such as Pinus torreyana, P. contorta, P. ponderosa, P. aristata, 

 and so on. (Note that once a generic name is used in a paragraph, 

 it may be abbreviated by a single letter in subsequent usage. 

 Specific names are not abbreviated, however.) The taxonomic 

 hierarchy continues upward, since every genus belongs to a family. 

 For example, the rose gQnw^Rosa, the blackberry gtnus Rubus, 

 the strawberry genus Fragaria, the bitterbrush genus Purshia, 

 chokecherries (Pninus), cinquefoils (Potentilla), and their gen- 

 eric relatives all are members of the rose family (Rosaceae). 

 Despite the differences in the general appearance of these 

 plants, close examination of the flowers reveals that they have 

 a number of basic similarities which indicates that they are 

 related and should be placed together in a single family. Like- 

 wise, pines (Pinus), true firs (Abies), hemlocks (Tsuga), and a 

 number of other coniferous tree genera are placed together in 

 the Pinaceae. 



The family name, like the generic name, is always capitaUzed. 

 With a few exceptions family names terminate with the suffix 

 "-aceae"; exceptions are the family names of some common 

 famihes such as the grass family (Gramineae), sunflower family 

 (Compositae), pea family (Leguminosae), and a few others. For 

 the sake of consistency, those families that do not have the 

 "-aceae" ending can be given other names with the "-aceae" 

 ending: 



Compositae = Asteraceae 



Gramineae = Poaceae 



Leguminosae = Fabaceae 



Labiatae = Lamiaceae 



Umbelliferae = Apiaceae 

 Either usage is acceptable. 



In one respect, the taxonomic hierarchy is like an accordion 

 in that various categories can be inserted at appropriate levels 

 by using the prefix "sub." Subspecies are in frequent usage; 

 subgenera and sub famihes are of less common occurrence in 

 botanical nomenclature. For example, one of the perennial 

 composites belonging to the goldfield genus Lasthenia has three 

 subspecies. The most widespread of these is L. macrantha subsp. 

 macrantha, which occurs in a couple of localities on the Cahfornia 



