Every species has a story.

A beginner’s field companion

A name is the beginning of a conversation.

You do not need to name every plant before you start exploring. Begin with a clear observation and follow the classification trail at your own pace. This guide deliberately keeps its collection small: every family connects to two genera, and every genus connects to two species. Those counts describe this website’s selection, not the total diversity of the families.

Use the photographs as reference material. A close-up may show a fruit, a leaf, or a preserved herbarium specimen; the caption tells you who made the image. The original botanical source appears beside the description so you can examine the evidence and read beyond our summary. Regional ranges describe published distributions, not the location where a reference photograph was taken.

Build a useful observation

1. Take a wider photograph showing the plant’s overall form.
2. Add close views of leaves and any visible flowers or fruits.
3. Write the date, general location and what you actually observed.

Three words to know

Family

A classification that groups related genera.

Genus

A classification within a family; the first word of a species name.

Species

The more precise level used in this guide, written with a two-part scientific name.

Naming reference: International Association for Plant Taxonomy . Field workflow is original project guidance.