section_path: Symbols
section_name: Symbols
paragraph_text: Symbols
  
  A few symbols are in current use in botany. A number of others are obsolete; for example, Linnaeus used planetary symbols ⟨ ♂ ⟩ (Mars) for biennial plants, ⟨ ♃ ⟩ (Jupiter) for herbaceous perennials and ⟨ ♄ ⟩ (Saturn) for woody perennials, based on the planets' orbital periods of 2, 12 and 30 years; and Willd used ⟨ ♄ ⟩ (Saturn) for neuter in addition to ⟨ ☿ ⟩ (Mercury) for hermaphroditic. The following symbols are still used: