Flowering parts in 3s (or multiples) Lily, Orchid, & Iris Leaves with parallel veins Flowering parts in 4s Evening Primrose Leaves with veins in branching pattern Mustard Flowering parts in 5s (leaves with branching veins) Mint Pea Flowers with bilateral symmetry Figwort Violet Petals fused Buttercup - some Petals free Flowers with radial symmetry Buckwheat Many small flowers in tight bunches Parsley Waterleaf Valerian Rose - some Buttercup Flowers not in tight bunches Rose Flowers with central clusters or seemingly so Sunflower – technically (more than 10 stamens crowding the center) belongs with “Many small flowers in tight bunches” Key to common plant families plant common to Key Normal flowers (10 or fewer stamens) Heath Pink (or just use the “handles” to Id. these 7 Families) Phlox Purslane Petals fused Primrose Saxifrage Petals free (or nearly so) Borage Iris Family Lily Family Orchid Family Leaves Flowers: radial Flowers: bilateral Parallel veins Flowers: radial 6 tepals & 3 stamens Lower petal forming Lily Family 6 tepals & 6 stamens Leaves: basal in flat plane lip or bowl Iris Family Flower parts in 3s Orchid Family Flower parts in 4s Flowers: petals 4 Flowers: petals 4 Mustard Family Ovary inferior & elongate Ovary superior. Leaves: often opposite 6 stamens – 4 long, 2 short usually Long seed pods & 4 sections Leaves: alternate Evening-Primrose Family Seed pods in many shapes. 2 sections Figwort Mint Family Family Flowers: bilateral symmetry Flowers: bilateral symmetry Petals fused Petals fused Leaves: opposite Leaves: opposite or alternate Square stems 5s Bilateral………… Fused Aromatic usually Pea Family 5s Bilateral………….Free Buttercup Family (some) Flowers: bilateral symmetry Violet Family Petals free or nearly so Flowers: bilateral symmetry Upper petal the largest Petals free Leaves: compound Lower petal the largest Leaves: simple Buckwheat Parsley Family Rose Family Family Flowers: small & in tight bunches (some) 6 tepals form small flowers Flowers: small & in true umbels Leaves: basal or on stem Leaves: usually compound & Leaves entire & usually not toothed often fern-like or carrot-like 5s Radial Bunches Flowers: small - forming bottlebrush or oval clusters Flowers: small & in dense clusters Stamens long exerted Waterleaf Family Petals fused into narrow Leaves: usually pinnately (In Borage Family now) 5-lobed tube compound Small family Valerian Family Rose Family Buttercup Family Flowers: petals 5 to 12 Flowers: petals 5 Flowers radial or bilateral Flowers radial Flowers simple to elaborate Leaves: often oval & serrated Leaves: compound or Sunflower Family deeply divided Flowers: appear many “petaled” Central cluster present or appears to be absent entirely. A compound flower: tiny flowers with 5 fused petals. All flowers packed into a single head. 5s Radial Not bunches Central clusters Heath Family Phlox Flower: Petals fused into Family bells or urns Flower: petals fused forming a tube with nearly perpendicular lobes Primrose Family Leaves: often narrow or like ladder Flower: petals fused & 5s Radial Not bunches sometimes reflexed Normal Flowers Petals Fused Leaves: often basal Borage Family (Includes Waterleaf now) Flower: petals fused Some flowers with central ring Fiddlenecks often Plant often hairy Pink Family Flowers: petals free, often notched or divided Purslane Family Leaves: opposite, often narrow & borne on enlarged nodes Flowers: petals free, pink strips often, 2 sepals Leaves: often succulent 5s Radial Not bunches Normal Flowers Petals Free Saxifrage Family Flower: petals free, stigmas 2 & often flaring apart Leaves: often basal Sedum Family Appendix Small very succulent plants with short fleshy leaves Unique Plants Flowers: petals free & yellow Current Family Medium sized shrub to about 6’ All have maple shaped leaves All have berries Flowers: petals fused.