Locality

Locality [ Taxonomy ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names


	The locality is the geographical site (or collecting station) where a plant was originally found and collected, the locality name is usually reported after the scientific name or the field number.

The locality include the following indication:

City: The name of the city or town outside whose boundaries the plants have been found. (usually with indication of the relative position (For example 3km North/west of Las Vegas) For localities distant from city or towns the indication may refer to road or to other geographical point of reference (For example: 65 km / road n. 101 of Tamaulipas or South-West of Grand Canyon or 10 km W of Higueras Mountain)
County: The name of the county or other equivalent political unit (like province, department, etc..)
State: The name of the state or other equivalent political unit in situations where they are not called states. For example, the provinces and territories of Canada or the Federal states of Mexico.
Country: The name of the country based on currently recognized political boundaries, but older names still exist for anterior collection.

Other useful elements for a more accurate localization are.
Latitude/Longitude: The latitudinal and longitudinal co-ordinates of the collecting station. There may be a range of co-ordinates.
Altitude: The elevation at which the plants has been found
Locality images: E.g. topographic maps, field photographs

Type locality [ Taxonomy ]
Abbreviation: TL


	The type locality (Abbreviation: TL) is the geographical place of collection where a holotype or type specimen of a nominal species or subspecies was first found and described.

For more details see: Type locality

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994