Lesson 18: What's in a Name?
Each living thing is a member of a specific group of organisms and is identified by two names: the genus to which it belongs, and its particular species within that genus. The genera are organized within tribes, then subfamilies, and, finally, families. The thousands of grass species distributed across the world's landscape belong to a single family of plants: the Poaceae.
While the common name of a grass species may vary from one country to another, the scientific name (i.e., the "latin binomial") is supposed to be universally accepted. This, however, is not always the case. There are several turfgrasses, for example, with more than one accepted scientific name. This reflects the different taxonomic "authorities" associated with the names and the descriptions of the species. In some cases, the contributions of two different authorities are recognized by including both in the scientific name. Scientific nomenclature is further complicated by the inclusion of an infraspecific designation (e.g., subspecies, variety) resulting in a three-component name, or"trinomial."
As you contemplate what's in a name, consider the following questions:
What to do...
In this lesson you will review information on Taxonomy. When you are finished going through the lesson, access the Lesson 18 Quiz. You can take the quiz up to 5 times. Practice! The questions are just like those you will find on the exams.