Plant Families

Conserved Names:

1. Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
2. Arecaceae (Palmae)
3. Asteraceae (Compositae)
4. Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)
5. Clusiaceae (Hypericaceae in Jepson) (Guttiferae)
6. Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
7. Lamiaceae (Labiatae)
8. Poaceae (Gramineae)

Dicots:

1. Apiaceae (Umbellifereae) - Carrot family. See p. 136.

Annuals to perennials.

Stem generally scapose, ribbed and hollow.

Leaves exstipulate, generally much dissected, with sheathing petioles.

Inflorescence an umbel or compound umbel.

Flowers small, ovary generally 2-parted and inferior.

Fruit a schizocarp.

2. Asteraceae (Compositae) -Sunflower family. See p.174.

Ours annuals to perennials.

Inflorescence a head, either discoid, ligulate or radiate, subtended by phyllaries. Flowers (florets) small and of three types:

A. Disk - bisexual and radial

B. Ligulate - bisexual, bilateral with strap shaped corolla

C. Ray - unisexual or sterile, bilateral with strap shaped corolla, only occur as "rays" on radiate heads.

Calyx absent or modified into pappus of bristles, scales or awns.

Ovary inferior, 1-loculed.

Fruit an achene, often shed with persistent pappus.

3. Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) - Mustard family. See p. 393.

Annuals to subshrubs, often with "mustard" odor.

Leaves generally basal and cauline, exstipulate.

Flowers bisexual, radial, perianth in two whorls of 4, petals forming a cross.

Stamens 6, generally 4 long and 2 short.

Ovary superior, 2-loculed.

Fruit a silicle or silique ( with persistent replum).

4. Caryophyllaceae - Pink (Carnation) family. See p. 475.

Annuals to perennials.

Leaves opposite and exstipulate.

Sepals 5. Petals 0 or 5 (often deeply lobed).

Stamens generally 10.

Ovary superior, styles 1-5.

Placentation free central.

Fruit usually capsule.

5. Fabaceae (Leguminosae) - Bean or Legume family. See p. 577.

Annuals to trees.

Leaves stipulate, generally compound.

Most with bilateral, pea-like flowers, with banner, 2 wings and central keel of two partially fused petals.

Stamens usually 10, 9 fused and 1 free.

Ovary superior, 1-loculed.

Fruit a legume.

Note unusual characteristics of two smaller subfamilies in text, e.g. Acacia type flowers.

6. Lamiaceae (Labiatae) - Mint family. See p. 710.

Annuals to subshrubs, often with aromatic odor.

Stems generally square with opposite leaves.

Flowers generally clustered around stem.

Corolla bilateral 2-lipped.

Ovary superior, deeply 4-lobed.

Fruits generally 4 nutlets.

7. Ranunculaceae - Buttercup family. See p. 911.

Annuals, perennials to aquatic.

Leaves exstipulate.

Flowers generally bisexual, some bilateral.

Sepals generally 5. Petals 0-many.

Stamens 10-many.

Pistils 1-many.

Ovary superior, 1-loculed.

Fruit an achene, follicle, berry.

8. Rosaceae - Rose family. See p. 942.

Annuals to trees.

Leaves stipulate.

Flowers generally bisexual and radial.

Flowers epigynous, hypogynous or perigynous.

Hypanthium free or fused to ovary.

Perianth of two whorls of 5.

Stamens often many.

Pistils 1-many.

Fruit achene, follicle, drupe, pome or false.

9. Scrophulariaceae - Figwort (Snapdragon) family. See p. 1011.

Annuals to shrubs, some parasitic.

Leaves alternate and exstipulate.

Flowers bisexual.

Calyx lobes 5.

Corolla strongly bilateral, generally 2-lipped.

Stamens generally 4 in 2 pairs, a 5th often present as staminode.

Ovary superior, generally 2-loculed, with 2 stigmas.

Fruit a capsule.

Monocots

1. Cyperaceae - Sedge family. See p. 1106.

Annuals to perennials, often of wet places.

Generally monoecious. Stems triangular and solid.

Leaves 3-ranked, sheath closed, and lacking ligule.

Inflorescence a spikelet.

Flowers generally subtended by a bract.

Perianth usually 0. Stamens 3.

Ovary superior, 1-loculed.

Fruit an achene.

2. Liliaceae - Lily family. See p. 1170.

Perennial to trees.

Generally with well developed underground parts.

Leaves generally basal.

Flowers bisexual, radial.

Perianth often showy, 6 parts, often in two petal like whorls.

Stamens 6.

Ovary superior to inferior, 3-loculed, style 1, stigmas 3.

Fruit generally a capsule.

3. Orchidaceae - Orchid family. See p. 1211.

Ours perennial and terrestrial, sometimes nongreen.

Flowers bisexual, bilateral.

Sepals 3 and petal like.

Petals 3, lowest different (lip).

Stamen 1, fused with stigma and style into a column.

Ovary inferior, 1-loculed.

Fruit a capsule.

4. Poaceae (Gramineae) - Grass family. See p. 1218.

Annuals to bamboo-like.

Stems round, hollow.

Leaves 2-ranked, linear, with open sheath and ligule at blade base.

 Inflorescence various, generally of many spikelets.

Spikelets enclosed by 2 glumes.

Florets small and covered by lemma and palea.

Perianth reduced to 2-3 lodicules.

Stigmas 2 and plumose.

Stamens 3 and very large.

Fruit a caryopsis.

Comparison of Cyperaceae and Poaceae

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