SPECIES IDENTIFICATION LIST

Plants are in the Kingdom Plantae with the next lowest ranking the Division, followed by Class, Order, Family, Genus and specific epithet (you probably learned the epithet as the species name). This classification system defines plants from a very broad scale (e.g. Kingdom) to the individual plant (specific epithet). Division names end in “ophyta.” Class names end in “opsida,” Order names end in “ales” and Family names (with some special exceptions) end in “aceae.” Kingdom, Division, Class, Order, and Family names are proper nouns and are capitalized.

The scientific name (species) is made up of the Genus (proper noun = capitalized) and specific epithet (lowercase) – no two plants have the same scientific name. Scientific names are always underlined if handwritten and italicized if typed. The genus defines a group of closely related plants, for example all oaks are in the genus – Quercus. The specific epithet (species) identifies the individual plant, and is Latinized or Greek. For example the Latin word rubra means red. Therefore the scientific name for a northern red oak is Quercus rubra. The scientific name of the plant is followed by the author, which is not italicized, so the written citation for the northern red oak is – Quercus rubra L. (the L. stands for Linnaeus). Some authors have initials such as “L.” for Linnaeus; others have full last names (e.g. Walter). Still others have something like “(L.) Rich.” or “Batr. ex Willd.” There are many rules governing the use of initials, full names, part of names, the use of “ex,” etc. Whatever the case, it’s easiest to just accept the way it is currently shown on the species list (or plants.usda.gov).

In this class we will be concerned with two divisions; Coniferophyta and Magnoliophyta. Coniferophyta contains the familiar triangular shaped trees as well as the cedars, cypresses, and pines. For our purposes, Magnoliophyta contains two large Classes; Dicotyledons (Magnoliopsida) and Monocotyledons (Liliopsida). These two terms refer to the number of embryonic leaves (cotyledons) that the plants has; Dicotyledons have two embryonic leaves and Monocotyledons have one. Monocotyledons are the grasses and other simpler plants. Monocots have parallel veined leaves. The Dicotyledons include about 2/3 of all flowering plants. Dicots have the familiar leaves with the center vein plus branching veins coming from it.

Although I have made every effort to ensure current names, scientific names occasionally change because of one protocol or another; in these cases it is easier to just accept the change and move on. However, there are a number of sites that maintain plant classifications with “current” species names and classifications; AND THEY DO NOT ALWAYS AGREE.

In order to avoid confusion, in this class the only acceptable scientific names are either on this list or can be found at plants.usda.gov. The USDA site has a useful interactive ID key that allows you to select multiple characters simultaneously which makes more character data available in the key and minimizes the number of steps it takes to identify a plant.

The list contained on these pages follows the layout of:

Division (example – Magnoliophyta)

Class (example – Magnoliopsida)

Order (example – Fagales)

Family (example – Fagaceae)

Genus specific epithet author. (common name)

(example – Quercus rubra L. (northern red oak)

GYMNOSPERMS

Coniferous, seed bearing trees or shrubs having naked seeds (not enclosed by an ovary).

Coniferophyta (Conifers)

Pinopsida

Pinales

Cupressaceae (Cypress family)

Juniperus virginiana L. (eastern red cedar)

Taxodium distichum (L.) Rich. (bald-cypress)

Pinaceae (Pine family)

Pinus echinata Mill. (shortleaf pine)

Pinus glabra Walter (spruce pine)

Pinus palustris Mill. (longleaf pine)

Pinus taeda L. (loblolly pine)

ANGIOSPERMS

True flowering, seed bearing plants, the seeds are produced within the closed ovaries of the pistils of the plant.

Magnoliophyta (flowering plants)

Liliopsida (Monocotyledons)

Cyperales

Poaceae GRAMINEAE (Grass family)

Arundinaria gigantea (Walter) Muhl. (cane)

Liliales

Smilacaceae (Smilax family)

Smilax auriculata Walter (catbrier)

Smilax bona-nox L. (greenbrier)

Smilax glauca Walter (wild sarsaparilla)

Magnoliopsida (Dicotyledons)

Apiales

Araliaceae (Ginseng family)

Aralia spinosa L. (devil’s walkingstick)

Celastrales

Aquifoliaceae (Holly family)

Ilex decidua Walter (possum-haw

Ilex opaca Aiton American holly

Cornales

Cornaceae (Dogwood family)

Cornus florida L. (flowering dogwood)

Cornus foemina Mill. (swamp dogwood)

Nyssaceae (Sour-gum or Tupelo family)

Nyssa aquatica L. (water tupelo)

Nyssa sylvatica Marsh. (blackgum)

Hydrangaceae (Hydrangea family)

Hydrangea quercifolia Bartram (oak-leaf hydrangea)

Dipsacales

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle family)

Lonicera japonica Thunb. (Japanese honeysuckle)

Sambucus nigra (L.) R. Bolli (redbud)

Viburnum acerifolium L. (maple-leaf viburnum)

Viburnum dentatum L. (arrow-wood)

Ebenales

Ebenaceae (Ebony family)

Diospyros virginiana

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