Review of Binomial Nomenclature

1. Review of Binomial Nomenclature Bi meaning “two” Nomen meaning “name”

2. Carolus Linnaeus

3. Genus • A group that has more in common w/each other than any other plant genus.

4. species • They REPRODUCE • Offspring are the same • Offspring can reproduce

5. When species interbreed • Lion and Tiger offspring • A case where two different species reproduce • Offspring is sterile

6. Formatting • Genus is always capitalized • Species is always lowercase • Italicized in general text or underlined • Examples -Pinus alba -Liquidambar styraciflua -Acer macrophylla

7. Cultivar vs. Variety? What’s the difference? • Both follow the species name • Varieties are enclosed by single quotation marks Fagus sylvatica ‘Atropurpurea’ • Cultivars are preceded by cv. and enclosed by single quotation marks • Example: Acer rubrum cv. ‘Red Sunset’

8. Varieties • The crux is that these differences are inheritable and should show in succeeding generations. For example, the difference between the thornless common honey locust (Gleditsiatriacanthos L. inermis Willd.), a true variety, and the common honey locust (Gleditsiatriacanthos), is the absence of thorns on the former. Seed collected from the variety will yield predominantly thornless seedlings, although a small percentage of the population will exhibit the thorny character.

9. Cultivars • For example, the differences between Norway maple (Acerplatanoides L.) and the cultivar Crimson King (Acer platanoides 'Crimson King') is the purplish-maroon foliage color of the cultivar. This cultivar cannot be reproduced from seed so it does not fit the definition of botanical variety. It must be reproduced vegetatively (grafting) to maintain the foliage characteristic.