accurate family groups

[littleminnie]

It seems like there are more than one name for the garden plant family groups. Sometimes you hear cruciferaceae is correct and other people say it is brassicaceae. Same with the onion family and the legume family and the carrot family. Does anyone have the most up to date info on what they are called?
This is the list I am making. If anyone wants to correct it please do. It is for my class. Not that they need to know scientific names but just to see how things are related. I'll give them the nicknames of the groups to work with.

• Amaryllidaceae/alliaceae-chives, garlic, onions, scallions, leeks, shallots, lilies, alliums, amaryllis
• Cruciferaceae/Brassicaceae-broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprout, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi, kale, mustard greens, collars, horseradish, radish, watercress, alyssum, stock, wallflowers
• Chenopodiaceae-beet, swiss chard, spinach, orach
• Compositae-lettuce, endive, escarole, artichoke, sunchoke, sunflower, salsify, many flowers
• Convolvulaceae-sweet potatoes, morning glories, sweet potato vine, cypress vine
• Cucurbitaceae-melons, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, gourds, luffa
• Gramineae-corn, other grasses, bamboo, sugar cane, sudan grass, sorghum, rice, wild rice
• Leguminosae/fabaceae-peas, beans, soybeans, peanuts, sweet peas, lupines, baptisia
• Solanaceae-tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, tomatillo, potatoes, nicotiana, petunia, datura
• Umbelliferae/apiaceae-carrots, parsnip, parsley, parsley root, celery, celery root, fennel, dill, queen Anne’s lace, cilantro, chervil, lovage, yarrow

[Alan]

The best source you'll probably find for this sort of thing would be Alan Kapuler and Peace Seeds. Many of his resource/research journals deal with "kinship" gardens and their layouts, you can find some of his Kinship garden maps on my blog at homegrowngoodness.blogspot.com or go over to www.peaceseeds.com and look at his seed list by family name or at the various resources listed there and it will give you a pretty accurate idea of what is going on name wise.

[ottawagardener]

Add to that Compositae also known as Asteracea. I recently read something about this. I'll see if I can find it.

[ottawagardener]

Another one: Gramineae also known as Poaceae.

Small, in Culinary Herbs says that the recent trend is to put Alliums in a family intermediate between Amaryllidacea and Liliaceae known as Alliaceae. I'm pretty sure that the listings on this forum are up to date but would love to be corrected.

[littleminnie]

Ack, see what I mean? There are too many synonyms. I wanted to classify them accurately and explain that families are grouped by seed production and the family names often mean something. Like cruciferaceae are shaped like the crucifix, chenopodiaceae plants are shaped like goose feet, umbellifereae seed bunches are shaped like umbrellas. I think that stuff makes it easier to remember what is related to what.

[bunkie]

i totally identify with you minnie! somewhere around here i think it was jo and i talking about having a hard time with the latin-type names, and someon, maybe karen or pugs came in and told us how the names were associated, as you mentioned in your first post. really helped us understand....tho...i sometimes wish i had taken latin in school instead of french! ;D

[littleminnie]

I love latin too! The latin name of grape is vita something- like it is the fruit of life.
I suppose the apiaceae family is named after its ability to attract bees?
And I noticed sativa in names means edible.

[canadamike]

Did sauropus ''androgynus'' become sauropus ''marylinmansonii''??

[bunkie]

not sure michel? ;D

minnie, just found where we were talking about the names before...

alanbishop.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=soapbox&thread=3890&page=1#37728

karen posted this that was real helpful to me...

Jan 22, 2010, 9:45am, plantsnobin Karen wrote:
"Folks, please don't be afraid of the latin names of plants. The latin name is your friend. Spend a little bit of time studying them, and it will start to make sense. They will often give you a clue about some characteristic of the plant. Zelkova serrata tells you the leaves are serrated, trifolia means 3 leaflets, officinalis means it was used medicinally, edulis is edible, etc.
And the latin name makes sure that people in different areas are talking about the same plant. Common names are different in different areas, and lead to confusion.
I think that the Fine Gardening website has a pretty good botanical dictionary if I remember right. I'll quit preaching now. I have some bricks to salvage today, better get to it."

[canadamike]

I agree with you, wonderfulfriendis Karenii