acer carpinifolium
Humans need to name everything, including plants. It is the way we have to identify what we want and that others know what we are talking about.
Although each region, each town and even each town uses common names to refer to a plant in question, there is one that is universal, which is the one we all use: the botanical. Let us know how to write the scientific name of plants.
How is this written?
The botanical name is that which is made up of two or more words, usually derived from Latin or Greek, that designate a specific plant. It is formed by the genus (for example, Aloe) and the variety (vera, arborescens, plicatilis, dichotoma, etc.). In addition, it can also indicate the crafts (variegata, pendula, ...) and / or the cultivar. So, we can have Aloe arborescens var. frutescens, Acer palmatum var. atropurpureum, etc.
And what about hybrids? Hybrids are the cross of two different species. For example, if the species are crossed Spiraea albiflora and Spiraea japonica is obtained Spiraea x bumalda, which is written with an »x» after the genus to indicate that it is a hybrid.
In any case, are always written in italics, with the first letter of the genre capitalized.
Why is the scientific name important?
Scientific names they are universal; that is, they are the same all over the world. When we want to find information about a plant, it will always be much more advisable to put the botanical name before the common one, since as we said at the beginning, each area uses its own.
Also, it's a nice excuse to learn more about botany 🙂. There is a great variety of plants, and you can always be pleasantly surprised with them.
Thelocactus hexahedrophorus
We hope this article has been useful to you.