MediumBiologyHigh School (11–12)Diversity of Living Organisms › Biodiversity and NomenclatureNumerical
Eight common names from two languages are: haldi, turmeric, dhaniya, coriander, lahsun, garlic…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
Eight common names from two languages are: haldi, turmeric, dhaniya, coriander, lahsun, garlic, pyaz and onion. Haldi and turmeric are Curcuma longa; dhaniya and coriander are Coriandrum sativum; lahsun and garlic are Allium sativum; pyaz and onion are Allium cepa. How many different organisms are on the list? How many different genera?
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
About to million species are known and described. Biodiversity is the number and variety of organisms. Common names change with the place and the language, and they can mislead, so each organism needs one scientific name used everywhere. Binomial nomenclature (Linnaeus): two Latin words, the genus and the specific epithet. In print both are in italics; by hand each word is underlined separately. The genus starts with a capital letter, the epithet with a small one, and the author comes last in short form, for example Linn. Plants follow the ICN, and animals the ICZN.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Organisms. Four scientific names, so organisms.
Step 2. Genera. Curcuma, Coriandrum and Allium (garlic and onion share it): genera.
Answer: organisms in genera.
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