USEFUL FIELD CHARACTERISTICS OF REPRESENTATIVE FAMILIES Modified 2004 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, parts in 3 s -valvate anthers opening by 2-4 flaps -drupe Ranunculaceae -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 -leaves simple, alternate -monoecious plants -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins -nut, samara Fagaceae -leaves simple, alternate -monoecious plants -pistillate flowers in leaf axils -staminate flowers in catkins -nut with involucre of bracts
Hamamelidaceae (317 FAMILY) -leaves simple, alternate, entire or serrate, bisexual or unisexual -flower parts in 4 s or 5 s -carpels 2, partially fused; ovary inferior -woody capsule Caryophyllaceae -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 -placentation usually parietal Portulacaceae -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 -leaves simple, opposite, often palmately lobed - carpels 2, connate - ovary superior - samaroid schizocarp Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) -mustard oils -4 sepals, 4 petals, 4 + 2 stamens (tetradynamous), 2 carpels -ovary syncarpous -silicle or silique
Malvaceae 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 -4 sepals, 4 petals, 8 stamens,4 carpels -petals often clawed or stipitate -usually capsule Geraniaceae (317 FAMILY) -leaves usually palmate, simple to compound parts in 5 s (including 5 carpels) -ovary superior, elongating after pollilnatioin -schizocarp of 5 segments Violaceae -corolla polypetalous, spurred -nectar guides -stamens connivent Salicaceae -dioecious plants -pistillate and staminate flowers in separate catkins -seeds numerous and comose (hairy) Saxifragaceae -leaves often basal, often serrate and palmately lobed -carpels usually 2-3 (-6) -styles separate Euphorbiaceae (317 FAMILY) 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 -corolla sympetalous, convolute in bud -unequal insertion of stamens on corolla -carpels 3, connate -stigmas separate (3) -ovary superior Cornaceae 317 FAMILY -leaves simple, opposite, veins arcing from base to tip -inflorescence often subtended by showy bracts, bisexual or unisexual -flower parts usually in 4 s -drupe
Boraginaceae -plants often hairy -leaves alternate -scorpioid or helicoid cymes -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, shrubs, or vines -plants often densely pubescent -leaves simple, alternate, commonly lobed, sympetalous -2 carpels, capitate stigma -ovary superior Apocynaceae (including Asclepiadaceae) 317 FAMILY -trees, shrubs, vines, herbs -milky latex -leaves opposite or whorled -gynostegium, pollinia, corona (Asclepiadaceae) -ovary superior; 2 carpels united at styles only -paired follicles Lamiaceae (Labiatae) -aromatic herbs -square stems -leaves opposite or whorled -corolla sympetalous, bilabiate -didynamous stamens -gynobasic style (usually) -ovary superior; carpels 2, fused; 2 ovules/carpel -4 nutlets (usually) Scrophulariaceae s.l. -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, 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 -schizocarp Caprifoliaceae (including Valerianaceae and Dipsacaceae), shrubs, small trees, or lianas -leaves opposite, simple -petals 5, connate with 2 upper and 3 lower lobes, or 4 upper and 1 lower lobe; sometimes spurred -2-5 fused carpels ; 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 -corolla sympetalous with short tube -stamens 5, epipetalous ; 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) -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, bisexual -flower parts in 3 s (stamens 6) -ovary superior to inferior -capsule or berry Liliaceae, often scapose -stems often modified as rhizomes, bulbs or corms -perianth usually undifferentiated -6 tepals (or 3 sepals and 3 petals), 6 stamens, 3 carpels -ovary superior or inferior -capsule or berry Iridaceae or zygomorphic -perianth undifferentiated or differentiated -6 tepals (or 3 sepals and 3 petals), 3 stamens, 3 carpels -styles sometimes winged and petaloid -capsule Orchidaceae -terrestrial or epiphytic herbs -strongly mycotrophic -3 sepals, 3 petals, 1-2 stamens, 3 carpels -labellum, column, pollinia -capsule Typhaceae -monoecious -staminate spikes above pistillate spikes -perianth of bristles
Juncaceae 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 -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) 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 with unbranched stems -leaves crowded at stem tip to form crown, pinnately or palmately compound, bisexual or unisexual, 3-parted -drupe