Why use Latin names? Many different English names have been assigned to the same plant. (Bluebells may be Hyacinthoides non-scripta or Mertensia virginica.) It is also almost impossible to ascertain which English name may have been used first. Common names provide no use for ID. English names may also indicate no close affinities. Common name proliferation occurs when there is no ordered system. Binomial Nomenclature, the use of scientific names, is an international language and brings order throughout the plant world.
Using Rhododendron maximum or the native Rosebay Rhododendron as an example:
Rule 1: The botanical name should have two words - the genus and the species.
The botanical name MUST always have the GENUS first: Rhododendron maximumRule 2: Those two words may include:
1. Species only: (Rhododendron maximum)
2. Subdivision of the Species:
A. Species & Variety: Rhododendron maximum var. roseumB. Species & Cultivar: Rhododendron maximum 'Midsummer'
C. Cultivar Only: Rhododendron 'Pride's Pink'
DEFINITIONS:
GENUS (pl. genera) - Always a noun. A group of plants closely related and including one or more species. The first word in a plant's botanical name, in Latin and always capitalized.
SPECIES - (s & pl) - The particular member of the genus, the second half of a botanical name, in Latin and in lower case. When the species is not known, sp. may be written after the genus, i.e. Rhododendron sp.
SUBDIVISIONS:
VARIETIES: Varieties are found in nature; the word is Latin-like and you should use reliable references to determine varieties.
CULTIVAR: Plants cultivated by man for a particular set of desirable characteristics, coming from a hybrid or a variant. The cultivar name uses not more than 3 modern words, is always capitalized and set in single quotes.
When a cultivar name is unknown, 'cv' may be written in place of the cultivar name, i.e. Rhododendron 'cv'.COMMON NAMES:
Common names are desirable, but not necessary. Capitalization is optional.Botanical name: Rhododendron maximumCommon name: Rosebay RhododendronFAMILY:
One or more genera which are more or less alike, especially in flower, fruit or a combination of these and other characteristics.Rhododendron belongs to the family EricacaeaHYBRID:
A plant resulting from a cross between two different species or two genera. The use of an "x" preceding a word is a flag saying that plant is a hybrid. A hybrid may be between two genera or between two species and given a species name with an "x" before the species name.ADDITIONAL PLANT CLASSIFICATIONS:
Growth Habit:
Herbaceous - fleshy, soft tissue, dies to the ground in winterWoody - maintains above-ground woody partsVine - with twining, clasping or self-clinging growth habitTree - with single central axis, 6 feet or more from the groundShrub - with several stems branched from the groundDeciduous - leafless part of the yearEvergreen - having leaves all yearHardy - able to withstand low winter temperaturesTender - mostly annuals, harmed by low winter temperaturesAnnual - takes one year to complete it's life cycle (seed to seed) and then diesBiennial - takes two years to complete it's life cycle before dyingPerennial - grows indefinitely year to year** Plants may change with the environment. A hardy plant may be tender in another zone or may only be an annual in other zones.
