![herb leaf identification guide tree herb leaf identification guide tree](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/44/14/f7/4414f7bc3541ccfa1d606d158a64d12f.jpg)
I’ll turn to one or more of the plant ID apps once I’ve run out of questions to ask myself and still have no clue what I’m looking at. Once you've stared at, sniffed, and poked the plant long enough (non-destructively!), it may be time to get your phone into the game. Distinguishing between the smells of various species takes experience, but it’s certainly enjoyable. The leaves of different mint species have distinct smells. Many members of Lamiaceae (mint family) have square-shaped stems, which are sometimes too subtle to see, and must be felt between the fingers. Packera aurea has yellow daisy-like flowers and heart-shaped, or cordate, leaves. Packera aurea (heart-leaved groundsel) blooming in the Native Flora Garden in April. (Maybe even lay down “spathulate” at your next Scrabble game.) The basic shape of a leaf can be sagitate (shield shaped), hastate (arrow shaped), cordate (upside-down heart shaped) or any other of at least two dozen terms that you could memorize to impress, or annoy, friends and family. Here is where lexophiles should really get excited about the precise language of botany. Consider the star-shaped leaf of a sweetgum, compared to the fan-like outline of a ginkgo. You can note these quantities and combinations to look up later, and cross reference with other information you have gathered. If you are dealing with a flowering plant in bloom, identification can be as easy as counting the number of the flower’s petals, sepals, pistils, or stamens. Of course, what can be observed on any given plant will vary with their stage of growth. Dogwood trees have an opposite leaf arrangement. It sounds like a lot, but think of how many corporate logos you know-surely there’s room for more plant facts!Ĭornus florida (flowering dogwood) blooming in the Native Flora Garden in May. A helpful acronym for recalling many of the plants with opposite leaves is “MAD-Cap-Horse.” This represents maples, ashes, dogwoods, members of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle family), and horsechestnuts. Alternate is just as it sounds, with a staggered arrangement up the stem. Oppositely arranged leaves emerge in pairs at each node along the stem. One of the first things I look for in broadleaf plants is whether the leaves are in an “opposite” or “alternate” configuration. Knowing some of these basic questions can be half the battle. Versions of these keys can be found in printed and online guides (my favorite is Go Botany). Questions begin with the most general, like whether the leaves are broad or grasslike, and progress to a high level of detail. Key Questions to Askīotanists use a tool called a dichotomous key, which leads the reader through a series of questions to help identify a plant. While this might be true of several families, when paired with other indicators, it narrows down the list of possible suspects. It is a useful group to focus on as an identification tool because, having evolved from a common ancestor, distinct species within a family often share particular traits.įor example, members of the rose family (Rosaceae)-which includes cherry trees, almonds, and strawberries-usually have serrated leaf margins, which means the edges of the leaves are toothed in a particular pattern. Family is the taxonomic classification just above genus and species. In doing so, it is possible to begin grouping plants into categories, such as what family they belong to. Members of the rose family (Rosaceae) often have leaves with serrated edges. By learning a few basics about a plant’s visible form-known as its morphology-the careful observer can get in the habit of noticing specific patterns among individuals.įragaria virginiana (wild strawberry) blooming on the Overlook in October.
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The goal here is to get in the habit of recognizing some defining features. Start by taking an informed look at the plant. Our leafy companions tend not to introduce themselves-and even in botanic gardens, they don’t always wear name tags. With over a quarter million flowering plant species on earth, naming a plant is easier said than done.
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One advantage of setting aside the phone is that you may have an easier time remembering and recognizing a new species during your next encounter.
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Still, part of the fun in learning about the plant world is seeing with our own eyes and engaging with our own minds. Like many people, I often turn to apps that utilize AI, like iNaturalist or PictureThis, to help identify plants. Then we can start to understand its ecological interactions, reproductive strategies, and human uses. Photo by Michael Stewart.Īn important step toward fully appreciating any plant, in cultivation or in the wild, is identifying it. Technical Assistance for Community Compost SitesĪrctostaphylos uva-ursi (common bearberry), also known as kinnikinnick (an Algonquin word for “smoking mixture”), blooming in the Native Flora Garden in April.