plants taxonomy

• Order


  A group of related plant families, classified in the order in which they are thought to have developed their differences from a common ancestor
• Family


  A group of related genera
• Genus


  A group of closely related species
• Species


  The most specific level of classification, referring to a group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
• Plant classification process

  1. Sort and classify organisms based on similarities and differences

  2. Use both English and Latin names for different divisions

  3. Specify the exact plant by the scientific name

  4. Know both scientific and common names
• Theophrastus 370-285 B.C


  • Greek philosopher and naturalist, called the "Father of Botany"
  • First person to publish a classification of plants
  • Classified plants based on form (herbs, shrubs, trees; annuals, biennials, perennials)
• Carolus Linnaeus 1707-1778


  • First person to propose an orderly system for classifying organisms
  • Developed the Binomial System of Naming Plants in 1753
  • His system is still used today and he is called the "Father of Taxonomy"
• Levels of plant classification

  • Kingdom
  • Phylum
  • Class
  • Order
  • Family
  • Genus
  • Species
• Vascular plants


  Have tubelike structures that carry water, nutrients, and other substances to the plant (e.g. ferns, gymnosperms, flowering plants)
• Non-vascular plants


  Do not have tubelike structures but use other ways to move water or substances (e.g. algae, mosses, liverworts, hornworts)
• Classes of plants

  • Angiospermae (angiosperms) - plants which produce flowers
  • Gymnospermae (gymnosperms) - plants which don't produce flowers
• Subclasses of plants

  • Dicotyledonae (dicotyledons/dicots) - plants with two seed leaves
  • Monocotyledonae (monocotyledons/monocots) - plants with one seed leaf
• Cotyledons


  • Parts of a seed that look like small leaves, which the developing plant uses as a store of food
  • The first parts of the seed to appear above the ground when it begins to grow
• Differences between monocots and dicots

  • Monocots - 3 petals or multiples of 3, parallel leaf veins, vascular bundles arranged in a ring, fibrous root system, long slender blades
  • Dicots - 4 or 5 petals or multiples of 4 or 5, net-like leaf veins, vascular bundles located in the middle, taproot system, petals in multiples
• Internodes


  The spaces between nodes on a stem
• In monocots, the internodes on the stem can be seen clearly. In dicots, the internodes on the stem cannot be seen clearly.
• The Philippines has a total of 13,500 plant species, with 1,500 being medicinal plants and 3,500 being considered indigenous.
• 120 medicinal plants (12.5%) in the Philippines have been validated for safety and efficacy, and 10 medicinal plants have been promoted by the Department of Health since 1993 and the Philippine Institute for Traditional & Alternative Health Care since 1997.
• Global uses of medicinal plants

  • Phytomedicines and phytochemicals
  • Nutraceuticals
  • Personal care products and cosmetics
  • Spa health and spa medicine
  • Culinary: flavors and spices
  • Fragrance and perfumery
  • Biopesticides
  • Veterinary medicines
• Lagundi (Vitex negundo)


  • Chinese chaste tree, five-leaved chaste tree or horseshoe vitex
  • Used for asthma, cough, upper and lower respiratory tract infections, fever, dysentery, colds, pain, skin diseases, wounds, headache, rheumatism, sprain, contusions, insect bites, and aromatic baths for sick patients
• Sambong (Blumea balsamifera)


  • Bukadkad, subusob, subsub or sobsob
  • Used as an anti-edema, diuretic, anti-hypertensive, for urolithiasis, infected wounds, respiratory infections, stomach pains, as an expectorant, and anti-diarrheal
• Akapulko (Senna alata)


  • Emperor's candlesticks, bayas bayasan, candletree
  • Used for its fungicidal properties to treat ringworm and other fungal skin infections, and as a laxative and purgative
• Ampalaya (Momordica charantia)


  • Bitter gourd or bitter melon, bitter apple, bitter squash, balsam-pear
  • Used to lower blood sugar levels and treat diabetes mellitus
• Bayabas (Psidium guajava)


  • Tayabas, kalimbahin o kalumbahin
  • Used to help lower blood sugar, relieve painful menstruation, aid weight loss, have anti-cancer effects, boost immunity, and benefit the skin
• Banaba (Lagerstroemia speciosa)


  • Giant crepe myrtle
  • Used to lower blood sugar, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, lowers cholesterol, treats kidney disease, and helps with urinary tract infections
• Coconut (Cocos nucifera)


  • Coconut, coconut palm, coconut fruit
  • Used as food, milk, and flour (providing vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants), as a hair conditioner, a refreshing drink, for cooking and skin/hair oil, and as an anti-cancer, laxative, and weight loss aid
• Malunggay (Moringa oleifera)


  • Moringa, drumstick tree, benzolive tree, west indian tree
  • Used for headaches, bacterial and fungal skin infections, anti-inflammatory, gastric ulcers, anti-diarrhea, malnutrition, antiviral, antidepressant, and male sexual dysfunction
• Ylang-ylang (Cananga odorata)


  • Cananga tree, perfume tree, fragrant cananga, macassar oil plant
  • Used in aromatherapy, essential oils, to relieve high blood pressure, normalize sebum secretion for skin problems, in perfumery, and as an aphrodisiac
• Tanglad (Cymbopogon citratus)


  • West indian lemon grass, simple lemon grass
  • Used in herbal supplements and tea, as an anxiolytic, hypnotic, anticonvulsant, analgesic, antipyretic, and antifungal agent
• kingdom- all plants are included inone kingdom (plantae)
• phylum- plants are divided in the category based on their evolutionary history and their similarities
• class- over 235,000- divided into two (angiospermae, gymnospermae)