Umhlobo wezitshalo yiqembu lezitshalo ezihlanganyela isethi yezimpawu ezifanayo futhi ezingazalanisa ukuze zikhiqize inzalo ephilayo. Igama lesayensi lohlobo lwesitshalo liqukethe izingxenye ezimbili eziyinhloko: uhlobo kanye nezinhlobo. I-genus ibhekisela eqenjini lezitshalo ezihlobene eduze, kuyilapho igama lezilwane likhomba isitshalo esithile kulelo qembu.
Kulinganiselwa ukuthi akhona 390,000 izinhlobo zezitshalo ezaziwayo eMhlabeni, futhi izinhlobo ezintsha zisatholakala minyaka yonke. Izitshalo zidlala indima ebalulekile ku-ecosystem yomhlaba, ukunikeza umoya-mpilo, ukudla, nendawo yokuhlala yezinye izinhlobo eziningi zempilo.
Izinhlobo zezitshalo zingahlukaniswa ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, kuye ngezici zabo kanye nobudlelwano bazo nezinye izinhlobo zezitshalo. Indlela eyodwa evamile yokuhlukanisa izinhlobo zezitshalo isekelwe kumafomu azo okukhula, njengezihlahla, izihlahlana, amakhambi, noma imivini. Enye indlela yokuhlukanisa izinhlobo zezitshalo isekelwe emijikelezweni yazo yokuphila, njengezinyanga zonyaka, iminyaka emibili, noma ama-perennials.
Izinhlobo zezitshalo nazo zingahlukaniswa ngokuya ngendawo yazo yokuhlala noma indawo ezungezile, njengezitshalo zasemanzini, izitshalo zasogwadule, noma izitshalo ze-alpine. Ezinye izinhlobo zezitshalo zijwayelana nezimo ezithile zemvelo, njengokuphakama okuphezulu noma inhlabathi engenazo izakhi, kuyilapho abanye bengama-generalist futhi bangachuma ezindaweni eziningi zokuhlala.
Izinhlobo zezitshalo nazo zingahlukaniswa ngokuya ngokubaluleka kwazo kwezomnotho noma kwamasiko. Ezinye izinhlobo zezitshalo ziyimithombo ebalulekile yokudla, umuthi, noma eminye imikhiqizo ewusizo, kuyilapho abanye benokubaluleka kwamasiko noma inkolo emiphakathini ethile.
Ukuqonda nokuhlukanisa izinhlobo zezitshalo kubalulekile ocwaningweni lwesayensi, imizamo yokongiwa kwemvelo, kanye nentuthuko esimeme. Ngokutadisha izici nobudlelwano bezinhlobo zezitshalo ezahlukene, ososayensi bangathola ulwazi mayelana nokuvela kwezitshalo kanye nezindima zazo zemvelo. Imizamo yokulondoloza imvamisa igxila ekuvikeleni izinhlobo zezitshalo ezingavamile noma ezisengozini yokushabalala, kuyilapho intuthuko esimeme idinga ukuqonda ukuthi izitshalo zingasetshenziswa kanjani ngezindlela ezifanayo, kokubili esimeme kwezomnotho kanye nemvelo.