Name: For the name, I choose the most common of the common names applied to the plant or group of plants. Sometimes there are two names which are pretty much equally common, such as jewelweed and touch-me-not, in which case I choose the name I prefer.
Scientific name: The universally accepted Latinate name used by botanists, listing genus and species. The letter or name listed after refers to the botanist that originally classified the plant (often Linneaus, who designed the taxonomic system of classifying living things). If there are two names with "ex" in between, that means the plant was classified by the first person and later reclassified by the second (as in the case of dandelion.) There are a few plants which different botantists classify differently (cannabis, for instance), so I've tried to use the most accepted classification.
Family: The taxonomic level above genus, which groups related plants. The family most represented in my encyclopaedia is Composite.
Other names: The other common names used to refer to this plant. I try to list the most common ones first. This list is by no means exhaustive; some plants have literally hundreds of common names. I generally limit the list to English.
Name meaning: The etymology of the common and scientific names. Often these relate to the appearance, behavior, or common uses of the plant.
Origin: What part of the world the plant is native to, and whether or not it is native to North America. There are many non-native plants that I love to death, but invasives are becoming a huge problem here, and it's important to know whether a plant is native or not.
Range: Where in the world the plant is found today.
Habitat: The type of land the plant prefers: wetlands, old fields, shady woodlands, etc. As always, this is merely a generalization—plants grow wherever they can.
Life cycle: The period of time the plant lives. Annual means the plant appears, flowers, fruits, and dies all within a single year. Biennial means the plant appears and produces leaves in the first year, then produces flowers and fruit in the second, then dies (there's some leeway here, but this is generally how it goes). Perennial means the plant flowers and fruits for several or many years before dying, ranging from 3 to hundreds to thousands of years (such as redwoods).
Description: An account of the appearance of the plant overall and its individual parts. I've tried not to be too technical, but sometimes obscure botanical terms are the only way to describe something. I've tried to include all possibly confusing terms in the glossary, which is linked directly from the description.
Similar species: Species which are similar in appearance or usage, and might potentially be confused. Often these plants are found in the same genus or family.
Edible: Ways in which the plant might be eaten. I must warn you, some of these are not the most appealing foods, but if you're ever lost in the wilderness it might come in handy. And some are absolutely delicious.
Medicinal: Ways in which the plant has been used medicinally. I try to list the most common and/or scientifically established uses first, followed by other various uses. (Always ask your doctor before using herbal medicine; some can be dangerous.)
Utilitarian: Other various uses of the plant such as making baskets from the leaves, or using the seed fluff as tinder to start fires, or making natural dyes from the plant fibers.
Magical: Religious uses of the plant, mostly in magic but also ceremonial uses. I'm a bit of a skeptic when it comes to most magical uses, and I tend to use them more for the symbolism than the actual belief that it works. I'm a scientist and a realist, and I know that probably most of these folklore uses are mere wishful thinking. I just think it's interesting to use plants this way. However, some of the magical uses seem quite possible to me, such as mugwort giving vivid dreams. I know from experience that this really does work, and since other medicines are known scientifically to cause this sort of effect it seems likely that this folklore use is valid.
Warning: Any warnings about possible poisons, toxins, or irritants found in the plant, or other concerns.
Where to find: The best places to go to harvest the plant, or where you might be able to buy it. Read my note on wildcrafting before you do any wildcrafting. Also see my list of links for links to herbal suppliers.
Links: Some of the webpages out there that have good information on the plant. This is just a starting point; there are LOTS of sites out there on plants—just google the scientific name or the common name and you'll find hundreds.