Taxonomy

Plants have two types of names, common names and scientific names. The common names are those in everyday usage. Scientific names are a part of the scientific or botanical system of plant nomenclature. They are the names used in more technical literature and in situations where we do not want one plant to be confused with another. Scientific names are becoming more common, both orally and in print, and many plants have a part of the scientific name as their common name.

There are two basic reasons for knowing scientific names for plants. 1) Each plant has one and only one valid scientific name, but it may have more than one common name. For example, the name ivy is applied to many different plants. If we onl use the name ivy, we don't know what plant we mean specifically because there are many different species of ivy. 2) Scientific names reveal relationships because they are based on the relationships established in the botanical system of nomenclature. These relationships are determined by morphology, genetics, and biochemistry. Plants that are closely related often have similar cultural practices. They also often have similar pests and diseases and similar responses to chemicals and to environmental factors.