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Home , Capsule (fruit), Gynoecium, Magnoliaceae, Samara (fruit)

Modified 2004 USEFUL FIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF REPRESENTATIVE FAMILIES

Magnoliaceae - & - large and showy -floral parts numerous, separate, spirally arranged -elongate

Lauraceae (317 FAMILY) -trees & shrubs - simple, alternate, entire, pinnate -flowers actinomorphic, parts in 3’s -valvate anthers opening by 2-4 flaps -

Ranunculaceae -usually herbs -leaves simple and deeply lobed or compound - usually many -apocarpous

Berberidaceae -perennial herbs or shrubs -leaves simple or pinnately compound -floral parts usually in multiples of 3 -valvate anthers

Betulaceae -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, alternate -monoecious -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins - inferior -,

Fagaceae -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, alternate -monoecious plants -pistillate flowers in axils -staminate flowers in catkins -ovary inferior -nut with involucre of (317 FAMILY) -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, alternate, entire or serrate -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual - parts in 4’s or 5’s -carpels 2, partially fused; ovary inferior -woody

Caryophyllaceae -herbs -leaves simple, opposite -swollen nodes - entire to deeply lobed, often differentiated into a claw and a limb -floral parts in 5's - often free-central

Cactaceae -stem succulents -areoles -flowers showy -floral parts numerous -ovary inferior -placentation usually parietal

Portulacaceae -usually herbs -2 to several -plants often fleshy -leaves simple, opposite or alternate - placentation

Polygonaceae -leaves alternate, with sheathing stipules (ocreas) -floral parts in 3’s -one floral envelope -, often winged

Aceraceae -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, opposite, often palmately lobed - carpels 2, connate - ovary superior - samaroid

Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) -herbs -mustard oils -4 sepals, 4 petals, 4 + 2 stamens (tetradynamous), 2 carpels -ovary syncarpous -silicle or -usually herbs or shrubs -leaves simple,commonly palmately lobed -stellate hairs common -mucilage cells -stamens monadelphous, or in 5 clusters, each with filaments basally connate -capsules (often schizocarpous)

Onagraceae -usually herbs -4 sepals, 4 petals, 8 stamens,4 carpels -petals often clawed or stipitate -ovary inferior -usually capsule

Geraniaceae (317 FAMILY) -herbs -leaves usually palmate, simple to compound -flowers actinomorphic parts in 5’s (including 5 carpels) -ovary superior, elongating after pollilnatioin -schizocarp of 5 segments

Violaceae -usually herbs -flowers zygomorphic -corolla polypetalous, spurred - guides -stamens connivent

Salicaceae -trees or shrubs -dioecious plants -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins - numerous and comose (hairy)

Saxifragaceae -usually herbs -leaves often basal, often serrate and palmately lobed -carpels usually 2-3 (-6) -styles separate

Euphorbiaceae (317 FAMILY) -herbs or shrubs -milky latex -reduced flowers -carpels 3, connate -schizocarpous capsule, forming 3 one-seeded parts -trees, shrubs, or herbs -leaves simple or compound; stipulate -leaflets with serrate margins - -carpels numerous to 1 -variation in types

Fabaceae (Leguminosae) -trees, shrubs or herbs -leaves often compound -leaflets with entire margins -stamens numerous to 10, diadelphous in papilionaceous flowers -carpel 1 (per flower) - or

Ericaceae -trees & shrubs -leaves opposite or alternate, entire -corolla usually sympetalous, frequently urceolate -10 stamens (rarely 5) -anthers usually with poricidal and often with appendages

Polemoniaceae -usually herbs -flowers actinomorphic -corolla sympetalous, convolute in -unequal insertion of stamens on corolla -carpels 3, connate -stigmas separate (3) -ovary superior

Cornaceae 317 FAMILY -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, opposite, veins arcing from base to tip - often subtended by showy bracts -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual -flower parts usually in 4’s -ovary inferior -drupe -herbs -plants often hairy -leaves alternate -scorpioid or helicoid cymes -flowers actinomorphic -corolla sympetalous -style gynobasic, or terminal and bifid -if style terminal and bifid, then stamens usually exserted -ovary superior, 4-lobed (when gynobasic), or unilocular -4 nutlets (when gynobasic), or capsule

Solanaceae -usually herbs, shrubs, or -plants often densely pubescent -leaves simple, alternate, commonly lobed -flowers actinomorphic, sympetalous -2 carpels, capitate -ovary superior

Apocynaceae (including Asclepiadaceae) 317 FAMILY -trees, shrubs, vines, herbs -milky latex -leaves opposite or whorled -flowers actinomorphic -gynostegium, pollinia, corona (Asclepiadaceae) -ovary superior; 2 carpels united at styles only -paired follicles

Lamiaceae (Labiatae) -aromatic herbs -square stems -leaves opposite or whorled -flowers zygomorphic -corolla sympetalous, bilabiate -didynamous stamens -gynobasic style (usually) -ovary superior; carpels 2, fused; 2 /carpel -4 nutlets (usually)

Scrophulariaceae s.l. -usually herbs -flowers zygomorphic -corolla sympetalous, bilabiate -didynamous stamens usually present -ovary superior; carpels 2, fused; ovules numerous -capsule or 317 FAMILY -trees & shrubs -leaves opposite, simple or compound, pinnate -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual, 4-parted -stamens & carpels 2 -samara, berry, drupe

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) -mostly perennial herbs -leaves compound, dissected, with sheathing base -tissues containing secretory canals - -carpels 2, connate -ovary inferior -schizocarp

Caprifoliaceae (including Valerianaceae and Dipsacaceae) -herbs, shrubs, small trees, or -leaves opposite, simple -flowers zygomorphic -petals 5, connate with 2 upper and 3 lower lobes, or 4 upper and 1 lower lobe; sometimes spurred -2-5 fused carpels -ovary inferior; style elongate, stigma capitate -nectar producing glandular hairs on inner surface of corolla tube -berry, capsule, or drupe

Adoxaceae (including and Sambucus formerly ) 317 FAMILY -small trees, shrubs, or perennial herbs -leaves opposite, simple to compound -flowers actinomorphic -corolla sympetalous with short tube -stamens 5, epipetalous -ovary inferior; style short; stigma lobed -drupe with 1-5 pits

Asteraceae (Compositae) -head or capitulum, surrounded by phyllaries -disk or disk and ray or ligulate flowers -pappus -corolla sympetalous -anthers syngenesious (connate) -ovary inferior -achene (cypsela) Araceae -mostly terrestrial herbs -watery or milky -calcium oxalate crystals -spathe and spadix -flowers often with fetid odor

Bromeliaceae 317 FAMILY -mostly tropical herbs, often epiphytic -water absorbing peltate scales -leaves alternate often forming water ‘tanks’ -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual -flower parts in 3’s (stamens 6) -ovary superior to inferior -capsule or berry

Liliaceae -usually herbs, often scapose -stems often modified as , or -flowers actinomorphic - usually undifferentiated -6 (or 3 sepals and 3 petals), 6 stamens, 3 carpels -ovary superior or inferior -capsule or berry

Iridaceae -herbs -flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic -perianth undifferentiated or differentiated -6 tepals (or 3 sepals and 3 petals), 3 stamens, 3 carpels -styles sometimes winged and petaloid -ovary inferior -capsule

Orchidaceae -terrestrial or epiphytic herbs -strongly mycotrophic -flowers zygomorphic -3 sepals, 3 petals, 1-2 stamens, 3 carpels -labellum, , pollinia -ovary inferior -capsule

Typhaceae -herbs -monoecious -staminate spikes above pistillate spikes -perianth of bristles -herbs with round, usually solid stems -leaves basal, 3-ranked, with open or closed sheaths -tepals 6 -stamens 3 or 6; carpels 3, connate -capsule

Cyperaceae -herbs -stems typically triangular,sometimes round -leaves basal or cauline, 3-ranked, with closed sheaths -inflorescence a spikelet -perianth of bristles or absent -achene

Poaceae (Gramineae) -herbs with round, usually hollow stems -leaves basal or cauline, 2-ranked, usually with open sheaths -ligule between leaf sheath and leaf blade -inflorescence a spikelet with 1 to many florets -glumes, lemmas, paleas, lodicules - (grain)

Arecaceae 317 FAMILY -trees or shrubs with unbranched stems -leaves crowded at stem tip to form crown, pinnately or palmately compound -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual, 3-parted -drupe