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Botanical Nomenclature Should Simplify Horticulture

“Buick” is comparable to a genus.

The language of gardening can sometimes seem confusing. That is because so much of it is Latin. Some of it is Latinized Greek, or Latinized names of botanists. As confusing as it may seem, this botanical nomenclature is quite simple. It is, furthermore, more practical than the use of regional common names. Botanical nomenclature is practically universal.

Botanical nomenclature is not actually a language. It is a standardized system of naming botanical organisms, or plants. It is so standardized that it is the same everywhere in the World, in every language. Common names are different in different regions or in different languages. In that regard, common names can be more confusing than botanical names.

Botanical nomenclature is basically binomial, which means that it uses only two names. The first name is the general or genus name. The second name is the specific or species name. The genus name is capitalized, while the species name is not. Both are italicized. A species name is often an adjective that describes a characteristic or origin of its genus.

Many botanical names include a third variety or cultivar name. Such names are in single quotes, without italicization, but with capitalization. For example, Sequoia sempervirens ‘Soquel’ is ‘Soquel’ redwood. “Sequoia” is its genus name. “sempervirens” is its species name, which also describes it as evergreen. “‘Soquel'” is the particular cultivar or variety.

Botanical nomenclature is actually quite similar to automotive nomenclature. Italicization and lack of capitalization of the species names are the primary differences. For example, Buick, Chrysler and Mercury are all like genera. Electra, Imperial and Grand Marquis are all like species of these particular genera. Buick Electra is therefore like a botanic name.

Buick Electra ‘Limited’ is like a cultivar of Electra, which is more specific than species. Its family is General Motors, which is more general than genus. Botanical nomenclature has families too, although they are rarely mentioned. Sequoia sempervirens ‘Soquel’ is in the family of “Cupressaceae”. Botanical family names lack italicization but not capitalization.

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Compositae (Asteraceae)

Feverfew is a member of the Compositae Family.

Kansas may not have the most unusual state flower, but it has the most, in the form of a sunflower. Only black eyed Susan of Maryland, sagebrush of Nevada, and Goldenrod of Kentucky and Nebraska have similar composite flowers, which are actually composed of many minute flowers known as ‘florets’. Yet, none are as large, and therefore not as abundant as the sunflower of Kansas.

Bluebonnet, yucca, lilac and red clover, the state flowers of Texas, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Vermont respectively all bloom with flower trusses that support many individual flowers. Composite flowers of the family Compositae are somewhat more efficient, with their individual florets so tightly arranged that they seem to be individual flowers. Sagebrush and goldenrod actually take this technique a step further, by producing trusses that support many composite flowers; an abundance of abundance!

Composite flowers are so efficient that they actually assign specific tasks to their various members. The outer florets around the margins of larger composite flowers are the ‘ray’ florets that function as petals. They are big, flashy and colorful, to attract bees and other pollinators, but are typically sterile, so can not produce seeds.

The smaller central ‘disc’ florets actually do the work of getting pollinated and producing seed. Because of the efficiency of the ray florets, they do not need to attract attention. They are low and dense, ideal landing pads for bees delivering and collecting pollen. They literally get pollinated as they get trampled.

The showiest composite flowers have disproportionately large ray florets, like chrysanthemums, dahlias, daisies, cosmos, black eyed Susans and  echinacea. Some of the bulkiest and boldest chrysanthemums actually lack disc florets, and produce only colorful but sterile ray florets. The smaller and more colorful sunflowers have more prominent ray florets than the humungous and mostly yellow sunflowers that have more prominent and abundant disc florets.

Other composite flowers impress their pollinators in a more subdued style, by instead producing more appealing disc florets. Lavender cotton and some marigolds actually lack ray florets. Most composite flowers that use this technique are yellow or orange, and quite compact.

There are not many composite flowers that lack aromatic foliage. Daisies and chrysanthemums are actually objectionable to some. It is a wonder than there are insects that eat them! Feverfew and chamomile are instead appreciated for their aroma and flavor.

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Botanical Names Should Simplify Horticulture

Buick is a distinct automotive genus.

Botanical names of the vegetation that home gardening involves may seem complicated. Some are difficult to pronounce or spell. A few seem to be as lengthy as sentences. They seem to be a foreign language because most are Latin. Some are Greek. However, they are more valid than common names. What is common here might be uncommon abroad.

For example, Acer pseudoplatanus is a type of maple here in North America. However, it is a type of sycamore in England. Its common name is regionally inconsistent, so can be confusing. Its botanical name, though, is the same everywhere. Incidentally, Acer is Latin for “maple”. Pseudoplatanus is Latin for “false sycamore”. Technically, it truly is a maple.

Technically though, only a few cedars are truly cedars. Both deodar and blue Atlas cedar are species of Cedrus, which is Latin for “cedar”. However, incense cedar is a species of Calocedrus, which is a separate genus. Western and northern red cedars are species of Thuja, which is arborvitae. Again, botanical names are more valid than common names.

Nomenclature is a standardized application of names. Simple botanical nomenclature is binomial, which indicates that it involves two names. The first is the “general” or “genus” name, which is capitalized. The second is the “specific” or “species” name, which is not capitalized. Both are italicized. Species is singular and plural. Genera is plural of genus.

Botanical names are actually very similar to automotive names. Only italicization and the lack of capitalization of the species are different. Buick, Chrysler and Mercury are all like genera. Electra, Imperial and Grand Marquis are all like species. Sequoia sempervirens uses the same binomial format as Buick Electra. Botanical names really are that simple.

Many automotive species include variants, such as Limited, Custom and LSE. These are like varieties or cultivars of plant species. Such variants are evident by single quotes, but lack italicization. For example, ‘Soquel’ is the cultivar of Sequoia sempervirens ‘Soquel’. (‘Cultivars’ are ‘cult’ivated ‘var’ieties that are true to type only by vegetative propagation. Varieties can be naturally true to type by seed.)