Taxonomy of Coffee

Taxonomy of Coffee
The genus Coffea belongs to the family Rubiaceae. This family comprises many genera including Gardenia, Ixora, Cinchona (quinine) and Rubia.

The later includes Rubia tinctoria (Turkey Red), from which the name of the family Rubiaceae was derived. The genus Coffea covers approximately 70 species.

The main species of coffee tree cultivated on a worldwide scale are Coffea arabica and C. canephora var. robusta.

Minor cultivated species include C. liberica and C. excelsa, which are mainly restricted to West Africa and Asia, and account for 1-2% of global production.

In the past, coffee classification has undergone frequent alterations and the present system of classification is not yet the final version.

Specialists are well aware that further native species of Coffea are likely to be discovered in Africa and possibly elsewhere.

In addition, genome studies involving cellular studies and molecular chemistry, will undoubtedly highlight factors that will refine and simplify present day coffee classification.
Taxonomy of Coffee

Taxonomy of Apple

Taxonomy of Apple
The scientific or Latin of a plant is extremely important as common names vary with location and language spoken.

Taxonomic classification places a plant in a large group of related plants (a family) and assigns to it an official names, based on Latin and Greek root words.

Scientific names generally consist of two italicized words, the first denoting the genus, the second a species within that genus.

For example, Malus domestica is the name for the cultivated apple, where Malus is the genus and domestica the species name.

In Latin, Malus is a noun meaning “apple” or alternately, “evil,” “bad,” “or “wrong.” The dual meaning probably stems from the biblical story of Eve and the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden.

The species name domestica is a n adjective meaning “around the house” thus, the entire name translates roughly top the domesticated apple.

Last, but not least, someone always has to take credit for things, so the authority is tacked in the scientific name, denoting the person who named the plant.

In the case of apple, it was a botanist named Borkhausen, so the precise full name for apple is Malus domestica Borkh.
Taxonomy of Apple

Taxonomy of Blueberries

Taxonomy of Blueberries
Blueberries are members of the Ericaceae (or heath) family, genus Vaccinium, subgenus Cyanococcus.

The genus is very diverse containing 150 to 450 species, mostly found in the tropics at high elevations but also in temperate and boreal regions.

Most species are shrubs similar to the blueberry but again a diverse range of growth forms, from epiphytes to trees, exists.

The Ericaceae family contains several important ornaments: rhododendrons and azaleas (Rhododendron), mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia), heather (Calluna), health (Erica) and leatherleaf (Leucothoe).

Other species of Vaccinium grown for fruit include the following:

• Cranberry (V. macrocarpon). The most economically important Vaccinium in the world, cranberry is grown primarily in the northeastern United States. The plant is a creeping rhizomatous, bog species that grows wild in swampy areas.
  
  
• Huckleberry (V. ovatum –evergreen; V. parvifolium – red; V. ovaliflium – tall mountain; V. deliciosum – low growing mountain). Prized as wildlife species, huckleberry plants provide an edible landscape element and are also used as ground covers. Huckleberry is also classified in the genus Gaylussacia.
  
  
• Lignonberry (V. vitis-idaea). A creeping evergreen from Northern Europe, this plant produces small, cranberry like fruits.
  
  
• Bilberry (V. myrtillus), A rhizomatous shrub native to Northern Europe, Russia, Scandinavia and the Pacific Northwest, this plant produces aromatic, purple berries that are collected from the wild and used in jellies, jams and wines.

Taxonomy of Blueberries