Plant identification

Using the guide responsibly

You can begin a useful observation without knowing a plant's name. First record what you can see, then compare the evidence with a reliable description. Our collection deliberately includes four families, two genera from each family and two species from each genus. These numbers describe this learning website, not the total diversity of the groups. Follow the classification links to move between a broad group and a particular plant.

A reference photograph may show a leaf, a fruit or a preserved specimen. It cannot show every feature of a living tree. Read the caption and the linked botanical record before drawing a conclusion. The regional location in a record describes a published distribution; it does not necessarily identify where the photograph was taken. A cultivated plant can also occur outside its native range. Keep these distinctions in your notes.

Record an observation

1. Photograph the whole plant and its surroundings from a safe, permitted position.
2. Add close views of leaves and any visible flowers or fruit without collecting them.
3. Write the date, general location and features you actually observed.
4. Compare the sources and ask for help if the evidence is incomplete.

Classification terms

Family

A group containing related genera.

Genus

A group within a family; its name forms the first part of a species name.

Species

The level represented here by a two-part scientific name.

Naming reference: International Association for Plant Taxonomy. The observation workflow is original project guidance.