Binomial Nomenclature

Biological Information

Bill Barash has been employed at Planting Fields

Arboretum - State Historic Park since 1972 when the

arboretum became a state park, where he has been

responsible for labeling and identification of

plants, and is also the curator of the Italian Pool

Garden and manager of the Production

Greenhouses. His artistic designs have won numerous

outstanding awards from plant societies and the

arboretum's flower shows. He was president of the

Long Island Horticultural Society (the island's oldest

and largest plant society) from 1993-1996. Bill also

lectures on plant families, working with dried plant

material and instructs various horticultural workshops.

He enjoys conducting interpretive walks at the

arboretum (which include historical as well as

horticultural information) and woodland settings

around the island.

Bill Barash

516 922-8633

E-Mail:

[email protected]

Where do aliens fit in

to all of this?

Our Microbes, Ourselves

Trillions of microbes live in us! In the

womb, a fetus enjoys the protection of a

sterile environment. Only when the

mother's amniotic sac ruptures before

delivery does her baby face microbes for

the first time. As he's squeezed through

the birth canal, he picks up millions of

bacteria from his mother. Most of the

microbes are friendly and quickly take up

residence on the baby's skin and in his

gastrointestinal tract. In the human there

are a hundred times as many microbial

genes as there are human genes!

And what behavior would they observe about humans?

They’d see that we can be

quite obsessive about

organizing and collecting

things!

Our story really begins

with this man…….

I’ll take a pair of those shoes

in a size 8 please!

The Legacy of Linnaeus

Modern taxonomy was born in the notebooks

of Carl Linnaeus, 1707-78, who set out to

catalogue all the

plants and animals known in the mid-1700’s.

“Systema Plantarum,” describing about

7,300 plants, was

published in 1753, and “Systema

Naturae” describing about 4,200

animals five years later.

Linnaeu’s most lasting contribution

may have been his virtual invention

of a system of “binomial

nomenclature” that is still in use

today. With this system, each

organism is assigned a two-word

Latin or Latinish name to designate

its genus (as in Homo) and its

species (as in sapians)

wer

Genus Species

Common Name

Family

Location Accession#

Linnaeus and Pharmacy

Medical plants and Linnaeus

By profession Linnaeus wasn’t

really a botanist, but a physician.

Plants are important

The cradle of modern medicine is

the medicine of former times.

Medicinal plants

There are many plants that have

contributed to modern medicines:

We’ll see several examples…

Regarding plant names: Sometimes names

have been chosen for benefit of ego-

bearing a taxomonist’s Latinized name

(Wilsonia citrina for the hooded warbler).

Others involved more evocative or

descriptive whimsy: the grizzly bear is

Ursus horribilis and the skunk cabbage is

Symplocarpus foetidus. And then there is

the forest mushroom called Phallus

impudicus.

Pierre Magnol

(June 8, 1638 - May 21, 1715)

was a French botanist.

Question: What plant was

named after this man?

Here’s a little clue…..

Pierre Magnol

was also responsible

for creating plant familes!

The common name of a plant can

vary from region to region and

country to country while the botanic

name is the same throughout the

world-only the accent varies.

Welcome to the Arum Family!

A R A C E A E

The Araceae is a large, mainly

tropical family, many members of

which contain bioactive substances

which are often either toxic or

irritating. Inflorescences frequently

emit strong fragrances. The active

compounds have not been

adequately determined nor is the

chemotaxonomy of the family very

well known, except for one major

study of flavonoids (any of a group of

aromatic compounds that includes

many common pigments (as the

anthocyanins).

Anthurium is a genus of more than 800 species

found in the New World tropics from Mexico to

northern Argentina and Uruguay; species are

also native to the West Indies. Even though the

genus is not native to the Hawaiian Islands, in

the minds of many people, Anthurium

andreanum is the Hawaiian flower. This species

is native to the wet forests on the western slopes

of the Andes

Flowers inconspicuous, on a club-

like spike (spadix), enfolded by a

modified leaf (spathe), usually in

moist, shady places.

Symplocarpus foetidus

Skunk Cabbage

Arisaema triphyllum

Jack-in-the-pulpit

Hardy species are often planted out

in partly shaded locations for their

curious spring blooms, handsome

summer foliage, and colorful fruits.

Arisaema stewardsonii

TITAN ARUM

CALADIUM – MOTHER-IN-LAW

PLANT, ELEPHANT’S EAR, ANGEL-

WINGS

CALADIUM

Popular potted and bedding plants.

Tubers may be started in boxes of

peat or sphagnum at temps of 70-85

degrees F. When roots appear,

tubers should be potted in rich loam.

They may be planted directly

outdoors in well-worked soil.

Dieffenbachia

Through hybridization and natural

mutation, many fancy-leaved have

arisen in cultivation. Favorite plants

for greenhouses and interior

decoration.

Spathiphyllum is a genus of about 40

species in the family Araceae, native to

tropical regions of the America’s and

southeastern Asia. Certain species of

Spathiphyllum are commonly known as

spath or peace lilies.

Polypetalous:

having separate petals

Sympetalous: United petals!

Question: In what way is the lion

Associated with this photo?

Calendula (Calendula officinalis) is derived from the Latin calens

meaning "the first day of each month," since it can bloom every

month of the year in mild regions. Another common name, pot

marigold, came from the fact that calendulas were often grown in

containers, and marygold -- the name early Christians gave it as it

bloomed at the time of all the festivals that celebrate the Virgin

Mary. Calendula's culinary roots date back to ancient Rome when

the use of saffron (the powdered stigmas of the exotic saffron

crocus, Crocus sativus) was a sign of wealth and power. The

common people couldn't afford to buy "pure gold," but they

discovered that powdered calendula petals were an excellent

culinary substitute. Hence, another common name -- poor man's

saffron -- as chopped calendula petals (fresh or dried) infuse food

with the same golden color and slightly acrid flavor as the

expensive saffron.

Tagettes – Marigold

Are of simple cultivation!

Dahlia

Dahlia – About 27 spp. of tender,

tuberous-rooted per. Herbs,

native to mountains of Mex.,

Cent. Amer., and Colombia

Rudbeckia - Coneflower

Echinaceae purpureae (herb).

Stimulates reproduction of immune

cells, enhances protective functions

of an organism. Stimulates

production of an interferon, has

antiviral activity.

Let’s discuss this

mystery plant family!

Rosaceae – Rose Family

Approx. 100 widely distributed

genera and 2,000 spp. Of herbs,

shrubs, and trees. Leaves are mostly

alternate, flowers: sepals and petals

4-5, stamens 5 to many.

PRUNUS:Includes many desirable ornamentals as well as

the stone fruits – plumes, apricots, almonds,

peaches, nectarine, cherries. They are widely

cultivated for their fruits or nuts.

Malus: Apples are grown for fruit and

as ornamentals.The important fruit

trees of the cool temperate regions

are the various descendants of M.

pumila, the wild or original apple.

Kerria, Japanese Rose

Commonly planted as an ornamental, does

well in partial shade, and is hardy north.

Geraniol: is the main ingredient in a number of

essential oils found in Rosa centifolia (Cabbage

Rose), Rosa damascena (Damask Rose), and

other roses. Geraniol has a strong antisepetic

activity. With it’s sweet rose ordor, it is used in

perfumery and as an insect attractant in traps.

Rosa canina

The plant is high in certain antioxidants. The fruit

is noted for its high vitamin C level and is used to

make syrup, tea and marmalade. It has been

grown or encouraged in the wild for the

production of vitamin C, from its fruit (often as

rose-hip syrup), especially during conditions of

scarcity or wartime. The species has also been

introduced to other temperate latitudes. During

World War II in the United States Rosa canina

was planted in victory gardens, and can still be

found growing throughout the United States,

including roadsides, and in wet, sandy areas up

and down coastlines. During the Vietnam War,

for soldiers fighting with the North, Rosa Canina

was dried and then smoked with tobacco to

produce mild hallucinogenic effects and

abnormal dreams. Rose hip soup is especially

popular in Sweden

Exochorda – Pearlbush

A few species of deciduous srubs,

native to Asia, leave alternate,

flowers white, 5 sepals, petals.

Pearlbushes are very ornamental.

Chaenomeles – Flowering Quince

The Language of Roses:

There are many associations made between the

flowers and the range of human emotions. The

"language" of flowers is thought to have

originated in Persia in the fifteenth century, and

was brought to Europe in the eighteenth. In the

nineteenth century, this "floral code" became

more elaborate, so that complex messages could

be sent between people in bouquets. With each

flower and color having a specific meaning,

conversations between courting couples could be

carried out over extended periods of time without

a single word being used. Specific to roses, the

colors can mean the following:

RedYellowPinkWhiteLavender

True Love, Respect, Courage

Romantic Love, I Love You,

Congratulations

Job Well Done, Joy, Gladness

Freedom, Friendship, I Care

Welcome Back, Remember Me

JealousyPerfect Happiness

Gentleness, Sweetness

Please Believe MeReverence

Purity, Innocence

Secrecy, I Am Worthy Of You

Keep A SecretEnchantment

Petals & Ice cream

Some Rose Cosmetics…

Question: What plant family

shall we discuss next?

Glucosinolates are found in the mustard

family.They can be found in cabbage,

cauliflower, cress, mustard, rape and

turnup. Glucosinolates in plants do deter

predators.Mustard poultices are often

applied to break up congestion in the

lungs. Taken internally, the compounds

serve as decongestant for sinus

conditions and also stimulate

digestion.Mustard oils show some

antibiotic effects.

Cruciferaceae:

Cruciferaceae:

Crucifera – marked with a cross

Alyssum - Madwort

160 spp.of ann., bien., or per. Herbs

native to Eur. And Asia, with the

largest number in Turkey

A few are grown in rock

gardens and borders, in

open or sunny sites.

Lunaria – Honesty, Money Plant,

Moonwort, Satin Flower. The fruiting

stems are used in dry bouquets. Plants come

readily from seeds: partial shade is desirable.

Lamiaceae - Labiatae




Sage is derived from the Latin salvare,

meaning "to save." For centuries, sage

was reputed to have great curative and

healing properties. The old Latin proverb,

Cur moriatur homo, ciu calvia crescit in

horto?" ("Why should a man die while

sage grows in his garden?"), pays

homage to the high esteem in which the

herb was held.


Red Dead Nettle!

Evidence of red dead-nettle has been found

in Bronze Age deposits, and it seems likely

that this plant was introduced to Britain with

early agriculture. It is a hairy plant that

branches from the base. The leaves have

wavy to serrated edges and are attached to

the stem with a stalk. The flowers are

arranged in an inflorescence and are pinkish-

purple in color with a hooded upper lip. Red

dead-nettles are so-called as they do not

sting.


ColeusDESCRIPTION

These plants are natives of Indonesia and

Africa.



Rosemary has been around for a long

time, and therefore has a long list of

claims regarding its medicinal uses,

including use as a tonic, a digestive aid, to

treat depression, headaches, and muscle

spasms, and as an expectorant, promoter

of menstrual flow, and stimulant for

production of bile. Externally, its oil made

into an ointment has been said to treat

rheumatism, sores, eczema, bruises, and

wounds. Rosemary taken internally as a

medicine can be an irritant to the

stomach, intestines, and kidneys, so use it

sparingly.


Rosemary ( Rosmarinus officinalis)

Grows in Mediterranean

Region

Parts used: Leaves for

extracts,

Flowers for volatile oil

Active Constituents: essential

oils, rosmarinic acid,

phenolic acids, tannin

Cosmetic Uses: shampoo,

stimulates hair follicle,

dandruff

control, antioxidant,

antimicrobial


Rosemary

Ancient reputation for strengthening

the memory

•emblem of fidelity for

lovers

•used at weddings (wreath

worn by the bride) and also funerals

(cast on to the coffin when it had

been lowered into the grave)

•as incense in religious

ceremonies (old French name for it

was Incensier)

•in magical spells as a

safeguard from witches and evil

influences


Uses of Oregano-

Antiseptic

Cuticle Treatment

Gum Care

Canker and Cold Sores

Oregano oil (Oreganum vulgare)


Athlete’s Foot

Candidiasis

Canker and cold sores

Eczema

Psoriasis

Wounds

Oregano Uses

The ancient Greek’s

original name for this

plant, “oreganos”,

translates to

“delight of the

Mountains”.


Our next plant family is….

Oleaceae

About 29 genera and 600 spp.

Of trees or shrubs, in temp. or

trop regions of both

hemispheres. Grown mostly as

ornamentals and for shade, and

the olive for its edible fruit.

Oleaceae

Olive Leaf (Oleuro europa)

Grows in the

Mediterranean Region

Parts used: leaf

Active constituents:

oleuropein,

triterpenes, and flavonoids

such as rutin

Cosmetic Uses: anti-

inflammatory,

anti-microbial

Olive Leaf

Since the earliest of times, the Olive leaf

has been referenced as a mythological

symbol, as a nutritional food and as a

healing medicinal

The outstretched Olive branch is a well-known

sign of peace. In Genesis (8:11), Noah is told

of the nearness of land when a dove flew over

the arc with an Olive leaf in her mouth. The

Egyptians extolled the leaf as a symbol of

cosmic power.

Oleuropein

….a bitter compound that

affords the Olive tree a marked

resistance to insects, bacteria

and other parasites. Its use for

helping with human health

issues can also be found in older

medical literature. For instance,

The Pharmaceutical Journal

published an anti-malarial

recipe in 1854 made from Olive

leaves and wine.

Oleaceae

Forsythia –Golden Bells

Native to e. Asia. Their habit of

flowering early and profusely before

the leaves appear makes forsythias

some of the most useful of spring-

flowering shrubs.

Oleaceae

Syringa – Lilac

Lilacs are among the most popular

ornamental shrubs. They thrive in

fertile, moist soil. They are

propagated by seed and softwood

cuttings and by grafting onto

seedlings or privet.

LEGUMINOSAE, FABACEAE

Pea or Pulse Family: About 600 genera

and 12,000 species of sometimes spiny

herbs, shrubs, trees,vines of cosmopolitan

distribution: leaves mostly alt, usually

compounded. There are many species of

economic importance and the family is

(after the gramineae) the most important

source of food for man, but also supplies

field and forage plants, timber, fiber, dyes,

gums insecticides, flavoring and many

other products. It also includes a large

number of ornamentals.

WISTERIA

History---It is probably of Egyptian or East

Mediterranean origin, and has been

cultivated since the days of the ancient

Egyptians. It is now very extensively used

in Italy and Sicily, for forage, for

ploughing-in to enrich the land, and for its

seeds.

Medicinal Action and Uses---The bruised

seeds of White Lupine, after soaking in

water, are sometimes used as an external

application to ulcers, etc., and internally

are said to be anthelmintic (expelling or

destroying parasitic worms especially of

the intestine), diuretic and emmenagogue

(an agent that promotes the menstrual

discharge).

In 1917 a 'Lupin' banquet was given in

Hamburg at a botanical gathering, at

which a German Professor, Dr. Thoms,

described the multifarious uses to which

the Lupin might be put. At a table covered

with a tablecloth of Lupin fibre, Lupin soup

was served; after the soup came Lupin

beefsteak, roasted in Lupin oil and

seasoned with Lupin extract, then bread

containing 20 per cent of Lupin, Lupin

margarine and cheese of Lupin albumen,

and finally Lupin liqueur and Lupin coffee.

Lupin soap served for washing the hands,

while Lupin-fibre paper and envelopes

with Lupin adhesive were available for

writing. The great value of the plant lies in

its capacity for growing luxuriantly on land

which is so light and sandy that hardly

anything else will thrive.

BAPTISIA – FALSE INDIGO, WILD

INDIGO

About 30-35 spp. Of per.herbs, native to

N. America

CERCIS – REDBUDS ARE PLANTED

FOR THEIR SHOWY EARLY FLOWERS.

ABOUT SEVEN SPP. OF DEICUIOUS,

SMALL TREES AND SHRUBS NATIVE

TO WARMER PARTS OF THE W.

HEMISPHERE

WISTERIA

LOCUST

ERICACEAE

THE HEATH FAMILY!

ERICACEAE

About 70 genera, and 1,900 species

of mostly shrubs, or occasionally

woody-based per. herbs or small

trees, widely distributed on acid

soils, mostly in temp. climates. The

family has man ornamental species

and some are the choicest broad-

leaved evergreens. Some, such as

the blueberry and cranberries, are

grown for the edible fruits.

Ericaceae - Heath, rhododendron; woody, often

shrubby; leaves alternate, evergreen or

deciduous; flowers urceolate pitcher

shaped like an urn) or campanulate (bell-

shaped); stamens distinct, often twice as many

as the petals, anthers opening by terminal pores.

All grow best in acidic, nutrient poor soils

and most species have mycorrhizal fungal

associations that fix nitrogen.

Leucothoe is a genus of about 45 species of

flowering plants in the family Ericaceae,

native to Asia, the Americas and Madagascar.

Some members of the Ericaceae

family are evergreen, such as

rhododendrons and bearberry.

Cranberries are one of the most cultivated American species. Beloved by Native Americans

and Pilgrims alike, the cranberry is a favorite holiday ingredient

Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs with slender, wiry stems, not thickly woody, and small

evergreen leaves. Vaccinium oxycoccus(Common Cranberry) is widespread throughout

the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere, including northern Eur. northern Asia & northern N. Amer. Cranberries are a major commercial

crop in certain US states and Canadian provinces. Most cranberries are processed into products such as juice, sauce, and sweetened dried cranberries, with the remainder sold fresh

to consumers. Cranberry Sauce is widely regarded as an indispensable part of the

traditional American and Canadian Thanksgiving menu.

The name craneberry (an English

Name) evolved from the observation

that cranes often eat cranberries,

and some say the downward curves

of the vines look like a crane’s neck.

Cranberries were used by Native

Americans to make pemmican, (a

combination of dried meats with

cranberries). Benzoic acid is found

naturally in cranberries and is a food

preservative commonly used today.

In 1864 Ulysses S. Grant ordered

cranberry sauce to be served to

Union Troops on Thanksgiving Day

and so a tradition was started.

Cranberries tend to acidify urine since it contains tannic and benzoic acid. In addition certain

polysaccharide (starch or sugar) called mannose in cranberry juice inhibits the adherence of

bacteria to the epithelial cells lining the urinary tract. The mannose from cranberries acts like a decoy since it is abundant on the cell surface of

the human urinary tract epithelium

Ranunculaceae is a family

of flowering plants also

known as the "buttercup

family" or "crowfoot family".

The family name is derived

from the genus Ranunculus.

Delphinium is a genus of about 250

species of annual, biennial or perennial

flowering plants in the buttercup family

Ranunculaceae, native throughout the

Northern Hemisphere and also on the

high mountains of tropical Africa. The

common name,is Larkspur.

GOLDENSEAL

Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)

Goldenseal is a herbaceous perennial which

emerges in early spring (mid-March to early May)

from buds that overwinter on the perennial

rootstock. The root system is composed of a

bright yellow, horizontal rhizome, 1/2 to 3/4 of an

inch thick, marked by cup-like depressions where

the annual stem falls away. The rhizome is

covered with a mass of bright yellow fibrous roots

and rootlets. Mature plants (at least 3 years old)

are 6 to 14 inches tall and have two or more

erect hairy stems usually ending in a fork with

two leaves. The 5 to 7 lobed, palmate, double-

toothed leaves are 3 to 12 inches wide and 3 to 8

inches long. After emergence in spring, flower

buds quickly develop and small, inconspicuous,

white flowers open as the leaves unfold. Plants

started from seed usually flower when 3 to 4

years old whereas propagated rootstock may

flower the first year.

Each plant can produce a single, green

raspberry-like fruit which turns red and ripens in

July. Goldenseal spreads into the surrounding

area through growth of the rhizomes and fibrous

roots. Usually two buds form near the base of the

stem on the rhizome for the next season's

growth. The plant dies slowly after the fruit

matures, and it re-emerges the following spring.

Education

Binomial Nomenclature