Online Articles
about nature - by Boyd
Shaffer,
artist /naturalist
Observations
of a Naturalist
This Article: Flower Nomenclature - plants are classified by the way they reproduce. (page 1 of 2)
The
columbines (Aquilegia) are found in
every state in the United States and occur
in three colors: red white and blue. A
better choice for the American national
flower than the rose species we have which
is actually English.
This genus is one of many in the crowfoot
family (Ranunculaceæ). Some
of the plants in this family are: anemone,
meadow rue, buttercups, marsh marigold
(caltha, not a marigold which is a
composite), delphinium, monk's hood,
peony, clematis, trollius, goldthread,
baneberry, and more. Most if not all of
these have some poisonous principle
present in roots, fruit or the entire
plant. in fact, the aconite in some
species of monk's hood is one of the most
powerful poisons known Aconite can even
enter the bloodstream through the
skin. Aster
Flower Compositæ
(Asteraceæ)
Second only to the
Orchidaceæ, the composites
have the greatest number of species
worldwide. Alaska has thirty seven genera
with immigrant species finding their way
into the state every few years. Very few
of these become established. Yarrow
Flower In
the genus Antennaria there are
species that produce only male parts in
the disk and the rays flowers are sterile.
These plants can reproduce only by parts
being washed away and rooting in another
location, however, it is interesting how
widespread they are. A
Vilola tricolor called
"Pansy"
Members of the
Violet
family (Violaceæ), includes
violets and Pansies which are also in the
genus Viola. Viola
flower without
petals
In the Rosaceæ
(Rose
Family), there is a unique feature
present, that being a "Nectar Ring",where
all of the stamens arise from the rim of
the receptacle. Whether it is a Spirea,
Goatsbeard, Rose, Apple, Peach, Apricot.
Sibaldia, Raspberry, Strawberry,
Cinquefoil, or any of the many others in
this large group, they have a "Nectar
Ring".
Right is a typical flower with the
petals removed.
Left is the bottom of the flower
with petals removed and it has been cut
from the peduncle flower stem.
Columbine Flower
Many medications are obtained from very
poisonous plants; a laboratory process not
available to herbalists.
TOP
The composites are recognized by the disk
flowers usually having both staminate and
pistillate parts (male and female). There
are ray flowers that are always
pistillate, occasionally sterile and some
species lack ray flowers as in
Matricaria matricarioides
(Pineappleweed).
Many composite species such as dandelions
(Taraxacum) and pussytoes
(Antennaria) have only pistillate
flowers both in the disk and ray. The
seeds are viable and produce more female
plants, in effect, these species reproduce
by cloning.
The Achillea (yarrow) genus has
very well developed petals in the disk
flowers and very broad and showy
pistillate ray flowers. It would make a
wonderful inflorescence if the flowers
were large. It takes enlarging, as in the
illustration, to appreciate them.
Some composites are: wormwood, sagebrush,
goldenrod, fleabane, sunflower, coltsfoot,
arnica, groundsels, pearly everlasting,
bachelor button, cone flower, dahlia,
thistle, and there are many more including
fleabanes (senecios) in Africa that
are trees.
The wild Pansy of Europe (Heart's Ease) is
a smaller version of the large showy
cultivar we grow in our gardens. It is
usually called viola by gardeners. It is
difficult to understand why they call it
by the generic name which of course means
all of the true violets.
Only members of the Violaceæ
are true violets. "African violets" are
not violets but in their own family,
Gesneriaceæ.
OBSERVATIONS
INDEX
To the left is a front view of the
flower of a typical Potentilla
fruticosa. As with all members of the
genus it has five petals, five sepals
showing. The stamens with anthers at the
top of their filaments arise from the
nectar ring.
The female flowers (pistils) are in the
center portion of the receptacle.
Only a portion of the sepals show creating
a green star shape.
The bractlets(bracteoles) are now visible
because each one is directly behind a
petal.
In some species of potentilla the sepals
curve backwards and in others they are
longer than the petals.
Notice that the bractlets are actually
"lightly" attached to the sepals. This
occurs in no other plant genus.
The calyx lobes are all of the sepals, as
a group. The Calyx base in fruticosa is
covered with soft light colored
hairs.