A pedigree is a record of a plant or animal's ancestors. In an animal, it would be a record of the parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so forth. Pedigree charts are a way to visually present this information. When charting the pedigree, data about each individual on the chart is included to make the chart more useful.
Pedigree charts for plants are typically applied to a group of plants as opposed to an individual plant. Information included on the charts enables scientists, gardeners or farmers to better understand the group and to make choices to manipulate future plantings or to preserve or select specific strains.
Animal breeders use pedigree charts to help them predict traits. Information about the individual's coloring, temperament, strength and size are recorded. Each generation is charted. If the pedigree chart is about a particular individual animal, the chart will list that animal's parents, grandparents and other known ancestors.
Genealogists use pedigree charts to record a person's ancestors. The chart begins with the person to whom the chart belongs, and then lists their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so forth. Available information will be listed by each person entered on the chart. Typical information includes a person's name, birth date, death date, birth place, death place, marriage date and marriage place. The amount of information included on each chart will be determined by available data and space.
A genealogical pedigree chart or family tree can be designed several ways. A typical, horizontal chart begins with the primary person listed on a line or in a small box to the far left side of the paper. Directly to right of the primary person are two more lines or boxes with the name and data of the parents. To the right of the parents are four boxes or lines with the names and data of the grandparents and so forth. The chart can also be designed vertically or in a fan shape.