Latin (botanical) names for trees/plants etc

[Pcwizme]

Just to chuck my hat in to the ring, I agree with all the comments about doing it,
However 2 books to look at are the collins book of Trees and the Collins book of birtish Trees, one of them if packed full of photos, absolutly bursting with them and loads of infomation on the tree, the other has a fantastic Key to help you work out what tree it is in it.
What i would say how ever is dont stress over the names too much, look at the trees and often the name makes sense (not always) for example Betula pendula - Silver Birch have a look at the long thin branches that hang down... like pendulums,
you do need to be careful with some though, as the Wild Cherry, Prunus avium avium means Bird, Where as the Bird Cherry is Prunus padus. Not always as clear as you would like to think....

on the plus side some of them will stick in your head like glue, for example (and i appoligise about the spelling) Plantus x hispanica (London plane) The Key thing about that name is the x this shows its a hybrid.

 

[TallMikeM]

when I was studying horticulture we were forced (very much against my will) to learn the scientific names. Begrudingly I am forced to accept that it was beneficial.

 

[Man of Tanith]

As i said know nothing about it so didnt realise it wasn't latin but botanical names Sorry my mistake could maybe a Mod change threads title please?
i've have copies of the collins gems trees and also wild flowers and food for free and they are all very useful.
just getting me head around the scientific names as it is a bit daunting

 

[nodd]

The book I find that works for me tis Collins Complete British Trees by Paul Sterry which is a photographic guide and has a section on winter twigs in it. It is winter twigs which we are being started on in College (Lecture walked in with a large bag of twigs yesterday tucked under his arm to get us started) an interesting two an half hours followed.

 

[Man of Tanith]

i bought lisa's little one a nature exploring pack and truth be told i think i have used it more than she has.
the fact its aimed at small people means its bitesize easy to understand once i am literate with that i plan to move into the scarier big words

 

[Harvestman]

Just to add that knowing the names of things is not at all the same thing as being able to identify them. Knowing the name doesn't put you in any danger of eating a poisonous species. Eating something that you aren't 100% certain of the identification of does.

Identification is a whole other skill.

 

[Man of Tanith]

too right mate

 

[treelore]

when it comes to trees learn the lot !!!! lol

i use it most days with my job, and as a tip...... keeps using it or you forgets loads

 

[Man of Tanith]

like so many things eh!
i might get Lisa to test me on a few a day and see how much i retain

 

[silvergirl]

I used to keep a list of the plant names I was trying to learn in my pocket.
On one side was the common name on the other was the latin name.
I also noted down any facts that would help me remember it.
Taking it out whenever I had a spare couple of minutes was quite a good way of learning them in a shortish space of time.

But I haven't practiced for years, I might go and see if I have my old notes as I don't think I got rid of them.

 

[forrestdweller]

as a lot of people before me already said: most definitely you'll need the botanical names- i've had it more then once that the same common name was used for different plants in different regions or vice versa. and ending using/eating the wrong plant might be unhealthy... .
it takes time, yes(i can verify that as i needed to learn hundreds of names(and forgot most of them) for a long-time-ago apprenticeship...), but it's definitely neccesary for plant ID.