Encyclopedia of Earth ITIS Systematics is the branch of biology concerned with classification and nomenclature. It is sometimes used synonymously with taxonomy. In their 1970 publication Systematics in Support of Biological Research, Michener et al. defined systematic biology and taxonomy as: Systematic biology (hereafter called simply systematics) is the field that (a) provides scientific names for organisms, (b) describes them, (c) preserves collections of them, (d) provides classifications for the organisms, keys for their identification, and data on their distributions, (e) investigates their evolutionary histories, and (f) considers their environmental adaptations...Taxonomy is that part of Systematics concerned with topics (a) to (d) above. Identifying species, their relationships and evolutionary hierarchies, is critical to saving biodiversity. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System) was established to address this priority. Sara N. We hope you enjoyed this post.
Impatiens balsamina Impatiens balsamina, commonly known as balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, touch-me-not[1] or spotted snapweed,[2] is a species of plant native to India and Myanmar.[1] Human use[edit] Different parts of the plant are used as traditional remedies for disease and skin afflictions. In Korea, the flowers are crushed and mixed with alum to produce an orange dye that can be used to dye fingernails. Unlike common nail varnish, the dye is semi-permanent, requiring dyed nails to grow off over time in order to remove any traces of color.[10][11] Chemistry[edit] The naphthoquinones lawsone, or hennotannic acid, and lawsone methyl ether and methylene-3,3'-bilawsone are some of the active compounds in I. balsamina leaves.[12] It also contains kaempferol and several derivatives.[13] Baccharane glycosides have been found in Chinese herbal remedies made from the seeds.[14] Ecology[edit] References[edit] External links[edit] Jewelweeds.
Case Study of Botany Research in Tropics Nestled within the Hang Dong district, Chiang Mai, Thailand, is a 10 acre botanical garden called Dokmai Garden. Run by the Thai family Seehamongkol, it boasts over 1,000 plant species, including orchids, laurels, banana plants, birds-of-paradise plants, and gingers. The Seehamongkol family, and the garden's biologist and Director, Dr. Eric Danell, have the lucky fortune of not only working in this garden, but also of calling it home. While living amidst such a paradise is undeniably enchanting, for Dr. Dr. Eric's passion, however, is gardens. Fortunately for Dr. Since discovering BHL, Eric uses it several times a week, typically verifying plant species descriptions online but occasionally also downloading PDFs. The true magic of BHL for Danell, however, is the truly global access it provides. Being located in a developing country also provides opportunities for Dr.
CETAF – Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities Cavendishia ends a 38 year wait for its own name This plant was collected in 1976 by one of RBGE’s senior botanists, George Argent, who has now retired but is still working hard collecting and naming plants. It was collected from the lower montane forests of southern Ecuador and he says that it rained continuously for six weeks on his collecting trip which was why all the plants were growing so well! Ecuador is at the top of South America and is so called because it lies on the equator so the day length is the same all year round, 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night. The lowlands and coastal regions of Ecuador experience warm tropical temperatures but higher up in the mountains it can get a lot cooler. This plant has been growing in the tropical glasshouse at Edinburgh which is heated to a minimum temperature of 18°C. It has only flowered three times since 1976 and it has taken us aback with its grace and fine features. The flowers are held at the end of long, fine, woody stems and the leaves are narrow and elegant.
Flowers mislead traditional taxonomy For hundreds of years, plant taxonomists have worked to understand how species are related. Until relatively recently, their only reliable source of information about these relationships was the plants' morphology—traits that could be observed, measured, counted, categorized, and described visually. And paramount among these morphological traits were aspects of flower shape and arrangement. In the papilionoid legumes—a large, diverse group that includes the common pea and bean—most species have highly specialized, "butterfly-shaped" flowers with bilateral symmetry, fused stamens, and strongly differentiated standard, wing, and keel petals. Lead author Domingos Cardoso (Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana in Bahia, Brazil) was intrigued by the floral diversity of papilionoid legumes. This shows a mass flowering of Luetzelburgia bahiensis in a Caatinga dry setting at Morro do Chapéu, Bahia, Brazil. (Photo Credit: Courtesy of Domingos Cardoso.)
Here's How Nature Files Its Taxa By Liz Langley With U.S. tax day approaching on April 18, Weird Animal Question of the Week is taking author’s prerogative to ask “How does nature file its taxas?” "The scientific practice of arranging and naming all living organisms into groups" is called taxonomy, says Chris Mah, a marine invertebrate zoologist and taxonomist at Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. Formalized by 18th-century naturalist Carl Linnaeus, taxonomy organizes all living things into seven categories called taxa, ranging from broadest (kingdom, one of which is Animalia) to the most specific (species, like Homo sapiens). (Read more about Linnaeus, "the name giver.") The system groups them based on how closely related they are to each other, Mah says. When identifying a new species, taxonomists look at its appearance, structure, and genetics, often comparing it with museum specimens. The scarlet ibis' name Eudocimus ruber, refers to its color—ruber meaning red in Latin and Greek.
National Botanical Conservatory of Brest E.R.I.C.A. : Echos du Réseau pour l'Inventaire et la Cartographie Armoricaine Revue du Conservatoire botanique national de Brest (bulletin de botanique armoricaine) La revue E.R.I.C.A. a vu le jour en 1992 avec la mise en place d’un vaste réseau d’observateurs pour l’inventaire et la cartographie de la flore sur le territoire d’agrément du Conservatoire botanique national de Brest. Ce bulletin a pour objectif de favoriser les échanges d’informations entre les membres de ce réseau avec des articles variés (synthèse taxonomique, problème de conservation d’espèces menacées, bilans des découvertes …) afin de contribuer à l’amélioration des connaissances botaniques. E.R.I.C.A. est gratuit pour les personnes collaborant à l'inventaire de la flore du Massif armoricain coordonné par le Conservatoire botanique national de Brest. Il est cependant possible de s'abonner ou d’acheter la revue au numéro : E.R.I.C.A. en ligne ! Le Conservatoire botanique national de Brest ouvre les archives d'E.R.I.C.A.!
Botanical Nomenclature Nomenclature Nomenclature refers to the naming of things. Botanical nomenclature is (surprise) about naming plants. Scientific names of plants reflect the taxonomic group to which the plant belongs. Scientific names are never misleading. Pronunciation. Taxonomy refers to forming groups. If people are going to communicate around the world, there needs to be an internationally accepted system of nomenclature. Towards an International Code Pre-Linnaean Practices 1) Names were formed like Latin words. 2) Once a name had been attached to a plant group, it should not be given another name. 3) When commenting on how a name was to be interpreted, one should list the names of others that had used it. 4) It helps to mention some specimens that one has seen. The first attempt at developing an international agreement was made in Paris in 1867. Other Codes Agreement, at last In 1930, taxonomists finally agreed on a single International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Limitations of the Code 2. Form.
Trade in threatened medicinal plants - why plant names matter Introduction to the trade in medicinal plants This week, Kew’s CITES team (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna) will attend the 17th Conference of the Parties (CoP17). During this conference, MPNS will be highlighted as a valuable reference for facilitating effective regulation of the trade in medicinal plants. The trade in medicinal plants is notoriously difficult to quantify and track, yet it has considerable economic significance and is growing rapidly. Herbal medicines on sale in South Korea. Increasing demands for certain species can lead to unsustainable harvesting which impacts negatively on local ecosystems. Trade and names CITES listings use an agreed set of names, for scientific and legal reasons. Using scientific names appropriately offers its own challenges: e.g. names change over time, as taxonomists come to better understand the relationships between species. Some of the many products sold containing ‘ginseng’. Aloe vera (L.) - Jason -