Key to Montia
View taxon page for Montia
(For a list of species in Montia, use the above link.)
Jepson Manual glossary definitions can be seen by moving your cursor over words underlined with dots.
1. 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.
, not much
reduced upwards
2. Perennial herb, from leafy
stolons with pink overwintering
bulblets 
1. Small bulb generally produced at the base of a bulb. 2. Any small, bulb-like structure that propagates a plant, often in a leaf or bract axil.
;
petals 5–9 mm, >>
sepals ..... M. chamissoi 2' Annual, without stolons or overwintering bulblets; petals 1–2 mm, ± = sepals
..... M. fontana 1' 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'.
, reduced upwards or not
3. Perennial herb;
leaves 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.
and on stolons; petals 7–15 mm
..... M. parvifolia 3' Annual; leaves basal and
cauline or generally cauline; petals < 6.5 mm
4. Leaves
lanceolate 
Narrowly elongate, widest in the basal half, often tapered to an acute tip.
to
deltate 
More or less equilaterally triangular, with the corners rounded or not.
;
seed appendage 0.2–0.4 mm
..... M. diffusa 4' Leaves ±
linear 
Elongate, with nearly parallel sides; narrower than elliptic or oblong.
; seed appendage 0 or << 0.2 mm
5' Sepals < 2.5 mm; stem 1–9 cm; lower stem leaves 0.5–4.5 cm; seeds 0.7–1.2 mm
6. Inflorescence in
axils of stem leaves and
terminal; plants often tufted, not matted, not rooting at
nodes 
Position on a stem from which one or more structures (especially leaves, buds, branches, or flowers) arise.
..... M. dichotoma 6' Inflorescence in axils of
membranous bracts opposite stem leaves; plants matted, rooting at lower nodes, not tufted
..... M. howellii
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Citation for the whole project: Jepson Flora Project (eds.) . Jepson eFlora, https://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/eflora/ [accessed on ]
Citation for an individual treatment: [Author of taxon treatment] [year]. [Taxon name] in Jepson Flora Project (eds.) Jepson eFlora, [URL for treatment]. Accessed on .
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