Plant ID Tips and Tricks

[Michaelangelica]

Thanks for this GREAT thread

Daisy- fine

 

 

I recognize square stemmed plants, daisies and not much else being too stupid to study botany

Funny I can recognize solanacare sp (potato et al)plants very easily-they just look the same.

 

Keep up he good work. I appreciate the lessons

[Turtle]

indeed [phylotaxis is] one of the best ways to work your way down the tree...makes it much easier....but many plants are very hard to distinguish with this method alone.

 

agreed. just one more tool in the ID toolbox. :xx: it sometimes can settle indecision between choices narrowed by other means, and along with leaf scars*, it is handy in Winter when no leaves or flowers are present.

 

*leaf scar: definition, usage and pronunciation - YourDictionary.com the shape of leaf scars are plant ID tools as well.

 

I recognize square stemmed plants, daisies and not much else being too stupid to study botany

Funny I can recognize solanacare sp (potato et al)plants very easily-they just look the same.

 

cross section of stem! good call Micha. :epizza: this can be invaluable with the grasses, a particularly challenging group of plants to differentiate. :shrug:

[Ganoderma]

some very good reading is about Richard Shultes' experience in south America looking for and studying rubber plants....truly amazing! Also a good reminder of how important flowers can be in certain groups.

 

i totally gave up on grasses, they are a pain. now i go by tall, short and hard to kill. :)

[Michaelangelica]

some very good reading is about Richard Shultes' experience in south America looking for and studying rubber plants....truly amazing! Also a good reminder of how important flowers can be in certain groups.

Got the name of his book?

I have read a bit about him and his work.

I love a book written by one of his students "The Shaman's Apprentice " by Mark Plotkin.

 

I would love to see Harvard's Glass botany collection.

 

i totally gave up on grasses, they are a pain. now i go by tall, short and hard to kill. :)

Me too; a pity, they are so ubiquitous and important.

[Ganoderma]

the book One River by another f his students Wade davis is a great read abut plant exploration. the 2 main topics here are coca and rubber, especially about richards explorations during the war and the asian crops etc... but it also starts off with things like shultes peyote expedition, brugsmanias and various other important plants.

 

good book, especially if you are interested in anthropology, botany, and exploration. he is a very wordy writer though, may be good or bad depending on the reader.

 

what is the The Shaman's Apprentice about? i am assuming to do with hallucinogens as shultes was rather famous for that and others.

[DougF]

I found some links that mite help you Identify Grasses. I use this one quite a bit. ;)

 

http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/turfid/ItemID.aspx?orderID=GR&orderDesc=Grass

grasses - Introduction

http://ipm.ppws.vt.edu/weedindex.htm

[freeztar]

I found some links that mite help you Identify Grasses. I use this one quite a bit. :)

 

http://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/turfid/ItemID.aspx?orderID=GR&orderDesc=Grass

grasses - Introduction

http://ipm.ppws.vt.edu/weedindex.htm

 

Are you a golfer by chance?

 

I like the first link, but the other(s) are frustrating as they start with the root. I've never ID'd a grass by the root. :hihi:

Anyhow, I've got some good info on grasses, sedges and rushes at the office, so if I remember, I'll post them here on Friday.

 

:cup:

[DougF]

Are you a golfer by chance?

 

I like the first link, but the other(s) are frustrating as they start with the root. I've never ID'd a grass by the root. ;)

Anyhow, I've got some good info on grasses, sedges and rushes at the office, so if I remember, I'll post them here on Friday.

 

:)

I use the first one the most, but the others help when I heed more info.

Are you a golfer by chance?[/Quote]

I have clubs but what I do I wouldn't call Golf.

[Ganoderma]

thanks for the links. things like that are like a good reference book....maybe not useful right now, but there will be a day when you are looking for that exact explanation! i save those types of sites, as i find them indispensable.

[DougF]

freeztar

Anyhow' date=' I've got some good info on grasses, sedges and rushes at the office, so if I remember, I'll post them here on Friday.[/Quote']

Thanks I can always use good Info. :)

 

 

Now to some more of the local links, I use these for identifying wetlands some are national (not just Florida) you may or may not already have some of these,

 

The PLANTS Database provides standardized information about the vascular plants, mosses, liverworts, hornworts, and lichens of the U.S. and its territories.

Welcome to the PLANTS Database | USDA PLANTS

 

 

The Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

ISB: Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants

[freeztar]

Well, the info I have for grasses and sedges is for the Atlanta area and the file is 20MB. :D

 

If anyone still wants it though, let me know and I'll arrange a way to upload it. :)

[DougF]

I found that it is best to localize as much as possible when identifying plant life. as for me, my library mostly book works ( but never turn down a good link)

 

 

Thanks DougF

[DougF]

I have this Plant growing in my yard, it Blooms once every 5 to 7 years.

when in bloom no tree that year.

Question: what is it? I think might know but want second opinion please.

Tree is 4 feet tall but is growing about 1/2 foot a year.

I do have some more pic of bloom, and fly's love the Bloom.

 

PS: this is plant ID, I hope this Question is OK here.

[freeztar]

That was a tough one Doug!

My girlfriend is over right now (she has botanical experience) and she called it out right away. But then, there were conflicting images on google regarding different cultivars of the species. I finally think I have it pinned down, and if so, you have yourself quite a treasure there.

 

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius `Gajendra`

[DougF]

Yes, I think your right I had a pretty good idea that it was of the Voodoo family but couldn't pin it down.

 

and It's my favorite plant it looks so prehistoric.

 

Thank you and your girlfriend! ;)

[freeztar]

Here's a nice on-line guide for twig identification during winter months (Eastern US).

 

VT Dendrology Twig Key

[DougF]

Good link Thank you freeztar. ;)