Mnemonic for botany - needing help

General Memory Chat
1

Hello everyone,

As I am still quite inexperienced in using mnemonics, I wanted to ask if anyone with more experience could help me to develop a suitable mnemonic technique for a specific application.

I would be infinitely grateful:

I would like to create a small plant database in my head, wich I can use to clearly identify the common wild flowering plants of Germany, and also have some facts at hand, such as the flowering time and the habitat.

So far I have already taken a few steps to prepare:

I have memorised a list from 1 to 524, using the major system, with the names of those plants that occur more frequently in northern Germany, and which I want to remember accordingly.

I’ll briefly illustrate this on the bellflower genus. The following bellflower species are on my list:

  1. nettle-leaved bellflower
  2. creeping bellflower (germ.: Acker-Glockenblume = engl. ‘field bellflower’)
  3. peach-leaved bellflower
  4. rampion bellflower (germ.: Rapunzel-Glockenblume = engl. ‘Rapunzel bellflower’)
  5. common harebell (germ.: RundblĂ€ttrige Glockenblume = engl. ‘round-leaved bellflower’)

My mnemonic words (using the major system) and my corresponding associations are:

436 = germ. Ramsch (= junk, trash) → Someone throws nettle leaves into the trash can, while a bell rings → Nettle-leaved bellflower.

437 = germ. Raum-Ecke (= corner of the room) → In the corner of the room is a field and in its centre a church with a bell → Field bellflower.

438 = germ. Ur-Möwe (= prehistoric seagull) → A primeval seabird (with teeth) wears a necklace of peach leaves with a small bell dangling from it → Peach-leaved bellflower.

439 = germ. Rampe (= ramp) → The prince from the Rapunzel fairytale sits in a wheelchair and uses a ramp to get up the tower to his beloved (instead of climbing up by her hair). She lures him with a bell → Rapunzel bellflower.

440 = germ. Roh-Erz (= raw ore) → Round chunks of unprocessed iron ore with engraved bells → Round-leaved Bellflower.

So far I haven’t had any problems. But now I would like to fill the list with information so that I can easily find a particular piece of information within the resulting image, i.e. know where in the image to look for the flowering period, and where to look for the identification features.

This is roughly what the information on the five bellflower species that I want to store in my head would look like:

  1. Nettle-leaved Bellflower:
    Flowering time: July-August Habitat: Woodland edges Lifespan: perennial
    Identifying features:
  • Leaves heart-shaped, clearly serrated, long stalked
  • Flowers 3 - 5 cm, standing upright
  • Stems sharp-edged, stems and leaves bristly and hairy
  1. Field bellflower:
    Flowering time: June-September Habitat: Fields, roadsides Lifespan: perennial
    Identifying features:
  • Leaves heart-shaped, clearly serrated, long stalked
  • Flowers 2 - 3 cm, nodding, in a long one-sided raceme
  1. Peach-leaved bellflower:
    Flowering time: June-September Habitat: Forest edges, gardens Lifespan: perennial
    Identifying features:
  • all leaves (including the lower ones) narrowly lanceolate, with entire margins
  • Corolla 2.5 - 4 cm, bell-shaped, shallowly 5-lobed
  1. Rapunzel bellflower:
    Flowering time: June-August Habitat: dry grassland Lifespan: biennial
    Identifying features:
  • all leaves (including the lower ones) narrowly lanceolate, weakly serrated
  • Corolla approx. 2 cm, funnel-shaped, clearly 5-cleft
  • Flowers in a long racemose panicle (not spread out)
  • Bracts at the base (not in the centre) of the flower stalks
  1. Round-leaved bellflower:
    Flowering time: June-October Habitat: dry grassland, heaths Lifespan: perennial
    Identifying features:
  • Stem leaves narrowly linear, with entire margins
  • Basal leaves rounded and long-stalked
  • Flowers small, in a multi-flowered panicle, flower buds erect
  • Stem round (not angular)

Now the following considerations would be decisive for me:

  1. How do I construct a system within a picture (e.g. the one with Rapunzel and the prince) in which I can systematically organise the information?

  2. How do I encode the individual pieces of information?

I already have some ideas for the latter, e.g. I could write the start and end month of the flowering period as a number and make a small picture from both numbers, which I incorporate into the whole picture in some way.

Example: July-September = 7-9 = cap; June-September = 6-9 = ship, etc.

I probably don’t need to remember ‘perennial’ separately for the lifespan, as this applies to most plants. So here I would only need markings for the rarer cases of ‘annual’ and ‘biennial’.

For the location/habitat I don’t have a good idea.

But the most difficult thing is the identification features. I really have no idea how to encode them and, above all, how to integrate them into the overall picture in such a way that I can find them all again and that they don’t interfere with the flowering time, location etc. pictures/markings.

Another point is that the identification characteristics are based on a dichotomous identification key (a key in which you have to choose between two combinations of characteristics several times in succession). As a result, the identification characteristics are duplicated in the different species. For example, the characteristic combination ‘leaves heart-shaped, clearly serrated, long stalked’ applies equally to the nettle-leaved bellflower and the field bellflower. This means that all three of these characteristics would have to be stored in both the image with the field and the image with the rubbish bin, which would mean storing the same information twice. With a list of 524 total images, this adds up to a lot of junk data. Does anyone know a more skilful method for dichotomous keys that could possibly avoid this duplication?

Here is a simplified version of the key on which the notes above are based (start with 1/1* and see which of these two combinations of characteristics applies, then continue with either 2/2* or 3/3*):

1 All leaves heart-shaped, clearly serrated → 2
1* Stem leaves narrowly lanceolate to linear, entire to weakly serrated → 3
2 Flowers 3-5 cm, upright → Nettle-leaved bellflower
2* flowers 2-3 cm, nodding, in a one-sided raceme → Field bellflower
3 basal leaves roundish, long stalked → Round-leaved bellflower
3* Basal leaves narrowly lanceolate, like stem leaves → 4
4 corolla 2.5 - 4 cm, bell-shaped, shallowly 5-lobed → Peach-leaved campanula
4* Corolla approx. 2 cm, funnel-shaped, clearly 5-lobed → 5
5 flowers in a long racemose panicle, bracts at the base → Rapunzel bellflower
5* flowers in a spreading panicle, bracts in the centre → Meadow bellflower

If you can only help me in parts, I would be grateful too. I am particularly interested in question 1 (roughly in the middle of my message) and ideas for coding the locations and identification features. Maybe you also have other general tips on what I should consider before learning.

Thanks and best regards

Erik

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Don’t know if this will be helpful, but, for identifications, I’d start by making a list of the main variables you’re going to want to memorize. And then spend some time coming up with memorable images (including characters) to associate with those variables.

For example:

“
The characteristic combination ‘leaves heart-shaped, clearly serrated, long stalked
”

It shouldn’t be difficult to picture heart-shaped leaves or a beating human heart. If the clearly can be assumed, then I’d suggest picturing a regal-looking botanist named “Sir Ated” who is holding a bloody, beating heart in his hands; you could then incorporate him in any scene requiring it. (And you could adjust his appearance to suit the degree of serration; if it’s “weakly serrated,” picture a very weak-looking Sir Ated leaning heavily on a cane.) And maybe there’s a masked stalker lurking behind him with extraordinarily long legs, making him a “long stalker.” (Obviously, these are all based on English-language puns/associations.)

Granted, this approach will create some very complex scenes for you, so others may have much more efficient methods to suggest. It is how I’d start out, though—assuming that I might need to try a variety of different approaches before discovering the method that seems to fit the material the best.

Bob

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Thank you! :slight_smile:

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This is something I’ve wondered about too.

There’s not much to be found (easily at least) regarding the systematic processing of layers of data.

So if each plant is a location/loci. how do we then layer lots of subsequent information on this item. Is it best to try and use a reliable secondary peg method, or perhaps some kind of nested loci system (Which sounds tricky for instances like there where there a re many hundred plants
)

Some thoughts from more experienced mnemonists on this would be massive help for us just starting out.

5

Sounds similar to some of the projects Lynne Kelly has done, but I assume you’re already familiar with her work?

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I’ve been sitting in my car making notes on this with the AC blowing for much too long now to get away with bragging about how long I’ve been running my car doing this.

I really like your question, @Window_Hamster

I’m taking notes on databases I’ve already memorized and how I did them:
eg,

  • what information was I trying to organize
  • how many different properties does each “infoThingamabob” have—that I want to remember
  • What details about each property do I want to remember
  • Are there consistent patterns I can use to minimize memorizing redundant information
  • etc etc

I’ve got a number of databases memorized (tho I’m not sure what that particular number is).

The one I’ve been making notes on is a fairly comprehensive database of:

  • Programming Language Python’s built-in Functions
  • the set of arguments each function takes
  • the different variations of arguments that can be “provided” to each Function
  • the default values for each argument
  • How many functions there are for each letter of the alphabet
  • etc etc I’m still writing and organizing my notes

I was playing around with your specific “requirements” (I use the term loosely) with the details you’ve provided and first of all, absolutely I see no reason it can’t be done, and it will also absolutely require some creative (and probably self-explorative) thinking on your part—or so I suspect.

What might most excite me is I think building mnemonic “databases” / “multi-dimensional arrays” / “tables” / “excel sheets of stuff” is a mnemonic skill in its own right like:

  • playing bluegrass is its own skill within music, or
  • Graffiti is its own skill within art, or
  • Fictional Crime Noir is its own skill within literature

If this kinda thing does it for you (making mnemonic “databases” I mean), once you get a little practice playing around with it
 well, I am still regularly surprised at how much “multi-dimensional” info I can pack into the ol noggin and with ease recall (in the case of the 70 Python Functions its now been over 10 months since I memorized most of it).

Hopefully I can use this as a placeholder to come back to when I get my thoughts better organized, and share more.

Either way, with any luck, these meanderings might inspire an idea or two of your own invention!

Regards,
Beau

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No, I have not read Lynne Kelly yet. Thank you for the recommendation. :slight_smile:

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Thank you!
Could you describe your method of making a multidimensional database, with one example of how you memorized all data on one specific Python Function? This would help me to understand it better.
Best wishes
Erik

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Edit: apologies for the poor quality of writing here, I wanted to get something posted, and had limited time. Hence, here’s:

...an AI generated summary to navigate my posts naturally cruddy writing đŸ«Ą

Post examines techniques for memorizing programming functions, particularly within Python, using organized mnemonic structures and visual cues. Emphasis is placed on principles from relational databases, information organization sciences, and memory techniques.

Structure:

  1. Memorization Approach – Outlines the core considerations for memorizing structured data, such as identifying recall goals and minimizing repetitive elements.
  2. Practical Example – Demonstrates the approach using Python’s range() function, including visual and contextual mnemonic aids.
  3. Organizational Frameworks – Details methods for structuring memory systems based on:
    • Function signatures (argument variations)
    • Indexing by argument count and alphabet
    • Cross-referencing using relational database concepts.
  4. Practice and Long-Term Application – Explains the necessity of repeated recall and gradual practice for memory retention.

Additional Notes:

  • Each concept is linked to a distinct image or scene to facilitate structured recall.
  • Memory structures are loosely modeled on relational databases, enabling complex yet systematic indexing and retrieval.

now on to


My post


I’m still working on this because I think there’s a lot of considerations someone can take into account for memorizing database-like structures of information.

Perhaps I can leave a few more breadcrumbs in the meanwhile.

Personally, I think there is a lot to learn from the information and knowledge organization sciences.

I considered how to reduce memorizing the same function multiple times (or at least minimize redundancy).

example: range()

Let’s take Python’s function range() for example.

When someone says “What should I memorize?” what the proper question is—is “What do I want to be able to retrieve from memory (aka, ‘recall’)?”

range() is good because it requires a little thought to decide “What do I want to recall?” and then figure how to arrange it.

Here’s range() from the documentation:

class range(stop )
class range(start, stop, step=1 )

Rather than being a function, range is actually an immutable sequence type, as documented in Rangesand Sequence Types — list, tuple, range.

We have options.

Even if I memorize all 3 arguments, the first argument changes based on which arguments i use.

So, do I want to remember the order?

I wanted to remember it all. And without unnecessary redundancy .

Functions by “Signature” variation

Each “variation” of arguments is called a “signature”.

I looked to “Information Architects” and decided I would have a “primary” key. In this way, many of my memorized datasets have a lot in common with Relational Databases like MySQL.

In the area where I assigned functions that created data structures, I have Chuck Norris as The Texas Ranger. He represents range().

Rather than load all the imagery into one “scene”, I reduce my confusion by actually having good ol Chuck in a couple different “locations.”

In another location, I recall that he holds up his hand :hand_with_fingers_splayed: like a stop sign. Indicating the argument “stop”.

I present a change of context, and he has to climb on a horse and chase someone down.

He kicks his spurs into the horse: Start
He pulls the horse in front of the “bad guy” to Stop :raised_hand: him.
And he Steps a foot down into the stirrup and then the ground to arrest the bad guy. I can hear the sound of his boot landing on the gravel.

Remembering that its a default of 1 isn’t too tough, but if I need an extra reminder I can have Chuck handcuff the guys dick and drag him along that way. That’s a bit extreme, but I’m not likely to forget the scene particularly because I’m not fond of the imagery.

To ensure I don’t forget that there are 2 variations (aka signatures) of arguments, I have all functions indexed into separate lists in yet another location.

Again, similar to relational databases.

Important to note that no functions have more than 3 signature variations.

I have a list of all functions that have 3 signature (they all appear in the same room of a trailer), a list of every function with 2 signature variations (happens outside and around the corner of that trailer actually), but NOT a list for 1 signature variation.

The reason is, if I’ve done my homework right, I can work out which functions have only 1 variation based on knowing the primary list of functions and therefore knowing that, if it doesn’t have 2 signature variations or 3, it must only have 1.

Functions by number of arguments:

I also have a separate index of functions by “minimum” number of arguments required (default inclusive).

Functions by semi-alphabetical

I have a separate index of all functions by alphabetical starting letter.

I literally have a string of words (like a sentence), and the number of letters in each word tells me how many functions exist that start with that letter.

‘Black’ is one of the words, and it indicates there are 5 functions that start with “B”.

It starts with the longest words and descends in word length.

A few functions have the same number (4).
H,F,O,R,M, and D all have 4 functions that begin with their alphabetical letter.

In this case I made a sentence just for them:
“Horror, Mr Frodo.”

I placed the imagery for those sentences together in nearby some of my other function palace locations (many are in the same large area of a town).

I made sure to practice retrieval while visualizing. In some cases it took a lot of practice, however, this was one of the first “database” style datasets I memorized. And I didn’t try to knock it all out at one time, either.

If you’re okay with long-term efforts, its all very doable.

Maybe this provides some ideas.

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Layering palace data for each loci in a strategic way
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Thank you

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Some really interesting concepts to tinker with here. Thank you

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I’m hoping to do something similar. Memorize the major botanical families via their different characteristics and then also memorize specific plants. My plan for doing this is two-fold; use a lakasa board for the families and identifying characteristics, use a bestiary to create an image for each plant that encodes it’s specific information.

I think something like this might work for you as well. Maybe use the lakasa board to encode the plant families of Germany. Then use a bestiary to encode the info of each specific plant.

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Thank you. I have made good experience with a Lukasa-like device just the last weeks (for memorizing large numbers), so I hope that it will work for plants too. But I dont have a very specific plan for the specific plant information yet. Using a bestiary could help. I will try it. Maybe I can also place the beasts from the bestiary inside their families on the Lukasa

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