Plant Classification

-a means of grouping plants according to their similarities

Plant ClassificationsBotanical

Identifies plants according to their physical characteristics

Plant ClassificationsDescriptive

System that identifies plants by their use and life cycle

Botanical System of Classification7 Categories

Botanical System of Classification1. Kingdom2. Division or

Phylum3. Class

Subclass

Botanical System of Classification4. Order5. Family6. Genus7. Species

Botanical System of ClassificationWhy do we need

this?-clearly id’s plants

Universal

Crop Plants

Monocots and Dicots

Monocots

1 cotyledon in a seed Leaves with parallel

veins Vascular bundles

scattered throughout

Monocots

Root System composed of many fibrous roots with many hairs

Flower parts in 3’s

Dicots

2 cotyledons in each seed

Leaves with network of veins

Vascular bundles form ring outside of stem

Dicots

Root system composed of primary tap root and many hairs

Flowers in 4’s or 5’s

Legumes

-a family of plants whose seeds are formed in fruit and the fruits are formed in pods

Have ability to take N from the air

Life Cycles

Annuals: complete life cycle in one season

Life Cycles

Summer AnnualsPlanted in spring, harvested in fall

Winter AnnualsPlanted in fall, harvested in following summer

Life Cycles

BiennialsComplete life cycle occurs over two growing seasons

Life Cycles

PerennialsLive year after year