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Introduction on how to use this book

Throughout this book, four main criteria are used to group all plants: the (1) colour and (2) shape of the flowers, the (3) position of leaves on the stem, and the (4) type of leaf margin. Except for a few exceptions, usage of only these four criteria permits the identification of most species on one double page in less than 10 steps.

Colour

In this book the plants are distinguished according to the following colours: white, pink, red, blue, yellow, green, multicoloured and other. Many species have been assigned several times. This was necessary as colours often have transitions that are difficult to grasp, and as the perception of colours differs from person to person.

Flower type

Flowers differ not only in colour but also in shape and they were grouped in the following way: (1) flowers that are too small to see flower details without a magnifying glass, (2) flowers with 2-4 radially symmetrical petals, (3) flowers with 5 radially symmetrical petals, (4) flowers with more than 5 radially symmetric petals, (5) flowers with umbelliferous inflorescences, (6) flowers with a non-radial symmetry axis, (7) daisy- and dandelion-like inflorescences and flowers which do not fit into any of the preceding criteria.

Leaves

In addition to flowers, plants also differ in their leaves. These can be opposite (8) or not opposite (9).

The criteria not opposite (9) also include plants without leaves as well as plants where leaves are either all basal or in whorls.

Leaf edge

Apart from the leaf position, leaves also differ in their leaf margin. The leaf margin can be entire (10) or not (11). Similar to the position of leaves, plants without leaves are grouped with those plants that do not have entire margins.

Other criteria

Apart from these four main criteria, other important distinguishing features for the identifcation of plants include the shape of the leaves,

the presence (23) or absence (24) of leaf stalks,

The presence (25) or absence (26) of stipules,

and various flower parts (27):

Families of plants with special characteristics for identifying plants In some plant families, other characteristics are also of importance during the identification process. Thus, the colour and size of the petals are important for the identification of Fabaceae (28) species,

Typical flower shape of Fabaceae species (28)

the number of rows of bracts are important when identifying Compositae (29),

Composite flower with multiple rows of bracts (29)

umbellifers (Apiaceae) differ with regard to the presence or absence of bracts and bracteoles,

while the shape of the fruit is important when identifying species of the Cruciferae family,

By contrast, the presence, shape, and size of the lower and upper lip (35) is important for the identifcation of Labiates (Lamiaceae) and other plant families.

Flower with a lower and upper lip (35)