1. Plant Identification

2. Identify?
Identifying a plant requires recognizing it by one or more characteristics and linking that recognition with a name, either common or scientific name.

3. Why Identify?
Accurate identification of a plant can be helpful in knowing how it grows as well as how to care and protect it form pests and diseases.

4. Identifying Characteristics
Reproductive Parts
Size
Shape
Bark
Fruit
Leaves

5. LEAVES BLADE PETIOLE NODE (BUD) broad, flat part of a leaf
collects sun’s energy for photosynthesis
PETIOLE
stem-like part of the leaf
turns the leaf towards the sun to trap light energy
NODE (BUD)
place where the petiole attaches to the stem

6. VARIATION Leaves can vary in size, color, and even shape.
Leaves exposed to more sun may look different from those in heavy shade.
Examine many leaf specimens when attempting to determine the identity of a plant by its leaves.

7. (tree with needles/scales)
BROAD vs. NARROW
Broad Leaves
(deciduous tree)
(tree with leaves)
wide blade
visible veins
Narrow Leaves
(coniferous tree)
(tree with needles/scales)
slender
single or bundles

8. LEAF ARRANGEMENT
Pattern by which leaves are attached to a stem or twig.
ALTERNATE
OPPOSITE
WHORLED

9. LEAF DIVISION
Leaves may have a single undivided blade or a blade that is divided into parts.
SIMPLE LEAF
COMPOUND LEAF

10. SIMPLE LEAVES
A leaf with one blade and one petiole.

11. (one petiole/central stalk with many separate blades)
COMPOUND LEAVES
A leaf made up of many little leaves together called leaflets.
(one petiole/central stalk with many separate blades)

12. LEAF MARGIN
The outer boundary or edge of the leaf.

13. There are lots of different descriptions for the edge of a leaf.
Some of the most common leaf margins include . . .
Entire (smooth)
Serrate (toothed)
Dentate
Lobed

14. LEAF VENATION
The vein pattern in a leaf.

15. Parallel Veins Pinnate Veins Palmate Veins do not touch
tropical plants, ferns
Pinnate Veins
feather-like
Birch, Cherry
mostly elliptical shaped leaves without lobes
Palmate Veins
fan-like
Maple, Poplar
mostly leaves with lobes and sinuses

16. What About the Conifers?
NEEDLE LEAVES SCALE-LIKE LEAVES

17. NEEDLE LEAVES Single Bundles Clusters Spruces, Firs, Hemlocks
2, 3 or 5
Pine
Clusters
more than 5, can be 30 or more
Larches

18. SCALE-LIKE LEAVES small short Overlapping scales
Cedars, Junipers, Giant Sequoias