queensland museum learning Science Skills

Topic Key to the of * *Clifford & Jessup, 2006 | All illustrations courtesy of the Herbarium.

This key classifies mangroves to their genera mainly using their leaves. Follow the steps in the key, until the is named. START 1 8

Leaf apex tapers, Leaf apex rounded base rounded or notched, Leaves alternate Leaves opposite Heritiera base tapers go to 2 go to 9 Camptostemon 2 9

Leaf margins Leaf margins Leaves compound Leaves simple toothed not toothed go to 3 go to 4 Acanthus go to 10 10 Pungent smell when No pungent smell 3 leaf crshed when leaf crushed Osbornia go to 11

11 Stipules No stipules Leaflets 1–2, Leaflets 1–7, go to 12 go to 13 asymmetrical symmetrical at their base at their base Cynometra Xylocarpus Two salt glands No glands on 12 on the base base of leaf stalk of the leaf stalk Avicennia # Sap milky Sonneratia 4 (WARNING – Sap not milky can damage eyes) go to 5 Excoecaria # 13 Stems with Stems lack aerial stilt roots aerial stilt roots No stipules; Stipules, go to 14 Bruguiera # 5 lacks brownish- brownish-silver silver scales scales go to 6 go to 8 14 Stilt roots arch Stilt (or buttress) roots from stem grow close to or Rhizophora # along the stem Ceriops # 6 Leaf scars Leaf scars circular (petiole not circular attaches here) go to 7 Aegialitis • # shows mangroves found in all parts of Queensland, others are not found in . • Stipules: Scale or leaf-like structure found at the 7 base of the leaves. Protect the developing leaf, but leave ring-like scar on the branch as they drop.

Broadest part of the Broadest part of the leaf towards the tip leaf about the middle stipules Lumnitzera # Aegiceras #

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