scientific names (Binomial system) Generic name: Amorphophallus Species name: titanum (specific epithet) Scientific names are generally based in classical languages such as Greek or Latin. Today, we have a set of formalized rules for naming plants. International Code of Botanical Nomenclature Names of Taxa above the Genus Level
Species names Two-word name consisting of: Ex: Magnolia grandiflora Generic names - Generic name (genus name) is treated as a Latin noun. Jeff McMillian. Courtesy of Almost Eden. United States, LA. Latin nouns have a grammatical gender. The ending of a name often indicates its grammatical gender. Names ending in a have feminine gender. Ex: Potentilla Names ending in us are commonly masculine. Names ending in um are neuter. Ex: Lupinus Ex: Cirsium red pine, (Pinus resinosa) white pine, (Pinus strobus) jack pine, (Pinus banksiana)
Specific epithet Scientific names are often written with their author or authors. The author(s) are the individual or individuals that have named the plants. Lotus corniculatus L. Lotus heermannii (Dur. & Hilg.) Greene Generic name : Lotus The first specific epithet means bearing a horn-like projection The second specific epithet was named after A.L. Heerman (Heerman s lotus) Lotus corniculatus L. The author for the first species is Linnaeus Lotus heermannii (Dur. & Hilg.) Greene The species was originally named by E.M. Durand and T.C. Hilgard. Greene transferred the specific epithet heermannii from the genus Hosackia to the genus Lotus. Durand and Hilgard (Dur. & Hilg.) are the parenthetical authors. Greene is the combining author. Intraspecific Taxa Taxonomists sometimes encounter species that are variable. If these variations represent geographical races, a botanist may recognize them as:
Intraspecific Taxa Subspecies Zea mays subspecies parviglumis Zea mays subspecies mays Scientific names of commercial ornamental or garden plants are often followed by a variety or cultivar name. Variety Ex: Lupinus densiflorus var. aureus Form Ex: Centaurium muhlenbergii (Griseb.) Wight ex Piper forma albiflorum (Suksd.) St. John 1937 Cultivar Solanum lycopersicum Solanum lycopersicum Pink Berkley tie-dye Cherokee purple http://www.rareseeds.com/pink-berkeley-tie-dye-tomato/ http://www.rareseeds.com/cherokee-purple-tomato/ Hybrids have distinct scientific names Hybrid Hybrids that maintain characteristics different from their parent and do not crossbreed with parents are given their own species names. Ex: orchid hybrid Laeliocatteya Named for parent genera - Laelio and Catteya
The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature The rules for use of scientific names are maintained and updated periodically at meetings of botanists called International Botanical Congresses. The updated rules and other guidelines are published after each Botanical Congress in a new edition of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Botanical Nomenclature Botanical nomenclature is independent of zoological nomenclature. Naming a Newly Discovered Plant There are several steps that a taxonomist must follow to validly publish the name of a new plant. 1. The name must be properly constructed and it must not be a name anyone has ever used before. 2. The taxonomist must clearly indicate the rank of the taxon. 3. A specimen must be designated as the holotype. holotype a specimen deposited in a specific herbarium designated by the author of the taxon to serve as the permanent reference point for the name of the taxon. 4. The name and accompanying information must be effectively published. HOLOTYPE: Permanent slide deposited in the herbarium of the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM), designated M.Fawley 2012-1. ISOTYPE: Strain CAUP H 547, cryopreserved at the Culture Collection of Algae of Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. TYPE LOCALITY: Lake Chicot, Chicot County, Arkansas, USA. North Basin. 33 22 6.11 N, 91 11 54.45 W. ETYMOLOGY: Named for Dr. Edmond J. Bacon, Professor Emeritus at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, who has studied Lake Chicot for many years and introduced us to the site.
Study outline- Introduction to Plant Taxonomy/Botanical Nomenclature -What is plant taxonomy? -Understand International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and the concept of taxonomic rank -Know the importance of a herbarium and use of dichotomous keys -Know terms-nomenclature, common name, scientific name -Understand the disadvantages of common names -Understand the importance of scientific names (polynomial system) and the Linnaean system (binomial system) -Understand the different parts of a species name-generic name, specific epithet, author, parenthetical author, combining author -Understand intraspecific taxa; Know terms-subspecies, varieties, form, cultivar, hybrid -Understand different steps that a taxonomist must follow to validly publish the name of a new plant. -What is a holotype?