when does it flower? Fallopia baldschuanica. This user-friendly field guide features nearly eight hundred species of plants commonly found along the Pacific coast—from Oregon to Alaska—including trees, shrubs, wildflowers, aquatic plants, grasses, ferns, mosses, and lichens. Once you know the family that your plant is in, then you can either use identification keys for that family to work out which genus and species you have, or you can browse through family groupings in field guides (see for example Pojar and MacKinnon's Plants of Coastal British Columbia) or, if you work with E-Flora BC, you can browse through all of the atlas pages for a given family. Or does it sprawl on the ground? As a rule, line drawings of features are more descriptive than a photo. These traits, or key characters, are what botanists use in developing taxonomic keys for plant identification. Once you have used an identification guide or technical manual to come up with a name, use E-Flora to see if there are any similar species that could be confused with your species. Plant Identification Many ponds have more than one type of aquatic plant, and care must be taken to identify all the aquatic plants inhabiting the pond. Epipremnum pinnatum “Variegata”. Studying native plants in British Columbia is also a chance to learn about Indigenous knowledge of the plants where you live. wood lily. PLANTS now presents images in a "slide show", enabling PLANTS users to scroll through photos and line art, providing a faster and easier way to review images. Sometimes you can guess the type of plant you are viewing because it looks like a more familiar garden plant. These are excerpted from Vascular Plant Families (by James Payne Smith Jr., 1977). Ecballium elaterium. E-Flora BC: An initiative of the Spatial Data Lab, Department of Geography UBC, and the UBC Herbarium. largely contributed to the diets of First Nations peoples of this area before these people and their land were colonized.. Seaweed. Buttercup. Learning about native plants—plants that haven’t been moved to a location by humans from somewhere else—is a great way to learn about the place you call home. Quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) Quackgrass is a creeping, persistent perennial grass that reproduces … Stipulate herbs, shrubs and trees with 5-merous (petals in multiples of 5) flowers, a hypanthium, and many stamens. Herbs with opposite basal, or whorled leaves, 5-merous flowers, stamens opposite the petals, and free-central placentation. Visit our photography page and learn about photos on E-Flora BC. Habitat is an important aid in plant identification. So it’s important that we protect our province by taking action to understand, minimize and report invasive species. Use region of occurrence to vet possible identifications. Woody plants, usually shrubs, with leathery, often evergreen leaves, urceolate or campanulate flowers with anthers opening by terminal pores. Several plant varieties produce Psyllium, but plantain is a rich source of the compound and the easiest to find and identify in most regions. The keys help sort features and ultimately lead you to a species identification. View a … This method can work for common 'wildflower' species. But alas, it is a thick guide as it is. PlantSnap can currently recognize 90% of all known species of plants and trees, which covers most of the species you will encounter in every country on Earth. If you can't find your plant in a wildflower guide, it may be that it is a garden species that has not naturalized in BC. the E-Flora atlas page to be sure the species you have identified is actually found in your region. Many grasses have edible seeds as well but it's better to learn to identify a specific plant rather than learn iffy tips. Native plants have grown wild in our area for centuries and are well adapted to the local environment. 2—monoecious or dioecious, mature achenes (2.5) 3.0-3.5 (4.0) mm long with a beak about 1 mm … Cyphostemma juttae. For example, a local field guide might list five species of buttercups, but it is helpful to know that there are actually 40 species of buttercups in BC. what is the colour range of the plant? Buttercup. 3)   When thinking about morphology, look closely. Glechoma hederacea “Variegata”. Is this a spring, summer or autumn-flowering species. Does your plant have an aroma or odor? Even the folks over at the United States Food and Drug Administration are willing to admit the value of Psyllium – something they rarely do when referencing either wild or cultivated herbs. Use these links to get started and to find the tools that will help you to learn how to identify our wild plant species. 2—monoecious, mature achenes 2.0-2.5 mm long with a beak less than 0.5 mm long pointing forward from the tip of the achene. It may be that after looking closely at your plant, working through plant keys, and checking photos an illustrations in E-Flora BC and in field guides, you still can't name your plant with certainty. Become familiar with flowers of similar colour or similar shape, and learn to separate these based on other traits such as leaf shape or habitat preferences. Fallopia convolvulus. yellow glacier-lily (aka snow-lily) yellowcress. Cinqfoil. For example, if your plant was found on a dry sand dune, then it is unlikely to be a species that only occurs in wet cattail marshes or rocky outcrops. Entries are listed below in alphabetical order (A-to-Z). There are a total of 528 British Columbia Insects (528 Found) in the Insect Identification database. Crataegus pedicellata. 5)   Is your plant really wild? Fireweed blossoms. Even a kilometer can make a difference when it comes to species distributions. Skip to content. Consider making E-Flora your charitable donation for the year. Find out the family that the garden plant belongs to, then browse that family. Arnica. Daphne gnidium. You can use it to look up growing and care information on specific plants, to view the primary attributes of your plants and see how they might look and grow over time, or to find the ideal plants … Some things might look similar at first glance, but are often actually variable when you take a closer look. Botanist’s primarily use the Flora of the Pacific Northwest by Hitchcock and Cronquist to differentiate plants first by FAMILY then down to species and even subspecies. Including native plants in your garden is beneficial because they: provide habitat for wildlife; attract birds, butterflies and other pollinators; are adapted to local soil and weather conditions With fungi this can be even more specific because fungi species are often found only on certain host trees or substrates. These growth 'habits' are important features in species identification. While field guides cover species such as buttercups, wild roses, and lupines, they only provide information on a handful of species. If a book is out of print, the Botanical Resources - Elisabeth C. Miller Libraryat th… Herbs, shrubs, vines, and trees with alternate, stipulate, compound leaves. what type of hairs does it have--long and silky, short and flat, or other? British Columbia's Coast Region: Species and Ecosystems of Conservation Concern, An Introduction to the Vascular Plants of BC, Species Excluded from the BC Vascular Flora, Developing Ecological Frameworks for BC's Vascular Plants, Battling the Alien Invasion in the Georgia Basin (PDF), Invasive, Noxious and Problem Vascular Plants of BC (PDF), Bibliography on Climate Change Effects on Arctic Plant Species, Bibliography on Transplantation as a Conservation Measure, Citizen Science: Mapping your photo records, Invasive, noxious and problem vascular plants of BC, Species excluded from the BC vascular flora. Fleshy fruits like apples, or legumes (pea pods), or very tiny seeds that blow in the wind? Check a garden guide for identification. If you go to our family name search page, you can view a list of the families of plants found in BC. 4. This is the ultimate reference to plants of coastal BC. E-Flora BC provides information on the biogeography and identification of the wild plant, lichen, and fungi species of British Columbia Link location E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Plants of … for the species on the E-Flora atlas page. If the plant is primarily an eastern species, or a desert species, or an Arctic species, is it likely that this is what you have found? In: Klinkenberg, Brian. There are many books and manuals available that you can use to learn how to identify the vascular plants of British Columbia and there are several other key resources available in BC for learning more about BC's wild plants. View a sample page. A password for uploading photos will be provided once you have registered. Visit our photo gallery to browse through more than 26,000 photos of vascular plants, fungi, mosses and more. Flowers are actinomorphic or zygomorphic, 5-merous, unicarpellate; fruit ia a legume or loment. Native plants of B.C. Alberta wild rose. wild rose. They will also have tons of edible plants… Visit other areas that are regularly cleared. Many are still used today. If so, please use the link below to register with us. The order in which they are presented is the same as in Plants of Coastal British Columbia by Pojar and MacKinnon. If your fungus was found growing on the trunk of an evergreen tree then it won't be a species that is found growing only on birch trees. For example, some species are very restricted in their range in BC and may only be found in the dry interior, in the Fraser Delta, or along the coast of the province. Pojar’s and Parish’s field guides are handy for ID, ecology, and ethnobotany information. Which type of 'thorn' does your plant have? [Date Accessed]. You can view a list of the ferns, trees and shrubs of BC by going to our. Is it a vine that trails on the ground. Plant Identification Terminology: ... British Columbia, and Alaska by Jim Pojar and Andy MacKinnon. Wildflowers etc. In this case, call up the sedge family--the Cyperaceae. Herbs [in BC] with 5-merous, zygomorphic (having petals of two or more different shapes and sizes) corolla, 3 carpellate gynoecium, spurred flower, spurred anthers and an explosive capsule. British ColumbiaIndianFlowersPlantsBeautifulBedsFloraRoyal Icing FlowersIndian People Nodding beggarticks (Bidens cernua), photo by Real Sarrazin. Cotoneaster, Willow-Leaved. Use region of occurrence to vet possible identifications. The other texts listed here vary in format (drawings or photos) and focus (region, site, or habitat). Use the menu below to access our introductory pages on the botany of BC. Pay attention to habitat and host to help narrow the possibilities. flora of the province. Then they narrow down the identification by looking at all species with the flower colour they are interested in. If you know your plant looks like a daisy type of flower, then call up the daisy family--the Asteraceae. Once you grant this permission to the app, you can identify plants with it. Some of these terms seem daunting at first but once you know them then plant identification is simplified. This resource contains a wealth of information about many of the plants that we carry each year. Cotoneaster multiflorus. [In BC,] trailing vines, often with milky latex, 5-merous flowers with a tubular, plaited corolla, 5 eipietalous stamens and a bicarpellate gynoecium. This includes learning about the number of stamens a plant typically has, how many petals are typical, the position of the ovary in the flower, the presence/absence and shape of stipules at the base of leaves, the positioning of leaves (opposite or alternate) and more. This is true even if you have the region of occurrence correct. For example, roses are generally 'thorny', but specialists separate 'thorns' into thorns and prickles and spines, and some roses have none of these. Being aware of thorns helps you choose plants that best fit your space, especially in areas of your landscape where people or pets spend a lot of time. It pays to learn stinging nettle and poison ivy right away, and avoid these plants! Herbs with swollen nodes, ocreae or involucrate heads, petaloid calyx, and a lens-shapded or triangular achene, often black. Recognition characters are provided below for a few plant famiilies found in BC. Try roadsides (note warning below), fields, parks, and so on. The best way to approach plant identification, though, is to learn the 'pattern' that groups of plants express, starting with plant families. Thorny plants come in many different types, including perennials, shrubs and trees with both deciduous and evergreen options to choose. Identify Plant: To use this feature, you should either register an account or tap the “use app as a guest” option. what type of seeds or fruits does it have? Native Plants of British Columbia. E-Flora BC: Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia [eflora.bc.ca]. Online Botany Guide: Learning Plant Families. Some plants come in more than one colour. Recognition characters are provided below for a few plant famiilies found in BC. By Baja_Costero on Dec 23, 2020 8:27 PM, concerning plant: Vuurpylaalwyn (Aloe peglerae). 1)   If you find something similar looking to your plant in a field guide or on E-Flora BC, pay attention to its broader distribution in North America. Use the search features below to access our species pages. Ficus pumila “Variegata”. Pay attention to habitat and host to help narrow the possibilities. Brome. Stemless, usually solitary South African aloe with blue, blue-green or blue-gray leaves (turning pink or purple with stress) and short, very densely flowered inflorescences. Field guides and other books; Hand tools; Websites; Scientific names; ... Field guide to weeds of BC. Learn about getting a paperback field guide on this topic for your area. Bird vetch. — Sagittaria cuneata. Canadian goldenrod. Catkin-bearing dioecious (male and femlae parts in separate flowers/plants) trees and shrubs with comose seeds. Search all three of our interlinked biodiversity sites (E-Flora BC, E-Fauna BC, and the Biodiversity of BC) using the Comprehensive Search feature below. PLANTS has new maps Plants is trying out a new, more modern mapping system. Use the search features below to access our species pages. has declared a state of emergency. History. The following links are to sites that focus on learning plant families as the way to learn plant identification: Learning to Identify Plants by Family Often there are similar looking species that are found at other elevations, and species are often specific in their preferences for high elevation versus low elevation. With fungi this can be even more specific because fungi species are often found only on certain host trees or substrates. wild mint. Atlas pages include interactive map, photographs, taxonomic descriptions and links to outside sites. We have outlined below some of the common questions to start with when identifying a plant species: As you work through the identification of your plant, there are a few others things to consider in narrowing down the species identification: Check the distribution map on the E-Flora atlas page to be sure the species you have identified is actually found in your region. 2)   Don't forget to use your senses. An Introduction to the Vascular Plants of BC, Species Excluded from the BC Vascular Flora, Developing Ecological Frameworks for BC's Vascular Plants, Battling the Alien Invasion in the Georgia Basin (PDF), Invasive, Alien and Problem Plants of BC (PDF), Rare Plants of the Fraser Valley Lowland Zone, Bibliography on Climate Change Effects on Arctic Plant Species, Bibliography on Transplantation as a Conservation Measure, Citizen Science: Mapping your photo records, several other key resources available in BC, Online Botany Guide: Learning Plant Families, is it a shrub, herb, fern, or other type of plant. This is true even if you have the region of occurrence correct. Sagittaria sp. Many people identify vascular plants by flower colour. Red-osier dogwood (Cornus stolonifera)--dogwoods all share common vennation patterns on the leaves, and leaves are opposite. woodsorrel. of British Columbia This gallery is not limited to just wildflowers, but also includes grasses, sedges and ferns. Is it bushy? Even a kilometer can make a difference when it comes to species distributions. British Columbia plant species codes Version 10 (2016) These species code files contain the presently accepted scientific and common names for vascular plants, mosses and lichens of British Columbia .The liverworts and hornworts included on this list are from the North American lists as a B.C… This new search and ID tool is in development. Wildflowers of the Canadian Rocky Mountains is an image list of flowering plants found in the Rocky Mountains in Canada. We send "General interest" updates monthly and all other updates from time to time. If the plant is grass-like, it might not be a grass, but could be a sedge. E-Flora BC is a biogeographic atlas of the vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens, algae, fungi and slime molds of British Columbia. are the leaves alternately placed on the stem or are they opposite? Nodding beggarticks (Bidens cernua), photo by Real Sarrazin. Would you like to contribute photos to E-Flora BC? The Introduction contains a section on Plants in aboriginal technology; and Plants as medicine. Identify that Plant; Blog posts; Plant Portraits; Plant ID resources. Dischidia ruscifolia. Cranberry. Almost all major groups of wild plants in British Columbia have edible members that are reported to have been used by the First Nations peoples. Use Advanced Search to call up sub groups of species such as alien species, fungi, lichens, carnivorous plants, orchids, or trees of BC. Very similar-looking species can often be sorted out by looking at their distribution. Information resources on weed and invasive plant identification and management in British Columbia B.C. Trees, Shrubs, Wildflowers, Aquatics, Grass, Ferns, Mosses & Liverworts and Lichens are the main groups to which the plants are placed. Learn about the plant geography of BC, invasive species, and the vegetation and For example, some species are very restricted in their range in BC and may only be found in the dry interior, in the Fraser Delta, or along the coast of the province. Some pond plants may be beneficial to local or migratory wildlife, and therefore, may want to be encouraged or at least not eliminated. Once you know the family 'pattern', you will be able to recognize a 'daisy', a 'rose, a 'buttercup', or a 'maple'. To identify a plant you simply need to simply snap a photo of the plant, and the app will tell you what it is in a matter of seconds! If your fungus was found growing on the trunk of an evergreen tree then it won't be a species that is found growing only on birch trees. ... diverse beauty of British Columbia's coast. Elephant head. (Editor) 2013. are the flowers symmetrical in shape or asymmetrical? Search for people, substrates, species and more. This is when it helps to ask an expert. Cotoneaster dammeri cv. Learning plant families is the best way to learn the plants of British Columbia. These are excerpted from Vascular Plant Families … Are there any similar species that could cause confusion? Alfalfa. It helps to be aware of the elevation where your plant is found. Identify Invasive species are plants, animals or other organisms that aren’t native to BC and that threaten the many opportunities for year-round outdoor recreation and hidden natural treasures that we value so much. New Search Feature and Vascular Plant Species ID Tool. Keys are included for all genera, species, subspecies and varieties. Plants of Southeast Asia @Ferry Slik: Introduction: Species by Family: Species list: Family Keys: Synonyms Confidently master the skill of correct plant identification. Does it sting when you touch it? Pattern, Pattern, Pattern: Identification Using Family Traits. 4. 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