Modified 2004 USEFUL FIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF REPRESENTATIVE FAMILIES Magnoliaceae -trees & shrubs -flowers large and showy -floral parts numerous, separate, spirally arranged -elongate receptacle Lauraceae (317 FAMILY) -trees & shrubs -leaves simple, alternate, entire, pinnate -flowers actinomorphic, parts in 3’s -valvate anthers opening by 2-4 flaps -drupe Ranunculaceae -usually herbs -leaves simple and deeply lobed or compound -stamens usually many -apocarpous gynoecium 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 plants -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins -ovary inferior -nut, samara Fagaceae -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, alternate -monoecious plants -pistillate flowers in leaf axils -staminate flowers in catkins -ovary inferior -nut with involucre of bracts Hamamelidaceae (317 FAMILY) -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, alternate, entire or serrate -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual -flower parts in 4’s or 5’s -carpels 2, partially fused; ovary inferior -woody capsule Caryophyllaceae -herbs -leaves simple, opposite -swollen nodes -petals entire to deeply lobed, often differentiated into a claw and a limb -floral parts in 5's -placentation often free-central Cactaceae -stem succulents -areoles -flowers showy -floral parts numerous -ovary inferior -placentation usually parietal Portulacaceae -usually herbs -2 to several sepals -plants often fleshy -leaves simple, opposite or alternate -basal placentation Polygonaceae -leaves alternate, with sheathing stipules (ocreas) -floral parts in 3’s -one floral envelope -achene, often winged Aceraceae -trees or shrubs -leaves simple, opposite, often palmately lobed - carpels 2, connate - ovary superior - samaroid schizocarp Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) -herbs -mustard oils -4 sepals, 4 petals, 4 + 2 stamens (tetradynamous), 2 carpels -ovary syncarpous -silicle or silique Malvaceae -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 -nectar guides -stamens connivent Salicaceae -trees or shrubs -dioecious plants -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins -seeds 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 Rosaceae -trees, shrubs, or herbs -leaves simple or compound; stipulate -leaflets with serrate margins -hypanthium -carpels numerous to 1 -variation in fruit 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) -legume or loment Ericaceae -trees & shrubs -leaves opposite or alternate, entire -corolla usually sympetalous, frequently urceolate -10 stamens (rarely 5) -anthers usually with poricidal dehiscence and often with appendages Polemoniaceae -usually herbs -flowers actinomorphic -corolla sympetalous, convolute in bud -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 -inflorescence often subtended by showy bracts -flowers actinomorphic, bisexual or unisexual -flower parts usually in 4’s -ovary inferior -drupe Boraginaceae -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 vines -plants often densely pubescent -leaves simple, alternate, commonly lobed -flowers actinomorphic, sympetalous -2 carpels, capitate stigma -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 ovules/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 berry Oleaceae 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 -umbels -carpels 2, connate -ovary inferior -schizocarp Caprifoliaceae (including Valerianaceae and Dipsacaceae) -herbs, shrubs, small trees, or lianas -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 Viburnum and Sambucus formerly Caprifoliaceae) 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 sap -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 rhizomes, bulbs or corms -flowers actinomorphic -perianth usually undifferentiated -6 tepals (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, column, pollinia -ovary inferior -capsule Typhaceae -herbs -monoecious -staminate spikes above pistillate spikes -perianth of bristles Juncaceae -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 -caryopsis (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.