Botanical classification

Plants are classified in several different ways. Plant classification has additional groupings that animal
classification does not. Generally, only the genus and species are of importance to small scale cultivation.
However, it is important to understand how plants are classified on all levels and how they relate to other
plants. Plants are generally classified as follows.

The International Code of Nomenclature for alage, fungi and plants (ICN) regulates the naming for plants and
other organisms treated like plants.

KINGDOM A kingdom is the highest rank of biological classification. All plants belong to the kingdom Plantae.
The total number of kingdoms varies from between five and eight.

DIVISION

A division is the first major rank below the kingdom. The term "division" is not interchangeable with "phylum."
"Division" refers to ranking in botany while "phylum" is for zoology." The kingdom Plantae has twelve recognized
divisions. Divisions are generally based on morphological differences.

CLASS

Class follows the phylum and precedes the order. Classes are determined by professional taxonomists. There is
often no consensus in the scientific community on which plants belong to which classes or what group
constitutes a biological class.

ORDER An order follows superorder and precedes suborder.

FAMILY A family follows the superfamily and precedes subfamily. TRIBE The tribe follows the supertribe and
precedes the subtribe.

GENUS The genus follows the subtribe and precedes the species name. The genus is the first part of the binomial
name.

SPECIES The species follows the superspecies and precedes the subspecies. The species name is the second part
of the binomial name.

VARIETY The variety follows infraspecies and precedes the form. This grouping is only used for botanical
classifications. All varieties have a three part name.

CULTIVAR The cultivar follows the form and is the lowest rank. This grouping is only used for botanical
classifications. All cultivars have a three part name.

Example

-Opium Poppy

-Kingdom – Plantae
-Division - Magnoliophyta

-Class – Magnoliopsida

-Order - Ranunculales

-Family - Papaveraceae

-Genus - Papaver

-Species - Papaver somniferum

MONOCOTYLEDONOUS

FAMILY NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME ENGLISH NAME COMMON NAME

1. “Zea mays” 1.Corn
2.family Poaceae Triticum aestivum Wheat
3. Oryza sativa Rice
4.Saccharum officinarum Saccharum officinarum sugarcane
5.Bambusoideae(grasses) Bambusoideae
Bamboo
6.family Zingiberaceae Zingiber officinale
Musa ginger
7.Musaceae banana
8. Arecaceae
Allium cepa palm
9.
Allium sativum Onion
10.amaryllis family
Cocos nucifera garlic
(Amaryllidaceae),
11.Arecaceae coconut

DICOTYLEDONOUS

FAMILY NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME ENGLISH NAME COMMON NAME

myrtle family (Myrtaceae) -Psidium guajava 1. Guava
family Anacardiaceae. -Mangifera indica 2. Mango
familyCaricaceae -Carica papaya 3. Papaya
family Brassicaceae -Raphanus sativus 4. Radish
family Asteraceae 5. Sunflower
-Heliantus annuus 6. Tamarind
Fabaceae family -Tamarindus indicus