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Horticulture Principles and Practices

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2<br />

Classifying <strong>and</strong> Naming<br />

Horticultural Plants<br />

PURPOSE AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES<br />

This chapter is designed to show the need <strong>and</strong> importance of a universal system for<br />

classifying <strong>and</strong> naming plants <strong>and</strong> to describe the various methods currently in use for<br />

accomplishing this goal.<br />

After studying this chapter, the student should be able to<br />

1. Define the term taxonomy.<br />

2. Explain the need for a universal nomenclature.<br />

3. Describe the binomial nomenclature.<br />

4. Describe various operational systems of classification of plants based on<br />

growth form, fruits, life cycle, use, stem type, leaf characteristics, adaptation,<br />

<strong>and</strong> flower type.<br />

[COLOR PLATES—see color plate 2 for additional chapter photos]<br />

OVERVIEW<br />

Nature is characterized by diversity. No two individuals are exactly alike. Some individuals<br />

have identical genomes (arrays of genes). However, in appearance, even clonal populations<br />

(genetically identical individuals) or identical twins exhibit subtle differences.<br />

Every culture has a system for grouping individuals for a variety of practical purposes;<br />

names are attached to the groups <strong>and</strong> the component types of which they are comprised.<br />

As long as a culture remained closed to the outside world, there was no problem with the<br />

culture-based nomenclature. However, as cultures merged with each other <strong>and</strong> plant materials<br />

were moved across cultural <strong>and</strong> geographic lines, it became necessary, for effective<br />

cross-cultural communication, to have a universal system of naming plants. This<br />

system ensured that corn, called maize in another culture, would have a neutral name <strong>and</strong><br />

mean the same crop to all people.<br />

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