# Methodology to identify plants



## jibby (Dec 17, 2020)

I’m wrapping up a 10 day trip to Costa Rica. As any of us would, I took tons of photos of aroids, ferns, orchids, terrestrials, and more. I would love to identify a few of at least the families to see if I can acquire anything for my terrarium.

How do you begin with identifying an unknown plant?
What’re important characteristics to look for?
Are there specific resources/websites you commonly use?

I’ll drop a few ID’s in question in the thread. TIA


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## jibby (Dec 17, 2020)




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## Socratic Monologue (Apr 7, 2018)

I'm hoping that in exchange for info, you'll post more of those photos. Really neat!


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## TeddytheFinger (May 8, 2019)

I'm hoping if I show interest he'll post more photos!
_Shows interest intently_


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## jibby (Dec 17, 2020)

Socratic Monologue said:


> I'm hoping that in exchange for info, you'll post more of those photos. Really neat!





TeddytheFinger said:


> I'm hoping if I show interest he'll post more photos!
> _Shows interest intently_


Don’t worry y’all. I’m planning on making a trip thread with plenty of photos. I still have hundreds more photos to sort through, and I haven’t shared the best yet.


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

> View attachment 300443


This one looks like _Monstera dubia_ at least to my untrained eye


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## Harpspiel (Jan 18, 2015)

The 2nd might be a Peperomia, if those are flower stalks I see on the top left of the branch. If you took pictures of orchids, I could look through this, although it’s pretty old:


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## Fahad (Aug 25, 2019)

Plant morphology and taxonomy is the stuff of nightmares but I'd vote M. dubia and Peperomia rotundifolia for the disc-shaped little creeper. And probably be wrong. 😐 

The tri-lobed thing could be any number of aroids. Syngonium, Chlorospatha, Philodendron, Fahadhasnoideaum ...


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## fishingguy12345 (Apr 7, 2019)

Fahad said:


> Fahadhasnoideaum ...


It's this one ^^^


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## Fahad (Aug 25, 2019)

fishingguy12345 said:


> It's this one ^^^


Thought so.


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## jibby (Dec 17, 2020)

Harpspiel said:


> The 2nd might be a Peperomia, if those are flower stalks I see on the top left of the branch. If you took pictures of orchids, I could look through this, although it’s pretty old:
> View attachment 300456


I have so many photos of orchids from the trip. I may have to purchase that book to help identify them. I’ll share once I get them off my camera.


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## jibby (Dec 17, 2020)

Fahad said:


> M. dubia and Peperomia rotundifolia


I think you’re spot on with both of these. 

As for identifying the unknown aroid type plant. It’s going to take a lot of reverse image searching and checking databases I guess. In reality I don’t need to know exactly what it is, but it’s fun to try.

Especially for the orchids, I would love to identify them. A few of the flowers were spectacular.


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## Schledog (Apr 28, 2020)

fishingguy12345 said:


> This one looks like _Monstera dubia_ at least to my untrained eye


The patterned climbing one is more likely Monstera tuberculata. The disk shaped one is definitely a Peperomia and I would agree it looks like a Peperomia rotundifolia. As for how to identify, look at flowers, leaf shape, leaf pattern, etc. Flowers can really help especially on determining what family something is in which is always a good start. Facebook can be a great tool for identifying things because you can get identifications from actual botanists. Other than that just study I guess, Ive spent countless hours just looking at insitu shots or reading about plants so I can get the ID down to at least a family easily.


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