Key to Sanicula

View taxon page for Sanicula

(For a list of species in Sanicula, use the above link.)

Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.

1. Leaves compound, base of main division petiole-like and unwinged

2. Leaves 

palmate 

More than two structures or parts (e.g., veins, lobes, or leaflets) radiating from a common point in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane).

, occasionally palmate-ternate, distal segment of main axis 4–30 mm wide

3. Main 

leaf 

Organ arising from a stem, generally composed of a stalk (petiole) and a flat, expanded, green, photosynthetic area (blade); distinguished from a leaflet by the presence in its axil of a bud, branch, thorn, or flower; sometimes with lateral, basal appendages (stipules); either simple (toothed, lobed, or dissected but not divided into leaflets) or compound (divided into leaflets).

divisions generally ± 5, central division generally 2–4 cm; styles 2 × calyx 

lobes 

1. A major expansion or bulge, such as on the margin of a leaf, sepal, or petal, or on the surface of an ovary. 2. The free tips of otherwise fused structures, such as sepals or petals; larger than teeth.

; bracts 1–2 mm; fruit occasionally stalked distal to receptacle; common, widespread ..... S. crassicaulis (2)

3' Main leaf divisions ± 3, central division generally 4–7 cm; styles ± = calyx lobes; bracts 3–5 mm; fruit ± 

sessile 

Without a petiole, peduncle, pedicel, or other kind of stalk.

distal to receptacle; uncommon, coastal ..... S. hoffmannii (2)

2' Leaves ± 

pinnate 

Feather-like; pertaining to veins, lobes, leaflets, or other structures arranged in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane) along either side of an axis; a leaf is odd-pinnate if there is a terminal leaflet, even-pinnate if there is not, and either odd- or even-pinnate may be 1-pinnate (blade divided into primary leaflets), 2-pinnate (primary leaflets divided into secondary leaflets), 3-pinnate (secondary leaflets divided into tertiary leaflets), etc.

, first division generally ternate, others pinnate, distal segment of main axis 1–5 mm wide

4. Fruit with many hooked prickles

5. Staminate flowers 4–6 per 

umbel 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae and some other groups, an inflorescence in which three to many pedicels and, if compound, branches (rays) radiate from a common point; characteristic of but not confined to Apiaceae. 2. In Asteraceae and some other groups, an umbel-like inflorescence is one in which three to many stalked inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae, umbels enclosed by involucres in Eriogonum), instead of individual flowers, radiate from a common point of attachment without an evident axis or branches.

, inconspicuous; stem leafy, ± 

erect 

Upright; vertically oriented.

..... S. bipinnata

5' Staminate flowers 7–12 per umbel, conspicuous; stem ± leafless, branches generally 

spreading 

Oriented more or less perpendicularly to the axis of attachment; often, more or less horizontal.

widely from near base ..... S. graveolens

4' Fruit with ± rounded tubercles, hooked prickles 0 or few

6. Plant from taproot (tuber-like); staminate flowers ± > fruit, inconspicuous – NCo, NCoR, CaRF ..... S. tracyi

6' Plant from a distinct, spheric or irregular tuber; staminate flowers generally >> fruit, conspicuous

7. Corolla ± yellow or pale red-orange; fruit 2.5–3 mm, most tubercles nipple-like or with bristle; SnFrB ..... S. saxatilis

7' Corolla yellow; fruit 1.5–2 mm, tubercles unarmed; widespread ..... S. tuberosa

1' Leaves 

simple 

Composed of a single part; undivided; unbranched.

, 

entire 

Having margins that are continuous and smooth (i.e., without teeth, lobes, etc.).

to deeply lobed or cut, axis of main division with at least a narrow, toothed 

wing 

1. Thin, flat extension or appendage of a surface or margin. 2. In many members of Fabaceae and in some other groups, each of two lateral petals.

throughout

8. Bracts yellow, conspicuous, >> heads; plant 

prostrate 

Lying flat on the ground.

; leaves bright ± yellow-green at flower ..... S. arctopoides

8' Bracts ± green, inconspicuous, <= heads; plant spreading to erect; leaves green at flower

9. Leaf margins not or ± toothed, some 

basal 

At or near the base of a plant or plant part. Especially said of leaves clustered near the ground or of a placenta confined to the base of an ovary.

leaves entire ..... S. maritima

9' Leaf margins sharply toothed, all leaves ± lobed

10. Leaves palmately or ± ternately lobed or dissected; main divisions 3–5, generally not deeply cut

11. Main leaf division narrowed to ± petiole-like base ..... S. hoffmannii (2)

11' Main leaf division generally >= 10 mm wide at base

12. Outline of leaf margin ± rounded, teeth generally ± 1 mm; plant stout, 24–120 cm, generally branched well distal to base; widespread ..... S. crassicaulis (2)

12' Outline of leaf margin sharply angled, teeth generally ± 2 mm; plant slender, 5–30 cm, generally branched near base; generally coastal ..... S. laciniata

10' Leaves ± pinnately lobed or dissected; main divisions generally >= 7, generally deeply cut

13. Leaves appearing ± palmate, with some pinnate divisions – corolla yellow; CCo, SCoRO, SW ..... S. arguta

13' Leaves clearly pinnate, with some ternate divisions

14. Corolla purple or yellow; fruits 3–8 per 

head 

1. A dense, often spheric inflorescence of sessile or subsessile flowers.
2. In Asteraceae and some other groups, a head-like inflorescence is one in which sessile or subsessile inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae, umbels enclosed by involucres in Eriogonum), instead of individual flowers, are attached in a short dense cluster without an evident axis or branches.

; staminate flowers inconspicuous, < fruit; widespread ..... S. bipinnatifida

14' Corolla yellow; fruits 1–5 per head; staminate flowers conspicuous, > fruit; KR (Del Norte Co.) ..... S. peckiana

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