Many authors, expert in the area of plant taxonomy, have produced volumes which offer plant identification aids. I have included a suggested list of such references in Identification References. If you are interested in acquiring copies of these or other publications you might want to go to your local library before purchasing them. Examine those which are available in order to determine which ones appeal to you the most.

Types Of Reference Books

Plant identification books are available at at many different levels. Some of the books are geared to the layman--providing color photographs and brief written descriptions of flowers that might be found in a specific geographic area. Many of these books provide primers on plant anatomy and often present information in categories according to flower color. This type of organization minimizes the amount of searching required by the user.

Other reference books are geared to self-trained and professional botanists and consist of a key that allows the user to determine the genus of the plant in question. A "key" is a series of paired questions, each dealing with a specific plant characteristic. As you answer each pair of questions, you are referred to another pair of questions, more specific than the last. Eventually, you will reach a pair of questions which will result in identification of the genus. Once the genus (a grouping made up of one or more closely related species) is identified, the botanist is referred to a second key which will then allow identification to the species level. These books usually have line drawings (no color photographs) of selected species, some level of information as to geographic distribution of the species, and a brief written description of each plant species included in the key.

If you plan to use the more technical plant keys, you will want to obtain a small, hand-held magnifying glass for close observation of plant parts. In addition, it will be essential to familiarize yourself with the vocabulary used to describe various plant parts. The vocabulary is extensive, but most plant identification books will have labeled diagrams of plant parts and definitions included. Plant identification using a scientific key is challenging, and successful identification of a species gives many people a real sense of satisfaction. I might mention that many plant experts are self-trained, so if you enjoy searching for and identifying wildflowers, don't be intimidated by the reference books. Work at your own pace and enjoy your hobby.

Use Of Scientific Names

While common names are often used for different plants across different locations, a scientific name is used for only one species. If you are like me, you have probably spent some time talking to another person about a plant using its common name only to discover that you were talking about one species and the other person was talking about another completely different species.

Use of scientific names prevents this problem--as long as the plant has been properly identified. As you can see, it is essential that the serious plant lover at least be aware of the scientific names of plants because of the unique nature of each and every scientific name.

Most plant identification books provide both the scientific and common name (or names) of species. Since scientific names are in Latin they can be intimidating--everyone worries about how to pronounce them. However, since Latin is no longer a spoken language (and hasn't been used for verbal communication in centuries) you can relax. Your guess is probably as good as anyone else's as to how a Latin word should sound! If you use the scientific name, pronunciation is definitely much less important than using the correct spelling.

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