# where/how to identify a plant **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 14, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886 "2003-12-14T03:35:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/1 "2003-12-14T03:35:31Z")
Trying to find a web site to try to identify a plant Ive got growing here. Anyone know of any? For those botanically inclined, its some sort of tree/shrub (I dont know which since its still a very young plant, but its sort of looking like a tree. At least its only got one “trunk” so far). IT has perfectly oval leaves in a staggered pattern (that is the leaves alternate on either side) along the stem and with VERY small white star shaped flowers in between the leaves. – looks almost like dust they’re so small. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/2 "2003-12-14T03:36:48Z")
oh yeah, the leaves “droop” or sort of fold down when it gets dark, and it REALLY doesnt like to be handled (leaves droop or fall off if touched too much). ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/3 "2003-12-14T04:30:28Z")
How big are the leaves? Are they standard green or have varigation to them? Are they shiny, dull or have fuzzy hairs? What color are the stems? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/4 "2003-12-14T05:02:19Z")
A picture would be _really_ helpful here. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/5 "2003-12-14T06:40:41Z")
I agree with **Squink**. There are a _lot_ of books that can be used as houseplant identifiers, but there are rather fewer web sites that can do the job. One possibility that comes to mind is the “Prayer plant” or [_Maranta leuconeura_](http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week123.shtml). The site to which I’ve linked is OK, but like most on-line “finder” pages, it expects you to already know the name of the object for which you’re searching. ---
**Author:** ![orianabird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e95f7d/32.png) [@orianabird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/orianabird)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/6 "2003-12-14T07:05:45Z")
Another good place to ask is at your local community college. The botany department at Windward Community College in my home town would identify any clippings brought in as a project for students. ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/7 "2003-12-14T16:40:02Z")
It’s not a prayer plant (for sure, as Ive got one of those too. :D) The leaves are smooth, light green. Total length is about 1.5 cms width about 1cm (newer leaves are smaller, but same proportions). Smooth edges as well. The trunk/stem has a redish tint (very faint) in the “older” parts, but light green in the new growth. The flowers are star shaped with 5 points (petals?) kinda green with a white-ish trim around the edges of the petals. I know a pic would help, but unfortunately I don’t own a digital camera. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![\_possum\_stalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b77776/32.png) [@\_possum\_stalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_possum_stalker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2003, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/8 "2003-12-14T21:21:43Z")
Compound leaves or not? [(a very short botanical dictionary)](http://www.shout.net/~jhilty/filesx/line_drawingx.htm) Also, this an indoor/houseplant, right? Most floras are arranged by area/type of plant, e.g. _Newcomb’s Wildflower Guide_ does most common wild plants in NE U.S. (and has the easiest key in the world to use). I spend a lot of quality time with Mohlenbrock’s _Flora of Illinois_ (which has not a single goddam picture in it, so everything must be translated into Botanese, e.g., “margin serrate, apex sub-mucronate”). There is a massive all photo-based guide to indoor houseplants called _Exotica_ that you might end up with. I’m about to head to library, so I may check it out for ya’ if I can get a close enough parking spot (it’s no fun to lug around). Graf, A.B. (1985). Exotica International Series 4. Pictorial cyclopedia of exotic plants from tropical and near tropic regions. Vols. 1-2. Roehrs. [Worldwide]. Kew Garden’s plant ID ref list [http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/shops/listident.html](http://www.rbgkew.org.uk/shops/listident.html) ---
**Author:** ![rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/919ad9/32.png) [@rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2003, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-how-to-identify-a-plant/218886/9 "2003-12-15T00:35:46Z")
Thanks possum, any help would be great. I have absolutely no idea what kind of plant this is. I was given a small palm a friend of mine had kept outdoors and when transplanting it I found a pair of small seedlings growing in the pot. I decided to try to grow them because I liked the leaf shape and colour. I would have thought it to be a native species, but the way the leaves react to being handled, I just dont see it surviving in Canada. Plus there’s the fact that its growing like mad right now indoors (which would seem that it might not require a dormant period). As for the leaf placement (using the website descriptions from your link) the leaves are placed in “opposite” arrangement, “simple leaf” type, and “oval” in shape. The leaf margin is “smooth” and the Venation is “pinnate”. the flowers are in a “flowerhead” shape (that is short stalk and flat along the plane), originating at the juncture where the leaves meet the branch. The other interesting feature it exhibits is that the leaves fold down at night. (Looks like the plant is dead with drooping leaves sort of thing).