Monograph
Definition
A taxonomic treatment of a single genus or family across its entire global range, providing more depth than a regional flora on that group's variation and identification.
- Scope
- Single genus or family, global range
- Compared to
- Regional flora, which covers a limited geographic area
- Value
- Depth on variation and identification within the group
- Used in
- Forensic botany and palynology identification work
Common questions
Why would a forensic botanist consult a monograph instead of a regional flora?+
A regional flora may only briefly describe a species within a local key, while a monograph compiles the full range of morphological variation across the species' entire distribution, which helps resolve identification of atypical or geographically unusual specimens.
Is a monograph always more current than a regional flora?+
Not necessarily; monographs can take decades to revise given their global scope, so a botanist may need to combine an older monograph's taxonomic framework with newer regional or molecular studies for current identification.
Related terms
- Binomial Nomenclature
- The two-part Latin naming system established by Linnaeus: genus name followed by species epithet. Used in all scientific and forensic botanical reports...
- Dichotomous Key
- A botanical identification tool presenting paired contrasting descriptions at each step. The user selects the description matching the specimen and follows the...
- Flora
- A systematic account of all plant species in a defined geographic area, with identification keys, descriptions, and distribution information. Examples include Flora...
- Taxon
- Any named group in the classification hierarchy, from kingdom to subspecies. In forensic botany the most relevant levels are family, genus, and...
- Type Specimen
- The actual specimen on which the original scientific description of a species was based. Held in a herbarium, it is the reference...