Jepson Herbarium
The University and Jepson Herbaria
University of California, Berkeley

Jepson eFlora Family Key to Group 7

Please use this Google Form for Contact/Feedback

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


Return to Key for All Family Groups

Group 7: Trees, shrubs, or woody vines; only staminate flowers present; pistillate or bisexual flowers unavailable for examination


1. Plant parasitic on stem of woody host plant ..... VISCACEAE {G6,8,9,11,12,14}

1' Plant free-living, rooted in ground

2. Trunk unbranched, generally stout, covered with persistent woody  bases; leaves 4–7 m, pinnately compound ..... ARECACEAE (Phoenix) {G9,10}

2' Trunk(s) generally branched, stout or slender, generally not covered with persistent  bases; leaves generally smaller,  or compound

3. Leaves stiff and sword-like, 0.6–2 m, base much expanded, white, fleshyinflorescence a large  ..... RUSCACEAE (Nolina) {G6,8,9,16}

3' Leaves not sword-like, mostly smaller, base not much expanded, white, and fleshyinflorescences various

4. Leaves  or 

5. Leaves compound

6. Leaves  ..... SAPINDACEAE

6' Leaves 

7. Woody vinesepals generally 4, conspicuous, petal-like ..... RANUNCULACEAE (Clematis) {G9}

7' Tree or large shrubsepals generally 5 or number difficult to determine, very small

8. Flowers  or borne on short, stout  ..... OLEACEAE (Fraxinus) {G9,12,16}

8' Flowers borne on elongated, thread-like  ..... SAPINDACEAE (Acer negundo) {G9}

5' Leaves 

9. Leaf toothed or lobed

10. Leaf palmately veined and lobed ..... SAPINDACEAE (Acer) {G12,23}

10' Leaf pinnately veined and toothed

11. Petals 0; stamens 4–10 ..... PICRODENDRACEAE (4) {G9,12}

11' Petals 5, united in  corollastamens 4,  ..... SCROPHULARIACEAE (Buddleja) (2) {G9,19}

9' Leaf  (strongly wavy in some Garrya species)

12. Inflorescence

13. Leaf blades well developed;  elongate, pendent ..... GARRYACEAE {G9,11}

13' Leaves scale-, awl-, or needle-like; "catkins" short, not pendent — actually catkin-like pollen cone of gymnosperm

14. Internodes very short; stem concealed by persistent, overlapping, green, scale-, awl-, or needle-like leavespollen sacs  beneath scales of small cone ..... CUPRESSACEAE (2) {G4}

14' Internodes long; stem green, bearing dry, scale-like, often early-deciduous leavespollen sacs borne on filament-like stalk ..... EPHEDRACEAE {G4,9}

12' Inflorescence not a 

15. Leaves 

16. Leaf with abaxial groove ..... ERICACEAE (Empetrum) (2) {G9,12,16}

16' Leaf flat or with midvein raised on abaxial face

17. Stamens 4; weak-stemmed shrubstems 4-angled when young ..... RUBIACEAE (Galium) {G6,8,9,12}

17' Stamens 5–10; stiff shrubstems round ..... PICRODENDRACEAE (4) {G9,12}

15' Leaves 

18. Herbage covered with silvery scales ..... ELAEAGNACEAE (Shepherdia) {G9,12}

18' Herbage glabrous or variously hairy

19. Petals fused proximallystamens fused to corolla

20. Leaves glossy ..... RUBIACEAE ([Coprosma]) {G9}


19' Petals free or 0; stamens free from corolla

21. Leaves thick, leathery, evergreen; flowers in peduncled, head-like clusters; sepals well developed ..... SIMMONDSIACEAE {G9,12}

21' Leaves thin, deciduous; flowers in   clusters or short-peduncled racemessepals very small

22. Bark of young stems ± red; flowers pedicelled in short  racemesstamens 5–10 ..... PICRODENDRACEAE (4) {G9,12}

22' Bark of young stems gray; flowers ±  in  clusters; stamens 1–4 ..... OLEACEAE (Forestiera) {G9,12}

4' Leaves  (leaf often tendril or inflorescence in Vitaceae)

23. Tendrils present; plant a vineinflorescence of umbels or a  of head- or umbel-like clusters

24. Tendrils each calyx 0 or 5-lobed; petals 5, adherent at tips, ± yellow ..... VITACEAE (Vitis) {G9,12,23}

24' Tendrils 2+ near  base; perianth parts 6 in 2 whorls of 3, petal-like, free, white to ± green or ± yellow ..... SMILACACEAE {G6,8,9,16}

23' Tendrils 0; plant a shrub or tree, rarely a vineinflorescence various

25. Inflorescence or 

26. Leaves compound

27. Leaves 1- and 2-pinnate, leaflets 20–28 on 1-pinnate leaves ..... FABACEAE (Gleditsia) {G9}

27' Leaves 1-pinnate, leaflets 5–21

28. Plant evergreen — inflorescence resembles  when young, but is actually a branched  ..... ANACARDIACEAE (Pistacia) {G11,12}

28' Plant deciduous ..... JUGLANDACEAE {G9,11}

26' Leaves 

29. Shrubs of ± saline desert habitatsleaves sometimes thick, ± fleshyspikes  or very short and 

30. Leaf blades generally flat; perianth present though generally small and inconspicuous; bracts 0 or not  ..... CHENOPODIACEAE (2) {G6,8,9,11,15}

30' Leaf blades generally ± perianth 0; bracts  ..... SARCOBATACEAE {G9,11}

29' Shrubs or trees, generally of non-saline habitatsleaves mostly thinner, not fleshyspikes or   to pendent

31. Leaves scale-, awl- or needle-like; plants evergreen — catkin-like structure actually pollen cone of a gymnosperm

32. Pollen sacs borne on filament-like stalks ..... TAXACEAE {G4}

32' Pollen sacs  on abaxial side of scale-like structures

33. Scales with 2 pollen sacs; needle-like leaves 1–30 cm; bark generally separating in flakes or plates ..... PINACEAE {G4}

33' Scales with several pollen sacs; needle-like leaves (if present) 1–2.5 cm; bark thick, persistent ..... CUPRESSACEAE (2) {G4}

31' Leaves with well developed blades; plants evergreen or deciduous

34. Bractlets of inflorescence well developed and readily visible at time of flower

35. Catkins pendent

36. Catkin-bractlets fringe-margined, early-deciduous; stamens 8–60; trees ..... SALICACEAE (Populus)

36' Catkin-bractlets  or appearing 3-lobed, persistentstamens 1–10; shrubs or trees ..... BETULACEAE {G9,11}

35' Catkins ± stiff, ±  to  but generally not pendent

37. Low, brittle shrubsleaves thin,  ..... EUPHORBIACEAE (Acalypha) {G9,11}

37' Shrubs or trees, not brittle; leaves  or toothed —  bracts sometimes early-deciduous ..... SALICACEAE (Salix)

34' Bractlets of inflorescence 0 or very inconspicuous at time of flower

38. Evergreen shrubs or trees

39. Main veins of  parallel or nearly so — 2 perianth whorls actually present but sepals small and easily overlooked ..... FABACEAE (Acacia) (2)

39' Main veins of  clearly 

40. Leaves glabrous or with  hairs, not gland-dotted; sepals present; generally of dry-land habitats slender, pendent, generally >= 2 cm ..... FAGACEAE (2) {G9,11}

40' Leaves glabrous or with minute, straight hairs, dotted with tiny resin glandssepals 0; generally of moist, often wetland habitats short, dense, generally < 2 cm ..... MYRICACEAE (2) {G9,11}

38' Deciduous shrubs or trees

41. Sepals small but evident

42. Sepals 5–7; stamens 5–20; veins  bases generally symmetric ..... FAGACEAE (2) {G9,11}

42' Sepals 4; stamens 4; veins  bases  ..... MORACEAE {G11,12}

41' Sepals 0 or calyx modified into cup- or saucer-shaped structure or reduced to a nectary

43. Leaves dotted with tiny resin glands; individual flowers difficult to distinguish ..... MYRICACEAE (2) {G9,11}

43' Leaves not gland-dotted; individual flowers clearly distinguishable on close examination ..... SALICACEAE {G9,11}

25' Inflorescence not a  or 

44. Leaves and stems armed with prickles

45. Petals freestamens many ..... ROSACEAE (Rubus ursinus) {G9}

45' Petals fusedstamens 5 ..... SOLANACEAE (Solanum marginatum)

44' Foliage not prickly, sometimes stems thorny or leaves spiny-toothed

46. Leaves palmately lobed

47. Leaves inflorescence ..... EUPHORBIACEAE (Ricinus) {G9,12}

47' Leaves not inflorescence ..... PLATANACEAE {G9,10,12}

46' Leaves not palmately lobed

48. Stems and leaves densely covered with  hairs ..... EUPHORBIACEAE {G9,15}

48' Stems and leaves glabrous or hairy but hairs not 

49. Stamens many

50. Sepals 4

51. Leaves not aromatic; petals 4; anthers dehiscing by slits ..... EBENACEAE
{G9, 19}
51' Leaves strongly aromatic; petals 0; anthers dehiscing by uplifted lids ..... LAURACEAE ([Laurus]) (2) {G9}

50' Sepals 5

52. Flowers in spheric headspetals yellow, generally concealed by stamensleaves  or 2-pinnate ..... FABACEAE (Acacia) (2)

52' Flowers in racemespetals white, conspicuous; leaves  ..... ROSACEAE (Oemleria) {G9}

49' Stamens 12 or fewer

53. Leaves compound

54. Leaflets with a few, gland-tipped teeth near base ..... SIMAROUBACEAE (Ailanthus) {G9,10,20}

54' Leaflets  or teeth not gland-tipped

55. Leaflets 3–20, lance-linear to , 10–130 mm ..... ANACARDIACEAE (2) {G9,20,23}

55' Leaflets 7–33, linear-oblong or narrowly , 2–10 mm ..... BURSERACEAE {G9,20}

53' Leaves  (occasionally reduced to scales)

56. Shrub with thorny, generally leafless green stemsleaves scale-like to narrowly , early deciduous ..... SIMAROUBACEAE (Castela) {G9,10,23}

56' Treeshrub, or woody vinethorns occasionally present but stems generally leafy; leaves various, sometimes deciduous in winter or dry season

57. Flower parts in 3s — leaves with abaxial groove ..... ERICACEAE (Empetrum) (2) {G9,12,16}

57' Flower parts generally in 4s, 5s, or 6s

58. Flowers in involucred heads, these generally in few- to many-headed clusters ..... ASTERACEAE {G6,8,9,12,14,17}

58' Flowers solitary or variously clustered, not in involucred heads

59. Leaves generally ± gray, either softly hairy or covered with powdery scales ..... CHENOPODIACEAE (2) {G6,8,9,11,15}

59' Leaves green

60. Petals present

61. Leaves  to lobed, not spiny-toothed; inflorescenceterminal or   or umbel-like cluster, or flowers 1; flower parts generally in 5s

62. Petals 1–5 mm ..... ANACARDIACEAE (2) {G9,20,23}

62' Petals 10–15 mm ..... PITTOSPORACEAE (Pittosporum)

61' Leaves spiny-toothed or inflorescence an  ; flower parts in 4s or 5s

63. Stamens generally 4,  petals ..... AQUIFOLIACEAE {G9,19,23}

63' Stamens 4–5,  petals ..... RHAMNACEAE (Rhamnus) (2) {G9}

60' Petals 0

64. Leaves strongly aromatic; anthers dehiscing by uplifted lids ..... LAURACEAE ([Laurus]) (2) {G9}

64' Leaves not aromatic; anthers  by slits

65. Stamens = in number to and  sepals ..... RHAMNACEAE (Rhamnus) (2) {G9}

65' Stamens = in number to and  sepals or > in number than sepals

66. Leaf  2–12 mm; shrubs ..... PICRODENDRACEAE (4) {G9,12}

66' Leaf  30–140 mm; trees or large shrubs

67. Leaf 3-veined from base; inflorescence  cluster ..... CANNABACEAE (Celtis) {G12}

67' Leaf 1-veined from base; inflorescence a stalked  or umbel-like  ..... MORACEAE (Maclura) {G9}

Copyright © 2012 - . Regents of the University of California

We encourage links to these pages, but the content may not be downloaded for reposting, repackaging, redistributing, or sale in any form, without written permission from The University and Jepson Herbaria — Terms of Use.

Page last updated