Varieteja

Varieteja is a Finnish term referring to varieties, or forms, within a species. In scientific and horticultural contexts, varieteja denotes distinct, heritable forms that occur naturally or have been maintained through human selection. The concept spans both natural variation found in wild populations and cultivated diversity created through breeding.

In taxonomy, variety (abbreviated var.) is an infraspecific rank below species and subspecies. A variety typically exhibits consistent, observable differences—such as morphology, habit, or geographic distribution—that remain stable across generations. Varieties can arise by geographic isolation or adaptation to local environments and are often named in taxonomic descriptions. The rank is more common in botanical lineages than in animals, and its usage varies among plant groups.

In horticulture and agriculture, many varieties are cultivated forms maintained by breeders and growers. These are commonly referred to as cultivars (lajikkeet in Finnish) and are named separately from the botanical variety name. Cultivar names follow distinct conventions and are regulated in many countries by codes such as the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants (ICNCP). While varieteja emphasizes the concept of variation within a species, cultivars emphasize human selection and commercial propagation.

Finnish usage often distinguishes between varieties in a taxonomic sense and cultivated forms used in farming and gardening. In everyday language, lajike or lajikkeet is widely used for commercially available plant varieties, whereas varieteja appears more in formal, scientific, or descriptive contexts.