Plant classification¶
Last updated 2025-11-02 by Dr John Elfick
9.1.0 Latin names¶
Family: Fabaceae, (Leguminosae) pea family
It appears as upper-case and lower-case, and italics are recommended.
Family is a basic taxonomic grouping ranking above genus and below order.
Family names end in -aceae, except for some older names, e.g. the former Leguminosae above.
9.2.0 Genus¶
Genus: Pisum, pea
It appears as upper-case initial letter and italics are recommended.
It is a noun with gender masculine or feminine or neuter
The plural term is genera
If the same genus is mentioned, then following the first name the following name is abbreviated, e.g. P. sativum.
9.3.0 Species Species: sativum, garden pea¶
9.3.0 Species Species: sativum, garden pea
It appears in lower case.
It is usually an adjective
The binomial combination of "genus + species" gives the name of the plant, e.g. (Pisum sativum)
If a species is not known, use just "Pisum".
If referring to all the species in a genus, use Pisum
In this document, the following are not needed: "Pisum sp." or "Pisum species".
A species first named by Carl Linnaeus, 1707 - 1778, may be still named as follows: forage pea (Pisum arvense L.)
Subspecies
It appears as lower case.
It is preceded by "subsp." in lower case Roman type.
9.4.0 Variety¶
Other plants in the species or subspecies differ in minor, but heritable characters.
It appears as lower case.
It is preceded by "var." in lower case Roman type, e.g. the snow pea (Pisum sativum var. saccharatum)
Cultivar
It appears as upper-case and lower-case Roman type with single quotation marks.
Grevillea 'Robyn Gordon', is a man-made hybrid between two species.
Asparagus bean, Vigna unguiculata 'Sesquipedalis'
9.5.0 Name of Plant¶
The names of plants is governed by the last revision of the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, based on its original description.
This method dates back to 1753, when Carl Linneaus published his idea of a binomial naming system for plants.
9.6.0 Plant Family names, plant families¶
A.¶
Acanthaceae, the acanthus family
Achariaceae, the acharia family
Achatocarpaceae, the achatocarpus family
Acoraceae, the calamus family
Actinidiaceae, the Chinese gooseberry family
Adoxaceae, the moschatel family
Aizoaceae, the fig marigold family
Alstroemeriaceae, the alstroemeria family
Amaranthaceae, the amaranth family
Amaryllidaceae, the amaryllis family
Anacardiaceae, the sumac family
Annonaceae, the custard apple family
Apiaceae, (formerly Umbelliferae), the carrot family
Apocynaceae, the dogbane family
Aponogetonaceae, the cape-pondweed family
Aquifoliaceae, the holly family
Araceae, the arum family,( aroids)
Araliaceae, the ivy family
Araucariaceae, the araucarian family
Arecaceae, (formerly Palmae), the palm family
Aristolochiaceae, the birthwort family
Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family
Asparagaceae, the asparagus family
Asphodelaceae, (formerly Xanthorrhoeaceae)
Asteraceae, (formerly Compositae), the daisy family
B.
Balanophoraceae, the balanophora family
Balsaminaceae, the touch-me-not family
Basellaceae, the basella family
Bataceae, the saltwort family
Begoniaceae, the begonia family
Berberidaceae, the barberry family
Betulaceae, the birch family
Bignoniaceae, the trumpet creeper family
Bixaceae, the lipstick tree family
Bombacaceae, the chapter family
Boraginaceae, the borage family
Brassicaceae, (formerly Cruciferae), the mustard family
Bromeliaceae, the bromeliad family, pineapple family
Brunelliaceae, the brunellia family, (Brunellia macrophylla)
Buddlejaceae, the butterfly bush family
Burmanniaceae, the burmannia family
Burseraceae, the frankincense family
Butomaceae, the flowering rush family
Buxaceae, the boxwood family
C.
Cabombaceae, the water shield family
Cactaceae, the cactus family
Callitrichaceae, the water starwort family
Calycanthaceae, the strawberry shrub family
Calyceraceae, the calycera family
Campanulaceae, the bellflower family
Canellaceae, the canella family
Cannabaceae, the hemp family
Cannaceae, the canna family
Capparaceae, the caper family
Caricaceae, the papaya family
Caprifoliaceae, the honeysuckle family
Caryocaraceae, the souari family
Caryophyllaceae, the carnation family
Casuarinaceae, the beefwood family
Cecropiaceae, the cecropia family
Celastraceae, the bittersweet family
Ceratophyllaceae, the hornwort family
Cercidiphyllaceae, the katsura tree family
Chenopodiaceae, the beetroot family (goosefoot family)
Chloranthaceae, the chloranthus family
Chrysobalanaceae, the cocoa-plum family
Cistaceae, the rock rose family
Clethraceae, the clethra family
Clusiaceae, the mangosteen family
Colchicaceae, the flame lily family
Combretaceae, the Indian almond family
Connaraceae, the cannarus family
Convolvulaceae, the morning glory family
Cornaceae, the dogwood family
Corynocarpaceae, the karaka family
Crassulaceae, the stone crop family
Compositae, (now Asteraceae)
Crossosomataceae, the crossosoma family
Cucurbitaceae, the cucumber family
Cunoniaceae, the cunonia family
Cupressaceae, the cyprus family
Cuscutaceae, the dodder family, now Convolvulaceae
Cymodoceaceae, the manatee grass family
D.
Diapensiaceae, the diapensia family
Didiereaceae, the jade family
Dilleniaceae, the dillenia family
Dioncophyllaceae, the Triphophyllum peltatum
Dioscoreaceae
H">Dioscoreaceae, the yam family
Dipsacaceae
H">Dipsacaceae, the teasel family
Dipterocarpaceae, the dipterocarpus family
Droseraceae, the sundew family
E.
Ebenaceae, the ebony family
Elaeagnaceae, the oleaster family
Elaeocarpaceae, the elaeocarpus family
Elatinaceae, the waterwort family
Empetraceae, the crowberry family
Ephedraceae, the ephedra family
Eremolepidaceae, the catkin mistletoe family
Ericaceae, (formerly Epacridaceae), the heath family
Eriocaulaceae, the pipewort family
Erythroxylaceae, the coca family
Euphorbiaceae
H">Euphorbiaceae, the spurge family
F.
Fabaceae, (formerly Leguminosae), the pea family
Subfamily Faboideae, e.g. Lupinus
Subfamily Caesalpinioideae, e.g. Cassia
Subfamily Mimosoideae, e.g. Acacia
Fagaceae, the oak family, beech family
Flagellariaceae, the flagellaria family
Fouquieriaceae, the ocotillo family
Frankeniaceae, the frankenia family
Fumaria officinalis, fumitory family
G.
Garryaceae, the silk tassel family
Ginkgoaceae, the ginkgo family
Gentianaceae, the gentian family
Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family
Geraniaceae, the geranium family
Goodeniaceae, the goodenia family
Greyiaceae, the greyia family
Grossulariaceae, the currant family
Gunneraceae, the gunnera family
H.
Haemodoraceae, the bloodwort family
Haloragaceae, the water milfoil family
Hamamelidaceae, the witch hazel family
Hernandiaceae, the hernandia family
Hippocastanaceae, the horse chestnut family
Hippocrateaceae, the hippocratea family
Hippuridaceae, the mare's tail family
Hydrangeaceae, the hydrangea family
Hydrocharitaceae, the tape grass family
I.
Icacinaceae, the icacina family
Illiciaceae, the star anise family
Iridaceae
H">Iridaceae, the iris family
J.
Joinvilleaceae, the joinvillea family
Juglandiaceae, the walnut family
Juncaceae, the rush family
Juncaginaceae, the arrow grass family
K.
Krameriaceae, the krameria family
L.
Lamiaceae, (formerly Labiateae), the mint family
Lardizabalaceae, the lardizabala family
Lauraceae, the laurel family
Lecythidaceae, the Brazil nut family
Leguminosae, (now Fabaceae)
Leitneriaceae, the cork wood family
Lennoaceae, the lennoa family
Lentibulariaceae, the bladderwort family
Liliaceae, the lily family
Limnanthaceae, the meadow foam family
Linaceae, the flax family
Loasaceae, the loasa family
Loganiaceae, the logania family
Loranthaceae, the showy mistletoe family
Lythraceae, the loosestrife family, pomegranate family
M.
Magnoliaceae, the magnolia family
Malpighiaceae, the barbados cherry
Malvaceae the mallow family
Marantaceae, the arrowroot family, prayer plant family
Marcgraviaceae, the shingle plant family
Mayacaceae, the mayaca family
Meliaceae, the mahogany family
Melastomataceae, the melastome family, melastomes
Melianthaceae, the melianthus family
Menispermaceae, the moonseed family
Menyanthaceae, the buckbean family
Molluginaceae, the carpet weed family
Monotropaceae, the Indian pipe family
Myoporaceae, the myoporum family
Myrsinaceae, the myrsine family
Monimiaceae, the monimia family
Monotropaceae, the Indian pipe family
Moraceae, the mulberry family
Moringaceae, the horseradish tree family
Musaceae, the banana family
Myoporaceae, the myoporum family
Myricaceae, the bayberry family
Myristicaceae, the nutmeg family
Myrsinaceae, the myrsine family
Myrtaceae, the myrtle family
N.
Najadaceae, the water nymph family
Nelumbonaceae, the lotus lily family
Nepenthaceae, the East Indian pitcher plant family
Nyctaginaceae, the four o'clock family
Nymphaeaceae, the water lily family
O.
Ochnaceae, the ochna family.
Oleaceae, the olive family
Onagraceae
H">Onagraceae, the evening primrose family
Orchidaceae, the orchid family
Orobanchaceae, the broom rape family
Oxalidaceae, the wood sorrel family
P.
Paeoniaceae, the peony family
Pandanaceae, the screw-pine family
Papaveraceae, the poppy family
Passifloraceae, the passion-flower family
Pedaliaceae, the sesame family
Phytolaccaceae, the pokeweed family
Piperaceae, the pepper family
Pittosporaceae, the pittosporum family
Plantaginaceae, the plantain family
Platanaceae, the plane tree family
Plumbaginaceae, the leadwort family
Poaceae, (formerly Gramineae
), the grass family
Podocarpaceae, the podocarpus family
Podostemaceae, the river weed family
Polemoniaceae, the phlox family
Polygalaceae, the milkwort family
Polygonaceae, the buckwheat family
Portulacaceae, the purslane family
Posidoniaceae, the posidonia family
Potamogetonaceae, the pondweed family
Primulaceae, the primrose family
Proteaceae, the protea family
Pyrolaceae, the shin leaf family
R.
Rafflesiaceae, the rafflesia family
Ranunculaceae, the buttercup family
Resedaceae, the mignonette family
Rhamnaceae, the buckthorn family
Rhizophoraceae, the red mangrove family
Rosaceae, the rose family
Rubiaceae, the madder family
Ruppiaceae, the ditch grass family
Rutaceae, the Rue family
S.
Sabiaceae, the sabia family
Salicaceae, the willow family
Santalaceae, the sandalwood family
Sapindaceae, the soapberry family
Sapotaceae, the sapodilla family
Sarraceniaceae, the pitcher plant family
Saxifragaceae, the saxifrage family
Saururaceae, the lizard's tail family
Scheuchzeriaceae, the scheuchzeria family
Schisandraceae, the schisandra family
Scrophulariaceae, the figwort family
Smilacaceae, the catbrier family
Simaroubaceae, the quassia family
Simmondsiaceae, the jojoba family
Solanaceae, the potato family
Sonneratiaceae, the sonneratia family
Sparganiaceae, the bur reed family
Sphenocleaceae, the spenoclea family
Stackhousiaceae, the stackhousia family
Staphyleaceae, the bladdernut family
Stemonaceae, the stemona family
Sterculiaceae, the cacao family
Styracaceae, the styrax family
Surianaceae, the suriana family
Symplocaceae, the Sweet leaf family
T.
Talinaceae, the talinum family
Tamaricaceae, the tamarix family
Taxaceae, the yew family
Theaceae, the tea family
Theophrastaceae, the theophrasta family
Thymelaeaceae, the mezereum family
Tiliaceae, the linden family
Trapacea, water chestnut family
Triuridaceae, the triurus family
Tropaeolaceae, the nasturtium family
Turneraceae, the turnera family
U.
Ulmaceae, the elm family
Urticaceae, the nettle family
V.
Valerianaceae, the valerian family
Verbenaceae, the verbena family
Violaceae, the violet family Viscaceae, the Christmas mistletoe family
Vitaceae, the grape family
W.
Winteraceae, the wintera family
X.
Xyridaceae, the yellow-eyed grass family
Z.
Zingiberaceae, the ginger family
Zosteraceae, the eel grass family
Zygophyllaceae, the creosote bush family
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