Madison Clark

Plant Key

1.

Plants have cones, strobili, or sori reproductive structures..........................................2

Plants have flowers......................................................................................................8

2.

Plants have small, scale-like leaves with one vein.......................................................3

Plants have larger leaves with more than one vein......................................................4

3.

Leafy stems, dichotomous branching, flattened, mound looking...........Selaginellaceae

Hollow, tube-like stems, easily separating at the nodes...........................Equisetaceae

4.

Plants aquatic (at least roots), trifoliate leaves, sori on base of petiole....Marsileaceae
Plants terrestrial, cones, leaves usually needles or scales...........................................5

5.

Stems jointed and photosynthetic, scale-like leaves, longitudinal grooves in stems......

.....Ephedraceae
Stems not jointed or photosynthetic, various leaves, stems smooth............................6

6.

Leaves fan shaped, spirally arranged, cones on long stalks and fleshy looking............
.....Ginkgoales
Leaves needle-like or scalelike, variously arranged, cones on short stalks or no stalk..
.....7

7.

Leaves scalelike, two-ranked, tightly oppressed, cones 5-25mm long, may be fleshy...
.....Cupressaceae
Leaves needle-like, spirally arranged, male cones small and soft, female cones with
several to many scales, woody.................................................................Pinaceae

8.

Flowers 3-merous or spikelets, leaves parallel veined..........................................Key 1

Flowers 4 or 5-merous, leaves with net veination.................................................Key 2

Key 1
Magnoliids/Monocots

1.

Leaves containing pellucid dots....................................................................................2

Leaves without pellucid dots.........................................................................................3

2.

Flowers axiallary, 3-12 stamens, apical placentation.....................................Lauraceae

Flowers terminal, stamens numerous, lateral placentation......................Magnoliaceae

3.

Inflorescence a spadix and spathe....................................................................Araceae

Inflorescence various but not as above........................................................................4

4.

Perianth lacking or reduced, scalelike, not petalloid, silica bodies in stems.................5

Perianth well developed, petalloid, no silica bodies in stems.......................................6

5.

Stems terete, leaves 2-ranked, 2 bracts below inflorescence..........................Poaceae

Stems angular in cross-section, leaves 3-ranked, 1 bract below inflorescence.............
.....Cyperaceae

6.

Ovary fully inferior, equitant leaves with unifacial blades.................................Iridaceae

Ovary superior or slightly inferior, leaves various, blades various................................7
7. Bilateral symmetry, plycate leaves, labellum present, may have pollinaria or viscidium
.....Orchidaceae
Radial symmetry, may be bilateral, various leaves, no labellum, pollinaria or viscidium
.....8

8.

Much reduced, scalelike leaves, fleshy fruit, most photosynthesis in stems..................

.....Asparagaceae
Larger, fuller leaves, non-fleshy fruit, photosynthesis in leaves....................................9

9.

Containing involucral bracts, laticifers, pinnately, palmately or parallel veined leaves,

spatheate inflorescence............................................................................Alliaceae
No involucral bracts, no laticifers, parallel veins, regular inflorescence.......................10

10.

White or yellow flowers, racemes, spikes or panicular inflorescences, seperate

stigma and styles...................................................................Melanthiaceae
Flowers various, usually containing spots, single flower, fused stigma and styles.......
.....Liliaceae

Key 2
Eudicots

1.

Perianth with a single whorl...................................................................................Key 1

Perianth with two whorls...............................................................................................2

2.

Corolla of united petals..........................................................................................Key 2

Corolla of separate petals.............................................................................................3

3.

Stamens numerous, at least twice as many as petals..........................................Key 3

Stamens few, less than twice as many as petals..................................................Key 4

Key 1
Perianth with a single whorl
1.

Ovary inferior................................................................................................................2
Ovary superior, or slightly inferior.................................................................................3

2.

Inflorescence ray and disc flowers, leaves pinnate or palmate and well developed.......
.....Asteraceae
Inflorescence with hypanthium, leaves lacking, shoots with spines, succulent..............
.....Cactaceae

3.

Has swollen nodes........................................................................................................4

Nodes normal...............................................................................................................5

4.

Opposite leaves, distinct basal claw, 2 whorls of stamens..................Caryophyllaceae

Alternate leaves, claw absent, one whole of stamens.............................Polygonaceae

5. Only main vein visible, dry papery bracts, may have bristles................Amaranthaceae
Veins visible, leaf-like bracts, may or may not have bristles.........................................6
6.

Containing laticifers, inflorescence in cyanthia.......................................Euphorbiaceae

Lacking laticifers, various inflorescences but not as above..........................................7

7.

Stamens irritable, distinct and overlapping sepals, herbaceous or shrub, inner wood
yellow................................................................................................Berberidaceae
Stamens normal, various sepals, herbs, shrubs, or trees, various wood.....................8

8.

Inflorescences in catkins, ovary superior to half inferior, trees or shrubs......Salicaceae

Various inflorescences, superior ovary, trees, shrubs, or herbs...................................9

9.

Usually bilateral symmetry, connate petals, compound leaves, legume for fruit.............
.....Fabaceae
Usually radial symmetry, petals free, fruit various but not as above...........................10

10.

Hypanthium present, simple leaves, bilateral symmetry...............................Rosaceae

Gynoecium not hypanthium, compound leaves, radial or bilateral symmetry...............
.....Ranunculaceae

Key 2
Perianth with 2 whorls, connate petals
1.

Leaf margins containing theoid teeth............................................................................2

Leaf margins entire to serrate without theoid teeth.......................................................3
2. Stamens twice as many as petals, 4-5 petals which may or may not be fully connate,
superior or inferior ovary, 2-10 connate carpels per pistil........................Ericaceae
5 sympetalous stamens, 5 petals strongly connate, usually creating a tube, superior
ovary, 3 connate carpels per pistil...................................................Polemoniaceae

3.

Plants with milky sap...................................................................................................4

Plants lacking milky sap..............................................................................................5

4.

Contains two distinct, superior ovaries, head is stylar, containing pollinia, leaves
usually opposite, stamens in ring around head..................................Apocynaceae
Contains one inferior ovary, normal head, alternate leaves, stamens alternate petals..
.....Campanulaceae

5.

Leaves opposite............................................................................................................6
Leaves alternate or whorled.........................................................................................7

6.

4-angled or square stems, 4-lobed ovary......................................................Lamiaceae

Terete stems, slightly winged, 2 connate carpels.....................................Gentianaceae

7.

Inflorescence scorpioid or helicoid cyme, hispid hairs, corona and fornices at throat,
gynobasic style..................................................................................Boraginaceae
Inflorescence various but not as above, glabrous, no throat appendages, normal style
.....8

8.

Tilted ovary, 5 connate petals, fold lines in petals........................................Solanaceae

Normal ovary, 5 petals appear as 4, two upper petals fused, saponins present............
.....Plantaginaceae

Key 3
Seperate petals, numerous stamens

1.

Petals extremely clawed or dissected, hypanthium possible, superior or inferior ovary.

.....Saxifragaceae
Various petals but not as above, no hypanthium, superior ovary..................................2

2.

Laticifers, folded/wrinkled petals, radial or bilateral symmetry.................Papaveraceae

Mucilage canals, stellate hairs, radial symmetry, distinct or lacking petals...Malvaceae

Key 4
Seperate petals, few stamens

1.
2.

Ovary inferior................................................................................................................2
Ovary superior..............................................................................................................3
Arcuate veins, opposite leaves, connate gynoecium....................................Cornaceae
Pinnate or palmate veins, opposite or alternate leaves, inflorescence in umbels or
umbellets...................................................................................................Apiaceae

3.

Stems jointed................................................................................................................4
Stems not jointed..........................................................................................................5

4.

Opposite, resinous leaves, persistent black ring on stem......................Zygophyllaceae

Alternant or opposite leaves in a basal rosette, aromatic oils, showy flowers................
.....Geraniaceae

5.

Leaves alternate or 2-ranked, tendrils opposing leaves, radial symmetry, herbs or

liannas, stamens opposite petals...............................................................Vitaceae
Leaves alternate or opposite, lacking tendrils, radial or bilateral symmetry, herbs,
shrubs, or trees, stamens various..........................................................................6

6.

5 distinct petals and sepals, connivent stamens, bilateral symmetry, 3 connate

carpels......................................................................................................Violaceae
4 distinct petals, various sepals, stamens all the same length or tetradynamous,
radial or bilateral symmetry, 2 connate carpels, diverse hairs............Brassicaceae