Jepson eFlora Family Key to Group 21

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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]

Group 21: Leaves simple; perianth in 2 or more whorls or spirals; petals 4 or more, free; pistil 1, ovary inferior

1. Stamens > 2 × as many as petals or > 15

2. Style 1

3. Stem fleshy, spiny (in some Opuntia species only with glochids); sepals and petals indefinite in number and not sharply differentiated, in spirals ..... CACTACEAE {G17}

3' Stem not fleshy, generally not spiny; sepals and petals each 3–7, clearly differentiated, in whorls

4. Herb or subshrub with rough, 

barbed 

Having sharp, normally downward- or backward-pointing projections. Said of an awn, bristle, or other structure.

, or stinging hairs ..... LOASACEAE

4' Tree or shrub lacking such hairs

5. Ovary only 1/2 inferior, the free portion conic, especially in fruit ..... HYDRANGEACEAE (Carpenteria) {G16,22}

5' Ovary ± wholly inferior, the free portion, if any, rounded

6. Leaf generally dotted with embedded oil glands, often strongly scented when crushed; ovary chambers generally 2–5, all at 1 level; flowers variously colored ..... MYRTACEAE

6' Leaf not gland-dotted, not strongly scented; ovary chambers generally 5 or more, some at different levels in the ovary; flowers bright red-orange to pale yellow ..... LYTHRACEAE (Punica)

2' Styles or 

sessile 

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

 stigmas > 1, sometimes partly fused at base

7. Shrub or tree, woody throughout, not fleshy; petals generally 4–5

8. Leaves 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

; fruit a capsule ..... HYDRANGEACEAE (Philadelphus)

8' Leaves 

alternate 

1. Arranged singly, often spirally, along an axis - e.g., one leaf per node. 2. Occurring in different ranks, appearing to be between, not directly above or below, as 'stamens alternate petals'.

; fruit a pome ..... ROSACEAE (2) {G10,15,22,23}

7' Herb or plant woody only at base, generally ± fleshy; petals 4–many

9. Plant aquatic; 

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).

 blades and flowers floating at water surface ..... NYMPHAEACEAE (Nymphaea)

9' Plant terrestrial; leaves and flowers not floating

10. Sepals 4–8; petals many ..... AIZOACEAE {G14,15,17}

10' Sepals 2; petals 5 ..... PORTULACACEAE (2)

1' Stamens 2 × as many as petals or fewer

11. Stamens 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

and = in number to petals

12. Shrub or tree ..... RHAMNACEAE {G12,23}

12' Herb — petals actually slightly fused at base, easily misinterpreted as free ..... THEOPHRASTACEAE {G17}

11' Stamens 

alternate 

1. Arranged singly, often spirally, along an axis - e.g., one leaf per node. 2. Occurring in different ranks, appearing to be between, not directly above or below, as 'stamens alternate petals'.

 petals or different in number

13. Style 1, sometimes distally branched

14. Plant a tendril-bearing vine; flowers unisexual, plant monoecious — corolla sometimes so deeply divided that petals appear to be free ..... CUCURBITACEAE {G6,8,14,17}

14' Plant not tendril-bearing; flowers generally 

bisexual 

Both male and female reproductive parts occurring and functional in the same plant or structure (e.g., flower, spikelet, inflorescence).

15. Ovules > 1 per chamber

16. Herb (subshrub) ..... ONAGRACEAE {G5}

16' Shrub

17. Stamens (4)5, free; leaves 

ovate 

Egg-shaped (i.e., widest below the middle) in two dimensions (i.e., in one plane), as a leaf.

or obovate to round, generally palmately 3–5-lobed, generally toothed; glands stalked or 0 ..... GROSSULARIACEAE (2)

17' Stamens 10, fused in ring with staminodes; leaves 

linear 

Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.

needle-like, 

entire 

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

, 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

; glands embedded in leaves ..... MYRTACEAE ([Chamelaucium])

15' Ovule 1 per chamber or 

perennial 

Completing life cycle (germination through death) in more than two years or growing seasons, generally non-woody (at least above ground) to woody; includes perennial herbs as well as subshrubs to trees; the abbreviation 'per' only refers to perennial herb, not to the word 'perennial' alone.

 herb ovary

18. Leaves 

alternate 

1. Arranged singly, often spirally, along an axis - e.g., one leaf per node. 2. Occurring in different ranks, appearing to be between, not directly above or below, as 'stamens alternate petals'.

19. Plant a non-desert, sprawling, woody vine (flower stems ± erect); leaves smooth, dark green, often palmately lobed; inflorescence a cluster of umbels; fruit a berry ..... ARALIACEAE (Hedera)

19' Plant a low-desert 

perennial 

Completing life cycle (germination through death) in more than two years or growing seasons, generally non-woody (at least above ground) to woody; includes perennial herbs as well as subshrubs to trees; the abbreviation 'per' only refers to perennial herb, not to the word 'perennial' alone.

 herb; leaves generally scabrous, pale green, unlobed; inflorescence ± a 

raceme 

In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, an unbranched inflorescence in which the flowers are borne on pedicels and nearly always open from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a raceme-like inflorescence is one in which the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are stalked and attached directly to the main axis of the inflorescence, not to branches, and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

; fruit an 

achene 

Dry, indehiscent, 1-seeded fruit from a 1-chambered ovary, sometimes winged, often appearing to be a naked seed. A 1-seeded dry fruit derived from an inferior ovary of > 1 carpel (e.g., Asteraceae, Dipsacaceae) is sometimes called a cypsela.

..... LOASACEAE (Petalonyx)

18' Leaves 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

; sepals and petals 4(5)

20. Perennial herb to tree; inflorescence an 

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.

, 

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.

, or 

cyme 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae and some other groups, a branched inflorescence in which the central or uppermost flower opens before the peripheral or lowermost flowers on any axis. see 2. In Asteraceae and some other groups, a cyme-like inflorescence is one in which the central or uppermost inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae, umbels enclosed by involucres in Eriogonum), instead of individual flowers, develop and mature before the peripheral or lowermost inflorescence units on any axis.

; fruit a drupe ..... CORNACEAE

20' Annual; inflorescence a 

spike 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, an unbranched inflorescence in which the flowers are sessile and nearly always open from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a spike-like inflorescence is one in which the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are sessile and attached directly to the main axis of the inflorescence, not to branches, and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

or spike-like 

raceme 

In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, an unbranched inflorescence in which the flowers are borne on pedicels and nearly always open from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a raceme-like inflorescence is one in which the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are stalked and attached directly to the main axis of the inflorescence, not to branches, and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

; fruit 

indehiscent 

Not opening inherently to release contents; usually pertaining to fruits.

, nut-like ..... ONAGRACEAE (Clarkia heterandra)

13' Styles > 1

21. Seeds 1–2 per chamber

22. Inflorescences of umbels or heads (spike in Hydrocotyle verticillata)

23. Leaves various [if round-reniform, plant terrestrial], glabrous or hairy; inflorescence generally compound 

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.

(occasionally 

simple 

Composed of a single part; undivided; unbranched.

umbel, head) ..... APIACEAE {G2,6,8,14,20}

23' Leaves round-peltate or -reniform, glabrous; plant aquatic with stolons or rhizomes, floating or rooted in shallow water or on mud; inflorescence 

simple 

Composed of a single part; undivided; unbranched.

 

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.

or 

spike 

1. In flowering plants excluding Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, an unbranched inflorescence in which the flowers are sessile and nearly always open from the bottom to the top of the inflorescence. 2. In Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, Poaceae, and some other groups, a spike-like inflorescence is one in which the inflorescence units (e.g., heads in Asteraceae; spikelets in Cyperaceae and Poaceae), instead of individual flowers, are sessile and attached directly to the main axis of the inflorescence, not to branches, and in which floral development may or may not proceed as in 1.

..... ARALIACEAE (Hydrocotyle) {G2,14}

22' Inflorescences various but not of umbels, heads, or spikes

24. Leaves 

alternate 

1. Arranged singly, often spirally, along an axis - e.g., one leaf per node. 2. Occurring in different ranks, appearing to be between, not directly above or below, as 'stamens alternate petals'.

; 

hypanthium 

Structure generally in the shape of a tube, cup, or bowl, derived from the fused lower portions of the perianth and stamens, from which these parts seem to arise, and to which the ovary wall is fused in an inferior ovary (to which the ovary wall is partially fused in a half-inferior ovary; from which the ovary is free in a superior ovary).

well developed; fruit a pome ..... ROSACEAE (2) {G10,15,22,23}

24' Leaves 

opposite 

1. Arranged in pairs along an axis - e.g., two leaves per node. 2. Occurring in the same rank, directly above or below, as 'stamens opposite petals'. 3. Located directly across from.

; 

hypanthium 

Structure generally in the shape of a tube, cup, or bowl, derived from the fused lower portions of the perianth and stamens, from which these parts seem to arise, and to which the ovary wall is fused in an inferior ovary (to which the ovary wall is partially fused in a half-inferior ovary; from which the ovary is free in a superior ovary).

very short or 0; fruit a capsule ..... HYDRANGEACEAE {G24}

21' Seeds generally several–many per chamber

25. Sepals 2; leaves fleshy ..... PORTULACACEAE (2)

25' Sepals 4–5; leaves generally not fleshy

26. Herb ..... SAXIFRAGACEAE {G10,20,24}

26' Shrub

27. Stamens 4–5 ..... GROSSULARIACEAE (2)

27' Stamens 10 ..... HYDRANGEACEAE (Jamesia)