BOTANICAL TAXONOMY (workshop handout)

(Mnemonic:   KINGS PLAY CHESS ON FINE GRAINED SAND)

KINGDOM             

            PHYLUM

                        CLASS

                                    ORDER

                                                FAMILY

                                                            GENUS

                                                                        SPECIES

                                                                                    SUBSPECIES, VARIETY

PLANTS

            NONVASCULAR (DIVISION): MOSSES, LIVERWORTS (PHYLA           

VASCULAR (DIVISION):

                        SEEDLESS PHYLA: FERNS, CLUB MOSSES

                        SEEDED PHYLA:

                                    GYMNOSPERMS: CONIFERS, GINGKOS, CYCADS, GNETOPHYTA (= 4 PHYLA)

                                    ANGIOSPERMS (FLOWERING PHYLUM):

                                                DICOTS (CLASS): BROADLEAF TREES, SHRUBS, ANN. & PER. FORBS

                                                MONOCOTS (CLASS): GRAMINOIDS (GRASSES, SEDGES, RUSHES); IRIS, ORCHID

                                                                  & LILY FAMILIES; + SEVERAL SMALL FAMILIES, MOSTLY AQUATIC HERBS

Botanical notation:

Genus, species, subspecies and/or variety if any

Genus and species names always italicized, genus initial cap, remainder lower case. Subspecies and variety designations labeled, abbreviated (ssp., var.), lower case, no italics. Cultivar name capped and set in single quotes.

Ribes hudsonianum var. hudsonianum

Delphinium menziesii ssp. pallidum

Ribes sanguineum ‘White Icycle’