DEFINITIONS
15
September 2013
This
document describes attribute and choice terms encountered while using the WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool, along with some background on
plant classification as applied within this package.
As you scroll through
this document, if drawings don’t appear when you scroll to a new page, just release
your left mouse button for a moment and they should appear.
Most
terms used are close in meaning to the terms used in academic works. Any differences that simplify the classification
search are explained below. Once a
species or genus has been identified, a wealth of more detailed and
comprehensive additional information is readily available from books and on-line
resources.
Following
are terms encountered in the use of the WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool along
with brief definitions. In some cases
drawings are provided where an illustration is thought to be helpful.
ATTRIBUTES
Professional
botanists use a variety of terms to describe plants, many more than included
here. Nevertheless, for those of us
having seen a plant that simply want to identify it, this list can help us
quickly find any species in this product resembling the plant we saw. Comments are provided where there are
interesting aspects to the item, or where a term is not self-evident.
- Common Name
Interestingly, some plants may have many common names that
originated over time, with Native-Americans, immigrant settlers, and others. The WildflowerFinder™ Search Tool software 'drop-down' common name
choices list uses common names found in plant classification books on the
subject, used locally by wildflower professionals, and names used in the USDA’s
national PLANTS database. In all cases
at least one of the names used conforms to the PLANTS database as of about mid-year,
2013. When the WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool
displays a flower,
the brief description provided along with the image will sometimes list one or
more common names (in addition to the name on the plant image) discovered
during research supporting the development of this product.
- Botanical Name
One scientific name is listed for each flower type in the WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool software
and image outputs. In wildflower
literature there are frequently multiple botanical names in use for a particular
species because names may be changed over time due to species reclassification
as a by-product of research discoveries, due to resolution of disagreements
between scientists, or they may be changed by the experts for other reasons. All botanical names presented in this product
were in agreement with the United States Department of Agriculture PLANTS
Database [USDA, NRCS. 2013. The PLANTS
Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 19
September 2013). National Plant Data Team,
Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.], around mid-year, 2013.
Why not a fixed date? It's because
there is ongoing change over time with scientific as well as common names for a
variety of reasons; as a result, when a 'classification product' enters the marketplace,
it reflects a 'snapshot in time,' not a final set of data; changes are
guaranteed to follow. Happily the method
of assigning and tracking scientific names leaves a 'trail,' so knowing an old
scientific name is a great help in identifying the current name. Where there are differences between PLANTS (national),
and our local experts (like SEINet), the author usually goes with SEINet.
- Colors - below
- Plant Structure - below
- Plant Height - below
- Flower Size Width
There are many aspects of flower construction, geometry
and dimensions that are of interest to the scientific community. But, for the purpose of identification in this
product, just the width of the flower face is utilized and is often sufficient.
- Flower Structure - below
- Leaf Leaflet Size - below
- Leaf Structure Type - below
- Leaf Structure Arrangement - below
- Seed or Fruit – below
CHOICES
Colors
Following
are the color groups used in the WildflowerFinder™ Search Tool:
Blue/Purple
Brown
Cream/Yellow
Green
Orange
Pink/Reddish
Pink
Red
White/Whitish
The WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool software
database is programmed for the primary flower petal (or ‘ray’) color (ignoring minor
color streaks, tinting, frosting or whatever).
In the absence of petals, the primary color of the disk flowers has been
programmed as the flower color. If you
look at a “Yellow Bird-of-Paradise” flower picture, for example, the data base embedded
in this product is coded with this as a yellow flower, and the spectacular 10
each, 3-inch long bright red stamens are ignored, for database and search
purposes.
If there
were two ‘primary colors’ and it difficult to pick one as really dominant, the database
is coded to accept either color and display the material for either color when
searched.
In some cases
a species may present more than one color.
Desert Mariposa, for example, comes in either brilliant orange or yellow
(and occasional a few with copper shades in between). This product displays one thumbnail (orange) with
the search tool; but the database is programed for both colors. So, for a search on yellow flowers, an orange
Desert Mariposa shows up along with the yellow flowers; same physical appearance,
just a different color. The same
thumbnail will also be displayed for a search on orange flowers.
Plant Structure &
Duration
All ‘Growth Habit’ designations in this product (is it a
tree, shrub, vine or herb?) were in conformance with the United States
Department of Agriculture PLANTS Database cited above, except no distinction is
made here between shrubs and subshrubs (small shrubs - under 1.5 feet in height)
- all are called shrubs, and, the WildflowerFinder™ Search Tool software data base treats cacti
simply as cacti, not as trees or shrubs (which they are botanically and so
listed in the PLANTS database). Note
that sometimes more than one structure is listed (for example - Shrub/Herb) as
plants sometimes vary their ‘habit’ in adapting to local conditions.
Some brief definitions follow. Each term is used in the classifier:
- Herb – Per Webster’s Dictionary, it’s “any
seed plant whose stem withers away to the ground after each seasons
growth, as distinguished from a tree or shrub whose woody stem lives from
year to year.”
- Shrub or Bush – Per Webster’s
Dictionary, “a shrub with branches rising from or near the root; a thick shrub;
a cluster of shrubs.” And, a shrub
is “a bushy, woody plant with several permanent stems instead of a single
trunk; a bush.”
- Cactus – per Webster’s Dictionary, “any
of various plants of the Cactaceae family, with fleshy stems, branches
bearing spines or scales instead of leaves, and, sometimes showy flowers.”
- Tree – per Webster’s Dictionary, “a
woody, perennial plant with one main stem or trunk which develops many
branches: most trees are over ten feet tall.” While we don’t see many trees in the
Phoenix desert areas, we see plenty in the sky islands.
- Vine - per Webster’s Dictionary, “any plant
with a long, slender, more or less flexible stem which either trails on
the ground or is supported by twining and climbing, sometimes supplied
with tendrils which hold it in place.”
All ‘Duration’ designations (is it an Annual, Biennial or Perennial?)
presented in this product also conform with the United States Department of
Agriculture PLANTS Database as cited previously. More than one duration may be listed for a
species (like Annual/Biennial), since some plants vary their ‘duration’ as a
function of local conditions.
Plant Height
Where a
plant's typical height is borderline between ranges in the WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool choices,
the software accepts either choice for the plant. As far as the “shorthand” symbols are
concerned, the first example (example 1: 3< size<7 in) reads “size”
is greater than or equal to 3 inches, and less than 7 inches. The second example (example 2: size >8 inch) reads “size” is greater than 8 inches. Plant height classifier choices include the
following:
size = 2
ft or less
size = 2<
size <5 ft
size = 5<
size <15 ft
size = 15
ft or more
Flower Size (Width)
You are
to estimate the approximate width of the flower face looking straight into the flower-face.
'Flower size (Width)' classifier choices
include the following:
size 1
inch or less
1=<
size <2 inch
2=<
size <3 inch
3 or more
Flower Structure
Flower Structure classifier choices include the following:
Simple-Shaped
Flowers – the general approach followed is if the shape can easily be
described in about 10 seconds (such as bell shaped, trumpet shaped, like a
funnel, Dixie cup, etc.) it’s simple shaped. This call was sometimes influenced by the determinations
presented in some of the reference materials utilized. Simple-Shaped flowers typically ‘present’ (appear)
separately, and are symmetrical along radial lines from the center. They generally have 3 – 6 petals. Following are some examples:
Fagonia Poppy
Prickly Poppy Strawberry Hedgehog
Daisy and
Dandelion Like – seem pretty simple shaped, but this is a category the professionals'
use, so it is used in this product as well. They either have a flower head with a
button-like center and many radiating petals, or have many ray flowers and no
button-like center. Two examples
include:
Dandelion
Sand Wash Groundsel
Odd-Shaped
Flowers – may take 5 – 10 minutes and a paper and pencil to
describe. They typically have an unusual
overall appearance, and a shape difficult to describe. They are not 'radially symmetrical.' Several examples include:
Owl Clover
Wright’s Deervetch
Bladder Sage
Elongated
Clusters – These are elongated masses of flowers either tightly or
loosely arranged. Individual flowers may or may not be symmetrical. From the side an elongated cluster will have
the following general shape, where the circles represent flowers of one kind or
another:
Elongated Cluster
(Generalized shape)
Rounded
or Flattop Clusters – These are rounded masses of flowers either tightly
or loosely arranged. Individual flowers
may or may not be symmetrical. From the
top looking down a rounded cluster will have the following general shape, where
again circles represent flowers of one kind or another:
Rounded
Cluster (Generalized shape)
Leaf Leaflet Size
Leaf/Leaflet size classifier choices include the
following:
size 2
inches or less long
size 2
– 8 inch
size
>8 inch
No Leaves
Leaf Structure (Type)
Each
leaf has a stalk and a blade. The stalk
connects the blade to a plant stem. Blade
shape will vary as illustrated below.
Leaves
may be simple or compound. Simple leaves
have undivided blades. Compound leaves
have many leaves (leaflets), either arranged along a stalk (pinnately compound)
or attached at the end of the stalk like fingers on a hand (palmately
compound).
Leaf Structure/Type classifier choices include the
following:
Entire
– smooth margin (edge).
Entire
(Edge Smooth)
Toothed
– toothed margin.
Toothed
Lobed
– lobed margins.
Lobed
Linear/Narrow
– skinny to even threadlike, or grass-like.
Linear
Lanceolate
– shaped like the tip of a lance or spear.
Lanceolate
Ovate
– egg-shaped but with a pointy tip.
Ovate
Oblong
– Elliptical – ends curve like a satellite dish.
Triangular
or heart shaped - as the words describe.
Fernlike
- finely divided structures, with several 'levels' of division.
Leaf Structure (Arrangement)
Leaf Structure/Arrangement classifier choices include the
following:
Opposite
– leaves opposite each other.
Opposite
Basel
– surround the stem at ground level.
Basel
Alternate
– alternately attached to the stem. The usual configuration.
Alternate
Whorled
– three or more attached in a ring at one level.
Whorled
Clasping
– Base of leaf clasping the stem.
Clasping
Perfoliate
– Stem seemingly perforating the leaf.
Perfoliate
Palmately
compound – leaves radiating from a point, like fingers from your palm.
Palmate
Once
Pinnately Compound – Many little leaflets (compound) arranged along a
central stalk. The software also accepts
Pinnate to describe a leaf lobed in such a fashion that lobes follow the
general shape pattern of the below leaflets.
Once Pinnately Compound
Bipinnately
(or more) compound – this example shows a bipinnately compound leaf
structure where the end and side leave structures themselves are once pinnately
compound.
Bipinnately
compound
Leaf Surface
Leaf Surface classifier choices include the following:
Smooth
Shiny
Waxy
Upper
Surface Hairs
Lower
Surface Hairs
Sandpaper-like,
rough
Oily or
Sticky Bumps
Sticky
Glandular
Seed or Fruit
Seed or Fruit classifier choices include the following:
Fruit(Berry)
Fruit(Other)
– (such as the fruit of a cactus or yucca).
Nut
Bean-like
or other narrow pod – may have a pointy tip.
Spherical
or similar shape pod – may be smooth or covered with spines or scales.
Other
– such as one of a large variety of seeds, some with fuzzy tops or other
special adaptation, some just plain seeds.
EXOTIC
WILDFLOWERS
The ‘Characteristics summary output’ information
provided by the WildflowerFinder™ Search Tool will sometimes identify a species as an ‘Exotic
Wildflower.’ This identifies a species
not considered originally native to this area, an introduced species which has
‘escaped,’ and is now commonly seen in the wild desert. Brassica, Cheeseweed, and Globe Chamomile are
three examples of local 'exotics.'
WILDFLOWER CLASSIFICATIONS
Common plant names,
originating with people living among the plants, have been in use since the
earliest of times. As common names were
not assigned or recorded in a systematic way, names often varied for the same
species from place to place, and from social unit to social unit. Further complicating the situation, over the
centuries, it became common for a
particular common name to be used with more than one species. And worse yet, as languages evolved, names sometimes
changed as well. The use of common names
is not ideal for effective communications, and will not meet the needs of the
acedemic/scientific communities. Nevertheless,
for very good reasons, a lot of people today use common names to refer to the wild
plants we see from day to day.
Scientific plant
classification, a highly specialized branch of biology, is referred to as
taxonomy. Since the 18th century the
scientific community has used a very systematic and well organized method of taxonomy
which promotes high accuracy, elimination of duplication, and better clarity in
academic and research communications and works. The plants are classified by structural
similarity, starting with very large groups, continually dividing into smaller
and smaller groups, until a single species is arrived at. The classifications are in Latin, an
unchanging language.
A scientific (botanical) name
has two or more parts. The first name,
always beginning with a capital letter, and usually a noun, refers to the
genus, a group containing one or more closely related species. The species name, usually but not always
starting with a small letter, and often an adjective, is next. The species name usually refers to a
characteristic of the plant or to the person who discovered it. A species is an individual or distinct living
thing like all others of its kind in form, and capable of producing more of the
species. Where individuals of a single
species vary slightly but not enough to be considered separate species, they
are referred to as varieties (var.), adding a third part to the scientific name
in some cases. There are subspecies
(ssp.) identified for some plants as well.
Challenges remain within the
world of species classification in getting new discoveries correctly classified,
and getting previously mis-classified plants correctly re-classified. Nevertheless, the scientific classification
system now in use has enabled great advancement in taxonomy overall. As a result, botanists and other professionals
within the acedemic and research communities primarily use botanical names in
their day to day work and within their publications.
For plants today, the
hierarchy of groups is pretty well illustrated by the following species
classification example presented in the USDA’s National PLANTS Database:
SPECIES:
Platystemon californicus (Cream Cups)
Kingdom Plantae
– Plants
Subkingdom
Tracheobionta –
Vascular plants
Superdivision Spermatophyta
– Seed plants
Division Magnoliophyta
– Flowering plants
Class Magnoliopsida
– Dicotyledons
Subclass Magnoliidae
Order Papaverales
Family Papaveraceae
– Poppy family
Genus Platystemon
Benth. – creamcups
Species Platystemon californicus
Benth. – creamcups
Classifications presented in this product include
representative common names already in use in the Phoenix vicinity and
locally prominent reference materials, and the corresponding scientific names used
within the National PLANTS Database and/or SEINet.
Definitive wildflower
classification by photo to the species level is easy in some cases, but
difficult to very difficult (if not impossible) in others. Sometimes, a conclusive species classification
can only be completed in the laboratory. Fortunately, the genus level classificaqtion
is usually much easier
The classification process involves
the photographic content, plus many plant and environmental characteristics, including
plant dimensions, chemistry, colors, shapes, geometry, structure, smells,
textures, flower site soil, site geology, site moisture, elevation, and more. Photographs may capture some of the needed
information but may miss other key distinguishing characteristics for certain
species. Species identifications will
depend upon and may be a function of one or more plant characteristics, about
anything one might imagine, including details of: plant structure, habit,
duration, location, elevation, colors, surface, component parts of roots,
stems, trunks, branches, bark, leaves, flowers, seeds, odors, armament (like
sharp spines) and more.
Despite these complications, a
lot can still be accomplished with photographs, as amateurs frequently find
themselves trying to do.
As a practical matter, a
variable classification approach is very helpful, and has been implemented in
this product. Images are classified to
the species level where the species identification is highly probable especially
if the species is known to 'frequent' a locale; or just to the plant genus
level (a one-step higher classification level) where classification to the
species ‘by photograph’ may be in doubt without in-depth scientific analysis
and confirmation or if laboratory analysis is required. The amateur might want to take this same
approach in analyzing the amateur’s own photographs.
All classifications herein are
based on the comparative analysis of the photographic content with wildflower reference
book materials, with internet accessable materials (like PLANTS) and leading
academic institution-related materials (like SEINet), and with input from other
reputable sources, including input from professional botanists in this area.
Following are several examples
illustrating the variable classification approach used in this product.
Some classifications are
relatively easy, as in the case of Cream Cups. This flower is distinctive and easily
recognized either in the field or in a photo. It happens to be a member of the poppy
(Papaveraceae) family. And, reference
liturature tells us there is one species of this plant in Arizona. The species name for cream cups is
‘Platystemon californicus,’ and this full species name is output from this
product's data base when Cream Cups information is output following a WildflowerFinder™
Search Tool search.
It get’s more complicated with
other species. For example, in the case
of Buckwheat, there are over 50 species in Arizona. So, a couple representative examples are
included.
Once equipped with a species
or genus botanical names and/or a common name, anyone interested in researching
a plant in-depth key information that will help them get started.
REFERENCES
The author found many reference
sources to be helpful during the creation of this product; too many to list
here. Some that may be of interest to
you at some point are listed below. Some
of these references are Arizona specific, while others may cover regions across
multiple states. Arizona reference works
and educational institution resources were favored in the development of this
product, since the desert environment leads to plant characteristics
specialized to our desert environment. Nevertheless,
some out the listed out-of-state and regional resources were very helpful at
times, so are listed below.
So, you may find some of the
below listed resources helpful when seeking additional information. This is neither a promotion nor endorsement of
any of these resources.
INTERNET SOURCES
A few internet sources you may
find helpful, include (but certainly are not limited to) the following:
1.
USDA, NRCS. 2013.
The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov,
19 September 2013). National Plant Data
Team, Greensboro, NC 27401-4901 USA.
2.
Southwest Environmental Information Network - http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/
- The 'Dynamic Key' can be particularly useful at times - with a search tool
remindful of the one in this product; and where a particular point is picked by
clicking on the map (places a pin), and lists known species/links to SEINet
information recorded with 10-20 mi. of the chosen location.
3.
A convenient online 'plant terms glossary'
based on the printed glossary from the Fourth Edition of Plants of the
Chicago Region by Swink and Wilhelm (1994); includes a dozen excellent illustrations as well - http://www.vplants.org/plants/glossary/index.html
4.
Flora of
North America Association - http://www.efloras.org
5.
An
Illustrated Guide to Arizona Weeds - The University of Arizona Press - http://www.uapress.arizona.edu/onlinebks/weeds/species.htm
6.
University
of California, Berkeley - Digital Library Project - CalPhotos: Plants - http://elib.cs.berkeley.edu/photos/flora/
7.
Wildflowers
of Tucson - http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/index.html
8.
Native
Plants of South Texas - Herbarium - Texas A&M Research and Extension Center
- http://uvalde.tamu.edu/herbarium/index.html
9.
Texas
Native Shrubs - Texas A&M - http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/ornamentals/nativeshrubs/shrubgallery/galleryindex12.htm
10. The Jepson Herbarium – University of California,
Berkeley - http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/jepson_flora_project.html
11. Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants - http://prescottnatives.com/SpeciesDetailForb.php?genus=Penstemon&species=linarioides
12. USDA Forest Service site addressing fire effect - at times a
helpful source of plant characteristics information if one carefully goes
through all the information - http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/index.html
BOOKS
A few of many books you may
find helpful include:
- Kearney, Thomas H. and Peebles, Robert H.
1960. Arizona Flora. Berkeley,
California: University of California Press, and later editions.
- Rickett, Harold William. 1970. Wildflowers of the United States:
Volume 4: Parts One, Two, and Three: The Southwestern States: New
York: McGraw-Hill Book Company.
- Spellenberg, Richard. 2003. Sonoran Desert Wildflowers, Guilford,
Connecticut; Helena, Montana: Globe Pequot Press.
- Spellenberg, Richard. 1979. The Audubon Society Field Guide to
North American Wildflowers, Western
Region New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
- Epple, Anne Orth. 1995. Plants of Arizona, Mesa, Arizona: LewAnn Publishing Company;
Second Edition, 2012.
- Fischer, Pierre C. 1989. 70 COMMON CACTI OF THE SOUTHWEST, Tucson: Southwest Parks and
Monuments Association.
_______________________________________
Paul Santori Sr. © 2013 All
Rights Reserved