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| Scientific | Lead Number | Lead Position | Lead Characteristics | Lead Characteristics with Glossary | Line result key id | Line result taxon id | result text |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Huperzia | Leaves relatively monomorphic; gemma-bearing branches, if present at all, borne in 1 (-2) pseudowhorl at the apex of seasonal growth; lateral leaves of gemmae 1.3-2.5 mm wide | Leaves relatively monomorphic; gemma-bearing branches, if present at all, borne in 1 (-2) pseudowhorl at the apex of seasonal growth; lateral leaves of gemmae 1.3-2.5 mm wide | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | Leafy stems erect or pendant, simple or dichotomously branched, the ultimate branches vertically oriented; sporophylls like the sterile leaves or only slightly reduced, in annual bands along the stem; vegetative reproduction absent or by leafy gemmae near the stem apex | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Leaves herbaceous, pale or yellow-green, dull, deciduous; principal leafy stems creeping (except erect and repeatedly branched in Palhinhaea); rhizome dying back annually to an underground vegetative tuber at apex; spores rugulate; erect fertile shoots in a single dorsal rank; [wetlands, mostly on moist or wet sands or peats]; [subfamily Lycopodielloideae]. | Leaves herbaceous, pale or yellow-green, dull, deciduous; principal leafy stems creeping (except erect and repeatedly branched in Palhinhaea); rhizome dying back annually to an underground vegetative tuber at apex; spores rugulate; erect fertile shoots in a single dorsal rank; [wetlands, mostly on moist or wet sands or peats]; [subfamily Lycopodielloideae]. | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Leaves herbaceous, pale or yellow-green, dull, deciduous; principal leafy stems creeping (except erect and repeatedly branched in Palhinhaea); rhizome dying back annually to an underground vegetative tuber at apex; spores rugulate; erect fertile shoots in a single dorsal rank; [wetlands, mostly on moist or wet sands or peats]; [subfamily Lycopodielloideae]. | Leaves herbaceous, pale or yellow-green, dull, deciduous; principal leafy stems creeping (except erect and repeatedly branched in Palhinhaea); rhizome dying back annually to an underground vegetative tuber at apex; spores rugulate; erect fertile shoots in a single dorsal rank; [wetlands, mostly on moist or wet sands or peats]; [subfamily Lycopodielloideae]. | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Erect leafy stems 3-8 mm in diameter (including the leaves), treelike or fanlike, with a definite main axis; leaves acute at the apex; horizontal shoots subterranean, without winter bud constrictions | Erect leafy stems 3-8 mm in diameter (including the leaves), treelike or fanlike, with a definite main axis; leaves acute at the apex; horizontal shoots subterranean, without winter bud constrictions | |||||
Lycopodiaceae | Erect leafy stems 3-8 mm in diameter (including the leaves), treelike or fanlike, with a definite main axis; leaves acute at the apex; horizontal shoots subterranean, without winter bud constrictions | Erect leafy stems 3-8 mm in diameter (including the leaves), treelike or fanlike, with a definite main axis; leaves acute at the apex; horizontal shoots subterranean, without winter bud constrictions | |||||
Lycopodiella | Leaves of the horizontal shoots entire (rarely those toward the shoot apex with a few teeth); horizontal shoots, excluding the leaves, 0.5-0.9 (-1.0) mm in diameter; each horizontal shoot segment commonly producing a single upright shoot; [primarily Mountains, also Coastal Plain from MD northwards] | ||||||
Lycopodiella | Leaves of the horizontal shoots entire (rarely those toward the shoot apex with a few teeth); horizontal shoots, excluding the leaves, 0.5-0.9 (-1.0) mm in diameter; each horizontal shoot segment commonly producing a single upright shoot; [primarily Mountains, also Coastal Plain from MD northwards] | ||||||
Lycopodiella | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | |||||
Lycopodiella | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | |||||
Lycopodiella | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | Prostrate stems arching, not in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 8-11 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 2-4 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stem of one size and shape, spreading to ascending, 5-7 mm long, 0.5-0.7 mm wide; erect stems many, equally spaced along the prostrate stems, progressively shorter and sterile toward the apex of the prostrate stems | |||||
Lycopodiella | Prostrate stems creeping, in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 12-19 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 1-2.2 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stems dimorphic, spreading to reflexed, the upper leaves smaller (4-5 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide) than the lateral leaves (7-8 mm long, 0.7-1.8 mm wide); erect stems few, clustered well behind the apex of the prostrate stems, mostly fertile and subequal in length | Prostrate stems creeping, in contact with the ground (and rooting) all along their length, 12-19 mm wide (including leaves), the stem (stripped of leaves) 1-2.2 mm in diameter; leaves of the prostrate stems dimorphic, spreading to reflexed, the upper leaves smaller (4-5 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm wide) than the lateral leaves (7-8 mm long, 0.7-1.8 mm wide); erect stems few, clustered well behind the apex of the prostrate stems, mostly fertile and subequal in length | |||||
Bryodesma | Stems mostly creeping or turned up at the apex, forming mats 1.5-4 cm high; rhizome or rhizomatous stem absent; aerial roots present all along the stems; budlike “arrested” branches absent | Stems mostly creeping or turned up at the apex, forming mats 1.5-4 cm high; rhizome or rhizomatous stem absent; aerial roots present all along the stems; budlike “arrested” branches absent | |||||
Bryodesma | Stems mostly creeping or turned up at the apex, forming mats 1.5-4 cm high; rhizome or rhizomatous stem absent; aerial roots present all along the stems; budlike “arrested” branches absent | Stems mostly creeping or turned up at the apex, forming mats 1.5-4 cm high; rhizome or rhizomatous stem absent; aerial roots present all along the stems; budlike “arrested” branches absent | |||||
Bryodesma | Leaves mostly tightly appressed; leaf bases conspicuously pubescent; strobili distinctly larger in diameter than the subtending stem; sporophyll apex often recurved | ||||||
Bryodesma | Leaves mostly tightly appressed; leaf bases conspicuously pubescent; strobili distinctly larger in diameter than the subtending stem; sporophyll apex often recurved | ||||||
Bryodesma | Leaves mostly tightly appressed; leaf bases conspicuously pubescent; strobili distinctly larger in diameter than the subtending stem; sporophyll apex often recurved | ||||||
Bryodesma | Leaves mostly loosely appressed; leaf bases usually glabrescent; strobili not distinctly larger in diameter than the subtending stem; sporophyll apex usually straight | Leaves mostly loosely appressed; leaf bases usually glabrescent; strobili not distinctly larger in diameter than the subtending stem; sporophyll apex usually straight | |||||
Ophioglossum | Underground stem globose, nearly spherical, 3-11 mm in diameter; fertile spikes commonly with a conspicuous, acute or attenuate sterile portion (apiculum) at its apex; sterile blade 1-4 cm long, 0.5-2.5 cm wide, borne horizontally near the ground | ||||||
Ophioglossum | Underground stem narrowly cylindrical or irregularly elongate, 2-4 mm in diameter; fertile spikes without a sterile portion at the apex or the sterile portion inconspicuous; sterile blade 0.5-10 cm long, 0.2-5.5 cm wide, borne horizontally, ascending, or vertically. | Underground stem narrowly cylindrical or irregularly elongate, 2-4 mm in diameter; fertile spikes without a sterile portion at the apex or the sterile portion inconspicuous; sterile blade 0.5-10 cm long, 0.2-5.5 cm wide, borne horizontally, ascending, or vertically. | |||||
Ophioglossum | Sterile blade ovate-lanceolate, the base obtuse to nearly truncate, broadest < ¼ of the way from the base to the apex; primary areoles mostly > 2 mm wide, without included veinlets | ||||||
Sceptridium | Sterile blade mostly 2(-3)-pinnate, herbaceous in texture; ultimate blade segments mostly oblong to obliquely lanceolate, the margins nearly parallel, the base cuneate, the apex relatively blunt | Sterile blade mostly 2(-3)-pinnate, herbaceous in texture; ultimate blade segments mostly oblong to obliquely lanceolate, the margins nearly parallel, the base cuneate, the apex relatively blunt | |||||
Sceptridium | Sterile blade mostly 3-pinnate (or more divided, those forms keyed above), leathery in texture; ultimate blade segments trowel-shaped, the margins usually not parallel, the base truncate or obtuse, the apex relatively pointed | ||||||
Botrychium | Sterile leaf blade (trophophore) leaflets linear to narrow-ovate, the apex obtuse to acuminate, the margins shallowly to deeply lobed; at least the tip of the sterile leaf blade (trophophore) reflexed in bud. | Sterile leaf blade (trophophore) leaflets linear to narrow-ovate, the apex obtuse to acuminate, the margins shallowly to deeply lobed; at least the tip of the sterile leaf blade (trophophore) reflexed in bud. | |||||
Botrychium | Sterile leaf blade (trophophore) leaflets nearly orbicular to obovate or flabellate, the apex rounded to truncate, the margins entire or distally few-lobed; sterile leaf blade (trophophore) and fertile leaf (sporophore) erect in bud or only the extreme tip of the sterile leaf blade (trophophore) slightly inclined. | Sterile leaf blade (trophophore) leaflets nearly orbicular to obovate or flabellate, the apex rounded to truncate, the margins entire or distally few-lobed; sterile leaf blade (trophophore) and fertile leaf (sporophore) erect in bud or only the extreme tip of the sterile leaf blade (trophophore) slightly inclined. | |||||
Hymenophyllaceae | Rhizomes filiform, < 0.5 mm in diameter, glabrous or with sparse light-colored hairs; indusium ("involucre") bivalvate (deeply divided into 2 flaps); receptacle not exserted from between the deeply bilobed indusium; margins of finest leaf divisions with sharp teeth pointing towards the division apex (at 20× magnification) | Rhizomes filiform, < 0.5 mm in diameter, glabrous or with sparse light-colored hairs; indusium ("involucre") bivalvate (deeply divided into 2 flaps); receptacle not exserted from between the deeply bilobed indusium; margins of finest leaf divisions with sharp teeth pointing towards the division apex (at 20× magnification) | |||||
Didymoglossum | Midvein extending to the apex of the leaf blade; involucral lips not distinct from the blade in color; leaves usually < 1 cm long; soral involucres usually 1 per leaf; [widespread in our area] | Midvein extending to the apex of the leaf blade; involucral lips not distinct from the blade in color; leaves usually < 1 cm long; soral involucres usually 1 per leaf; [widespread in our area] | |||||
Pellaea | Ultimate leaf segments thin in texture, overall flattish (though the margins revolute), acute to acuminate at the apex, but lacking a mucro or cusp. | ||||||
Pellaea | Ultimate leaf segments leathery, strongly 'rolled', mucronate at the apex. | ||||||
Cystopteris | Leaf blade 2-2.5 (-3)× as long as wide; pinnae usually at an acute angle to the rachis, curving toward the blade apex; margins of pinnae crenulate, the teeth rounded; basal pinnules short-stalked or sessile, rounded to cuneate at the base; indusium about 0.5 mm long, ovate to round; pinnae usually at an acute angle to the rachis; [on rock outcrops or forest floor]. | Leaf blade 2-2.5 (-3)× as long as wide; pinnae usually at an acute angle to the rachis, curving toward the blade apex; margins of pinnae crenulate, the teeth rounded; basal pinnules short-stalked or sessile, rounded to cuneate at the base; indusium about 0.5 mm long, ovate to round; pinnae usually at an acute angle to the rachis; [on rock outcrops or forest floor]. | |||||
Cystopteris | Rhizome long-creeping, the apex extending 10-60 mm beyond the last of the widely-spaced petioles (especially as seen from late spring to summer); rhizome covered with scales and tan to golden hairs; spores 20-32 μ long; leaves membranaceous in texture; basal pinnules conspicuously stalked; petiole green to tan, darkened at base; lowermost pinnules of each pinna deeply cut; [typically on forest floor, less commonly on rocks] | Rhizome long-creeping, the apex extending 10-60 mm beyond the last of the widely-spaced petioles (especially as seen from late spring to summer); rhizome covered with scales and tan to golden hairs; spores 20-32 μ long; leaves membranaceous in texture; basal pinnules conspicuously stalked; petiole green to tan, darkened at base; lowermost pinnules of each pinna deeply cut; [typically on forest floor, less commonly on rocks] | |||||
Cystopteris | Rhizome short-creeping, the apex extending only 1-5 mm beyond the last of the closely-spaced petioles; rhizome covered with scales, lacking hairs; spores 32-42 μ long; leaves thicker in texture; basal pinnules slightly stalked or merely cuneate to the base; petiole dark brown; lowermost pinnules of each pinna slightly lobed; [often on rocks, less commonly on forest floor] | Rhizome short-creeping, the apex extending only 1-5 mm beyond the last of the closely-spaced petioles; rhizome covered with scales, lacking hairs; spores 32-42 μ long; leaves thicker in texture; basal pinnules slightly stalked or merely cuneate to the base; petiole dark brown; lowermost pinnules of each pinna slightly lobed; [often on rocks, less commonly on forest floor] | |||||
Asplenium | Leaf apex long-attenuate and characteristically producing plantlets at the tip; veins anastomosing; [V. Schaffneria clade; A. cordatum subclade] | ||||||
Asplenium | Leaf apex long-attenuate and characteristically producing plantlets at the tip; veins anastomosing; [V. Schaffneria clade; A. cordatum subclade] | ||||||
Asplenium | Leaf apex acuminate to obtuse, not producing plantlets at the tip; veins free. | ||||||
Asplenium | Leaves pinnatifid (at least in the lower half of the leaf), pinnate, pinnate-pinnatifid, bipinnate, or tripinnate, the apex obtuse, acute, acuminate, or attenuate; veins free. | Leaves pinnatifid (at least in the lower half of the leaf), pinnate, pinnate-pinnatifid, bipinnate, or tripinnate, the apex obtuse, acute, acuminate, or attenuate; veins free. | |||||
Goniopteris | Pinnae in 1-25 (-30) pairs, these gradually decreasing in size towards the leaf apex; leaves (including the petiole) 1-5.5 dm long, 2-8 (-10) cm wide, sterile blades often rooting at the tip. | ||||||
Dryopteris | Sterile leaves semi-evergreen; fertile leaves deciduous with sori submedial, not touching the costule at maturity; leaf blade lanceolate, usually 2-4× as long as wide, gradually tapering at the apex; scales at the petiole base medium to dark brown, with a narrow black central band | ||||||
Dryopteris | Leaves deciduous with sori medial, touching the costule at maturity; leaf blade ovate to narrowly ovate, usually 1.5-3× as long as wide; abruptly tapering at the apex; scales at the petiole base dark brown, nearly black, with a narrow pale margin | ||||||
Nephrolepis | Scales on the upper surface of the rachis bicolored (pale but distinctly darker at the base); pinnae attachments spaced 5-12 mm apart; leaf blade with an obtuse apex; underside of rachis almost completely hidden by the overlapping basal lobes of the pinnae; rhizomes bearing spherical tubers (not always present) | Scales on the upper surface of the rachis bicolored (pale but distinctly darker at the base); pinnae attachments spaced 5-12 mm apart; leaf blade with an obtuse apex; underside of rachis almost completely hidden by the overlapping basal lobes of the pinnae; rhizomes bearing spherical tubers (not always present) | |||||
Nephrolepis | Scales on the upper surface of the rachis concolored (pale to reddish brown throughout); pinnae attachments spaced 7-21 mm apart; leaf blade with an acute to acuminate apex; underside of rachis not or only slightly obscured by the pinna blades; rhizomes not bearing tubers | ||||||
Polypodiaceae | Sori confluent into a marginal band towards the leaf apex; [subfamily Polypodioideae] | ||||||
Pleopeltis | Laminar scales of the upper leaf surface bearing scattered scales, these subulate, the base pectinate-stellate, apex long caudate, margin weakly erose; glands conspicuous, round to elliptic, rather swollen with a central depression, on a small auricle within the sinus near the acroscopic side of the basal pinnae; rhizome scale margins erose-ciliate; laminar scales of the lower leaf surface dense, lanceolate, their margins ciliate (peripheral scales often extending beyond the margin of the blade); orbicular scales present, but not readily visible; [FL Keys only] | Laminar scales of the upper leaf surface bearing scattered scales, these subulate, the base pectinate-stellate, apex long caudate, margin weakly erose; glands conspicuous, round to elliptic, rather swollen with a central depression, on a small auricle within the sinus near the acroscopic side of the basal pinnae; rhizome scale margins erose-ciliate; laminar scales of the lower leaf surface dense, lanceolate, their margins ciliate (peripheral scales often extending beyond the margin of the blade); orbicular scales present, but not readily visible; [FL Keys only] | |||||
Polypodium | Leaf blade averaging 5.8 cm wide (range of 3.2-8.2 cm), widest at the base, thus the blade elongate-deltoid in outline; rhizome scales averaging 1.1 mm wide, mostly golden brown throughout; paraphyses (sporangiasters) usually > 40 per sorus (range of 25-120); leaves mostly lobed to apex, without an attenuate, unlobed tip | Leaf blade averaging 5.8 cm wide (range of 3.2-8.2 cm), widest at the base, thus the blade elongate-deltoid in outline; rhizome scales averaging 1.1 mm wide, mostly golden brown throughout; paraphyses (sporangiasters) usually > 40 per sorus (range of 25-120); leaves mostly lobed to apex, without an attenuate, unlobed tip | |||||
Cupressaceae | Leaves evergreen, rigid, > 2 cm long, tapering from near the base to a long-acuminate apex; [subfamily Cunninghamioideae] | ||||||
Cupressaceae | Leaves evergreen, rigid, > 2 cm long, tapering from near the base to a long-acuminate apex; [subfamily Cunninghamioideae] | ||||||
Cupressaceae | Leaves deciduous, flexible, < 2 cm long, parallel-sided, the apex short-acute; [subfamily Taxodioideae] | ||||||
Cupressaceae | Leaves deciduous, flexible, < 2 cm long, parallel-sided, the apex short-acute; [subfamily Taxodioideae] | ||||||
Taxaceae | Leaf apex acute, but not stiff, pungent, or spinose; midvein obviously raised (use 10× magnification) on the upper surface, that surface flat or nearly so, except for the revolute margins; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface medium to broad, white or whitish-green, together making up about 1/2 or 3/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' either 4-7 mm long, red or orange when ripe, with a softly fleshy exterior open at the top (the seed) visible, or 18-25 mm long, brown, brown or brownish-orange and not striped, the fleshy exterior fully enclosing the seed. | Leaf apex acute, but not stiff, pungent, or spinose; midvein obviously raised (use 10× magnification) on the upper surface, that surface flat or nearly so, except for the revolute margins; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface medium to broad, white or whitish-green, together making up about 1/2 or 3/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' either 4-7 mm long, red or orange when ripe, with a softly fleshy exterior open at the top (the seed) visible, or 18-25 mm long, brown, brown or brownish-orange and not striped, the fleshy exterior fully enclosing the seed. | |||||
Taxaceae | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | |||||
Taxaceae | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | |||||
Taxaceae | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | Leaf apex acuminate, extended into a stiff, pungent spine; midvein not obviously raised on the upper leaf surface, that surface convex-curved; stomatal bands on the leaf undersurface narrow, greenish gray, together making up about 1/4 of the width of the leaf; drupe-like 'fruit' 25-35 mm long, dark-green and also longitudinally striped with paler green, tan, or purple, the leathery exterior fully enclosing the seed | |||||
Peperomia | Leaves 2-4× as long as wide, the apex acute to acuminate, the base cuneate; plant either with conspicuous black punctate glands on stems and leaves, or black punctate glands absent or minute and inconspicuous. | ||||||
Peperomia | Leaves 2-4× as long as wide, the apex acute to acuminate, the base cuneate; plant either with conspicuous black punctate glands on stems and leaves, or black punctate glands absent or minute and inconspicuous. | ||||||
Peperomia | Leaves 0.8-2× as long as wide, the apex rounded to emarginate (or if broadly cuneate, then the base rounded to truncate); plant lacking dark punctate glands (may have pellucid or amber glands). | ||||||
Peperomia | Leaf base truncate to cordate; leaf apex acute; primary palmate veins 5-7 from the base | ||||||
Peperomia | Leaf base broadly rounded; leaf apex broadly rounded; primary palmate veins 3 from the leaf base | ||||||
Magnolia | Leaves cordate-auriculate at base; leaves clustered in a 'pseudowhorl' near the apex of the twigs. | ||||||
Magnolia | Leaves cordate-auriculate at base; leaves clustered in a 'pseudowhorl' near the apex of the twigs. | ||||||
Annonaceae | Carpels 1-8 (-12), free, each fruit (derived from a single free carpel) therefore simple and unsegmented; leaves elongate, > 2× as long as wide, linear, oblanceolate, or obovate, broadest near the middle or towards the apex; [collectively widespread] | ||||||
Asimina | Leaves herbaceous in texture, obovate, > 6 cm wide, acute-acuminate at the apex; flowers (inner petals and outer petals) reddish-maroon; shrubs and trees, 1-15 m tall; [collectively widespread in our area]; [Asimina s.s.]. | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base cuneate; leaves widely obovate, plane (not rugose), with a short-acuminate apex, glabrous above, borne horizontally, spicy-fragrant when crushed; shrubs not colonial, often multi-stemmed from base, short to tall (to 5 m tall); fruiting pedicels 3-5 mm long | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base cuneate; leaves widely obovate, plane (not rugose), with a short-acuminate apex, glabrous above, borne horizontally, spicy-fragrant when crushed; shrubs not colonial, often multi-stemmed from base, short to tall (to 5 m tall); fruiting pedicels 3-5 mm long | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base cuneate; leaves widely obovate, plane (not rugose), with a short-acuminate apex, glabrous above, borne horizontally, spicy-fragrant when crushed; shrubs not colonial, often multi-stemmed from base, short to tall (to 5 m tall); fruiting pedicels 3-5 mm long | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base widely cuneate to rounded; leaves narrowly ovate, reticulate-rugose, with an acute apex, pubescent above, drooping, fragrant when crushed with an odor like sassafras; shrubs colonial, short (to 2 m tall); fruiting pedicels 7-12 mm long | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base widely cuneate to rounded; leaves narrowly ovate, reticulate-rugose, with an acute apex, pubescent above, drooping, fragrant when crushed with an odor like sassafras; shrubs colonial, short (to 2 m tall); fruiting pedicels 7-12 mm long | ||||||
Lindera | Leaf base widely cuneate to rounded; leaves narrowly ovate, reticulate-rugose, with an acute apex, pubescent above, drooping, fragrant when crushed with an odor like sassafras; shrubs colonial, short (to 2 m tall); fruiting pedicels 7-12 mm long | ||||||
Lemna | Fronds 1-2× as long as wide; nerve indistinct to fairly prominent, reaching at most 2/3 of the distance from node to apex (nerve about as long as or shorter than the aerenchymatous portion of the frond); fruit 0.6-1.0 mm long | ||||||
Lemna | Fronds 1.3-3× as long as wide; nerve mostly prominent, reaching at least 3/4 of the distance from node to apex (nerve longer than the aerenchymatous portion of the frond); fruit 1.0-1.35 mm long | ||||||
Lemna | Seeds with 8-26 prominent ribs, brownish, falling from the fruit when ripe; fronds with only 1 papilla above the node, which is smaller than the papule at the apex; wing of the root sheath 1-2.5× as long as wide | ||||||
Lemna | Seeds with 35-70 obscure ribs, whitish, remaining in the fruit when ripe; fronds very often with 2-3 papilla above the node, which are larger than the papule at the apex; wing of the root sheath 2-3× as long as wide | ||||||
Lemna | Fronds often gibbous; fronds with very distinct papillae above the node and near the apex on the upper surface, but not between the node and the apex; seeds with 10-16 distinct ribs | ||||||
Arisaema | Plant to 1.2 m tall; spathe apex caudate to attenuate; spathe hood underside green with whitish-green stripes; spadix 3-5 mm in diameter; [e. GA south to s. peninsular FL] | ||||||
Arisaema | Plant to 0.2 (-0.4) m tall; spathe apex acute; spathe hood underside solid green or solid purple (without stripes); spadix 2-3 mm in diameter; [widespread in our area, south to FL and LA] | ||||||
Arisaema | Plant to 0.2 (-0.4) m tall; spathe apex acute; spathe hood underside solid green or solid purple (without stripes); spadix 2-3 mm in diameter; [widespread in our area, south to FL and LA] | ||||||
Hydrocharitaceae | Leaves with longitudinal rows of lacunae on each side of the midvein; leaves rounded at apex; seeds smooth; flowers unisexual; [subfamily Hydrilloideae] | Leaves with longitudinal rows of lacunae on each side of the midvein; leaves rounded at apex; seeds smooth; flowers unisexual; [subfamily Hydrilloideae] | |||||
Halophila | Plants with erect stems, the leaves borne at the apex of the erect stem. | Plants with erect stems, the leaves borne at the apex of the erect stem. | |||||
Potamogeton | Tips of submersed leaves obtuse to acute; floating leaves rounded at apex. | ||||||
Potamogeton | Tips of submersed leaves acute to long-tapering; floating leaves acute at apex. | ||||||
Potamogeton | Submersed leaves 1-10 mm wide, 3-13 veined; stipules of submersed leaves not adnate to the leaf base; floating leaves rounded at apex | ||||||
Potamogeton | Submersed leaves 0.2-1(-2) mm wide, 1-3 (-7) veined; stipules of at least some submersed leaves adnate to the leaf base; floating leaves acute at apex | ||||||
Potamogeton | Leaf apex bristle-tipped (rarely apiculate); peduncles recurved, axillary or axillary and terminal, 0.5-6.6 cm long | ||||||
Potamogeton | Leaf apex blunt, acute, or apiculate, but not bristle-tipped; peduncles straight, terminal, 0.5-6.6 cm long. | ||||||
Potamogeton | Mature fruit obovate, sides concave, beak mostly forward; peduncle filiform to cylindrical, usually 1-3 per plant; inflorescence usually interrupted; leaves with up to 2 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute, rarely apiculate; stipules mostly connate | Mature fruit obovate, sides concave, beak mostly forward; peduncle filiform to cylindrical, usually 1-3 per plant; inflorescence usually interrupted; leaves with up to 2 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute, rarely apiculate; stipules mostly connate | |||||
Potamogeton | Mature fruit mostly widest at middle, or ovate, sides rounded, beak mostly central; peduncle cylindrical, usually > 3 per plant; inflorescence continuous; leaves with 1-5 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute to obtuse; stipules mostly convolute | Mature fruit mostly widest at middle, or ovate, sides rounded, beak mostly central; peduncle cylindrical, usually > 3 per plant; inflorescence continuous; leaves with 1-5 rows of lacunae along midrib, apex acute to obtuse; stipules mostly convolute | |||||
Cymodoceaceae | Leaves flat, with a notched or tricuspidate apex; stipules absent, or if present, either free or adnate to the leaf base and forming a sheath for < 10 mm; flowers solitary; pistils 2 | ||||||
Cymodoceaceae | Leaves flat, with a notched or tricuspidate apex; stipules absent, or if present, either free or adnate to the leaf base and forming a sheath for < 10 mm; flowers solitary; pistils 2 | ||||||
Cymodoceaceae | Leaves filiform, terete or nearly so, with an obtuse to acute apex; stipules present, adnate to the leaf base and forming an apparently inflated sheath around the stem > 10 mm long; flowers usually 2, on a flexuous, elongate peduncle; pistils 4-16 | ||||||
Cymodoceaceae | Leaves filiform, terete or nearly so, with an obtuse to acute apex; stipules present, adnate to the leaf base and forming an apparently inflated sheath around the stem > 10 mm long; flowers usually 2, on a flexuous, elongate peduncle; pistils 4-16 | ||||||
Trillium | Petals relatively delicate in texture, wavy-margined, white to deep pink (if white, generally fading to pink with age); stigmas thin, uniform in thickness from base to apex, somewhat fused at the base into a short style; ovary greenish-white to white, 3- or 6-angled or-lobed | ||||||
Trillium | Petals lanceolate to narrowly ovate or elliptic, spreading from base in the same plane as the sepals, rarely > 2× as broad as the sepals; sepals 0.5-0.8× as long as the pedicel, weakly sulcate-tipped (roundly keeled and upturned near apex); flower fragrance unpleasant, musty. | ||||||
Trillium | Petals obovate, tightly rolled at base, abruptly flared near the apex; leaves broadly elliptic, acuminate; style minute, < 1.0 mm long; [subgenus Callipetalon] | ||||||
Melanthiaceae | Main (basal) leaves obovate or oblanceolate, the main secondary veins diverging individually (at angles of < 10°) from the midvein in the lower half of the expanded blade and rejoining at the apex; flowers pink, white or cream. | Main (basal) leaves obovate or oblanceolate, the main secondary veins diverging individually (at angles of < 10°) from the midvein in the lower half of the expanded blade and rejoining at the apex; flowers pink, white or cream. | |||||
Melanthiaceae | Main (basal) leaves linear, elliptic, or obovate, the main veins parallel, all diverging at the base of the leaf and rejoining at the apex; flowers white, cream, yellowish, greenish, or brownish. | ||||||
Uvularia | Pedicel bearing a sessile, leaf-like bract 5-17 mm below the flower; capsule sessile, conspicuously beaked at apex | ||||||
Erythronium | Petals (inner tepals) lacking auricles near their bases; capsule and ovary distinctly indented (umbilicate) at apex (or rarely truncate in E. umbilicatum ssp. monostolum, or the ovary when young not yet displaying the apical indentation); mature capsules usually reclining on ground, with the apex downward; stolons 0-1 per bulb; anthers usually lavender, brown, cinnamon, or purple (sometimes yellow). | Petals (inner tepals) lacking auricles near their bases; capsule and ovary distinctly indented (umbilicate) at apex (or rarely truncate in E. umbilicatum ssp. monostolum, or the ovary when young not yet displaying the apical indentation); mature capsules usually reclining on ground, with the apex downward; stolons 0-1 per bulb; anthers usually lavender, brown, cinnamon, or purple (sometimes yellow). | |||||
Erythronium | Petals (inner tepals) with auricles near their bases (the auricles small lobes, < 1 mm long, bent inwards); capsule and ovary truncate, rounded, apiculate, or beaked at apex; mature capsules usually held well off ground, the apex oriented horizontally or ascending; stolons usually (1-) 2-5 per bulb; anthers usually yellow (rarely brown or lavender). | Petals (inner tepals) with auricles near their bases (the auricles small lobes, < 1 mm long, bent inwards); capsule and ovary truncate, rounded, apiculate, or beaked at apex; mature capsules usually held well off ground, the apex oriented horizontally or ascending; stolons usually (1-) 2-5 per bulb; anthers usually yellow (rarely brown or lavender). | |||||
Erythronium | Petals (inner tepals) with auricles near their bases (the auricles small lobes, < 1 mm long, bent inwards); capsule and ovary truncate, rounded, apiculate, or beaked at apex; mature capsules usually held well off ground, the apex oriented horizontally or ascending; stolons usually (1-) 2-5 per bulb; anthers usually yellow (rarely brown or lavender). | Petals (inner tepals) with auricles near their bases (the auricles small lobes, < 1 mm long, bent inwards); capsule and ovary truncate, rounded, apiculate, or beaked at apex; mature capsules usually held well off ground, the apex oriented horizontally or ascending; stolons usually (1-) 2-5 per bulb; anthers usually yellow (rarely brown or lavender). | |||||
Erythronium | Capsule distinctly beaked at the apex; petals (inner tepals) with well-developed auricles at the base, each pair clasping a filament | ||||||
Erythronium | Capsule truncate, rounded, or apiculate at the apex; petals (inner tepals) with small auricles at the base, not clasping a filament. | ||||||
Corallorhiza | Lip without lateral teeth or lobes (though sometimes erose or minutely toothed near its apex); lateral sepals arching, upcurved, or forward-directed. | ||||||
Goodyera | Lip narrowly saccate (the pouch much longer than deep), with an elongate recurved apex | ||||||
Goodyera | Lip deeply concave (the pouch about as deep as long), with a short spreading or recurved apex | ||||||
Vanilla | Sepals and petals ca. 3× as long as wide, < 4 cm long; lip < 4 cm long, deep red, the margins white; leaves to 4 cm, the apex not hooked | ||||||
Vanilla | Sepals and petals ca. 5× as long as wide, > 4.5 cm long; lip > 4 cm long, reddish-purple, the margins purple; leaves to 8 cm long, the apex hooked | ||||||
Ruscaceae | Inflorescence terminal, a raceme or panicle; tepals separate leaves with 3 main parallel veins, acute to acuminate at the apex; leaves acute to acuminate at the apex; foliage green, not glaucous | ||||||
Ruscaceae | Inflorescence of 1-several axillary flowers; tepals fused; leaves with > 7 main parallel veins, obtuse to acute at the apex; foliage blue-green, glaucous | ||||||
Hyacinthoides | Racemes pendant at apex; perianth tubular; anthers cream | ||||||
Hyacinthoides | Racemes pendant at apex; perianth tubular; anthers cream | ||||||
Commelina | Annual from fibrous roots, the stem decumbent; leaf blades broadly elliptic-ovate, 1-9 cm long, the apex acute to obtuse; leaf margin and upper surface pubescent or glabrous; plants often bearing subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [exotic, weedy]. | Annual from fibrous roots, the stem decumbent; leaf blades broadly elliptic-ovate, 1-9 cm long, the apex acute to obtuse; leaf margin and upper surface pubescent or glabrous; plants often bearing subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [exotic, weedy]. | |||||
Commelina | Annual from fibrous roots, the stem decumbent; leaf blades broadly elliptic-ovate, 1-9 cm long, the apex acute to obtuse; leaf margin and upper surface pubescent or glabrous; plants often bearing subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [exotic, weedy]. | Annual from fibrous roots, the stem decumbent; leaf blades broadly elliptic-ovate, 1-9 cm long, the apex acute to obtuse; leaf margin and upper surface pubescent or glabrous; plants often bearing subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [exotic, weedy]. | |||||
Commelina | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | |||||
Commelina | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | |||||
Commelina | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | Perennial from horizontal rhizomes, often forming clonal patches of erect stems; leaf blades lance-oblong, 6-20 cm long, the apex acuminate; leaf margin and upper surface scabrous; plants lacking subterranean, cleistogamous flowers; [native, mostly of moist floodplain forests] | |||||
Heteranthera | Base of petiolate leaf blades cuneate to truncate; leaf apex acute to obtuse; perianth radially symmetrical or nearly so; vegetative stems elongating only in water deeper than 5 cm; perianth tube 15-45 mm long | ||||||
Heteranthera | Base of petiolate leaf blades truncate to cordate; leaf apex obtuse to rounded; perianth bilaterally symmetrical; vegetative stems commonly elongating; perianth tube 11-29 mm long | ||||||
Sparganium | Stigmas 2-branched; fruits truncate at apex, obpyramidal, very abruptly beaked, 4-8 (-10) mm broad; [subgenus Sparganium] | Stigmas 2-branched; fruits truncate at apex, obpyramidal, very abruptly beaked, 4-8 (-10) mm broad; [subgenus Sparganium] | |||||
Sparganium | Stigmas 1-branched; fruits rounded or acuminate to a beak at the apex, elliptic, fusiform, or obovate, 1-4 mm broad; [subgenus Xanthosparganium]. | ||||||
Xyris | Keel of the lateral sepals long-fimbriate toward its apex, the fimbriate tip conspicuously exserted from the subtending bract (sometimes eroded and less conspicuous on older spikes). | ||||||
Eriocaulon | Heads hard (little compressed by a plant press and feeling hard and knotty when squeezed between finger and thumb); leaves dark green, the tip acute to obtuse; scape sheaths shorter than most leaves; involucral bracts straw-colored, the apex acute; receptacular bracteoles pale, the apex narrowly acuminate; pistillate flower petals adaxially glabrescent; terminal cells of club-shaped hairs of the perianth whitened, the basal cells often uncongested and transparent. | Heads hard (little compressed by a plant press and feeling hard and knotty when squeezed between finger and thumb); leaves dark green, the tip acute to obtuse; scape sheaths shorter than most leaves; involucral bracts straw-colored, the apex acute; receptacular bracteoles pale, the apex narrowly acuminate; pistillate flower petals adaxially glabrescent; terminal cells of club-shaped hairs of the perianth whitened, the basal cells often uncongested and transparent. | |||||
Eriocaulon | Heads soft (much flattened by a plant press, and easily compressed when fresh between finger and thumb); leaves pale green, the tip attenuate-subulate; scape sheaths longer than most leaves; involucral bracts gray or dark, the apex rounded or obtuse; receptacular bracteoles gray to dark gray, the apex acute; pistillate flower petals adaxially villous; all cells of club-shaped hairs on perianth white. | Heads soft (much flattened by a plant press, and easily compressed when fresh between finger and thumb); leaves pale green, the tip attenuate-subulate; scape sheaths longer than most leaves; involucral bracts gray or dark, the apex rounded or obtuse; receptacular bracteoles gray to dark gray, the apex acute; pistillate flower petals adaxially villous; all cells of club-shaped hairs on perianth white. | |||||
Eriocaulon | Bracts straw-colored, greenish, or light gray to gray, dull, the margins often erose or lacerate, the apex blunt to obtuse; [of tidal waters and large natural lakes of the outer Coastal Plain] | ||||||
Eriocaulon | Bracts dark, gray to blackish, very shiny, the margins all nearly entire, the apex acute; [of moist acidic sites]. | ||||||
Eriocaulon | Bracts orbicular or broadly oblong, the apex rounded or apiculate; bract margins and apex hairy; perianth hairy; seed not pale-reticulate. | ||||||
Eriocaulon | Bracts narrowly ovate to oblong or spatulate, the apex acute; bracts and perianth parts (except sometimes the petals) glabrous; seed conspicuously pale-reticulate | ||||||
Juncus | Capsule apex acute to obtuse, usually shorter than or equaling inner tepals; inner tepals acute to subobtuse | ||||||
Juncus | Capsule apex more or less truncate, usually exceeding inner tepals; inner tepals obtuse | ||||||
Juncus | Capsule valves separating at the apex at maturity; stamens 6. | ||||||
Juncus | Capsule valves remaining united at the apex after dehiscence; stamens 3. | ||||||
Bulbostylis | Inflorescence bracts widened abruptly at its base, the widened portion prominently fimbriate-pectinate; perennial, culms 10-50 cm tall; achene 1-1.3 mm long, white or yellowish, the apex retuse (the three lobes projecting beyond and surrounding the tubercle) | ||||||
Bulbostylis | Inflorescence bracts not widened abruptly at its base, the membranous margins smooth or ciliate; annual, culms 5-35 cm tall; achene 0.5-1.2 mm long, pale brown or gray, the apex rounded or truncate (the three lobes not exceeding the tubercle). | ||||||
Carex | Leaf blades 20-60 mm wide, without a midrib (with 40-100 parallel nerves all of equal prominence), leathery, the apex obtuse; leaf margin scarious, minutely crisped-ruffled (feeling scaberulous to the touch) | Leaf blades 20-60 mm wide, without a midrib (with 40-100 parallel nerves all of equal prominence), leathery, the apex obtuse; leaf margin scarious, minutely crisped-ruffled (feeling scaberulous to the touch) | |||||
Carex | Leaf blades 0.5-25 (-52) mm wide, with a midrib, herbaceous, the apex acute; leaf margin various (smooth or scabrous, but not as described below). | Leaf blades 0.5-25 (-52) mm wide, with a midrib, herbaceous, the apex acute; leaf margin various (smooth or scabrous, but not as described below). | |||||
Carex | Spikes androgynous or entirely pistillate; beak of perigynium with apex entire, emarginate, or with teeth < 0.2 mm long. | Spikes androgynous or entirely pistillate; beak of perigynium with apex entire, emarginate, or with teeth < 0.2 mm long. | |||||
Carex | Achenes rounded at apex (style dehiscing at the surface of the achene); style conspicuously enlarged at the base | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia usually < 3.2 mm long, the apex rounded and beakless, or abruptly beaked | ||||||
Carex | Apex of perigynium beak with 2 teeth at least (0.4-) 0.5 mm long. | ||||||
Carex | Apex of perigynium beak entire, emarginate, or with 2 teeth < 0.5 mm long. | ||||||
Carex | Ventral leaf sheaths not transversely rugose, more or less concave at the apex and not prolonged upward past the base of the blade, thickened, not friable | ||||||
Carex | Ventral leaf sheaths transversely rugose, more or less convex at the apex and prolonged upward past the base of the blade, friable. | ||||||
Carex | Bodies of pistillate scales 1.5-2.5 mm long, 1.1-1.8 mm wide, mostly < ½ as long as the perigynia, apex obtuse to acuminate to shortly awned. | ||||||
Carex | Bodies of pistillate scales 2.2-4.4 mm long, 1.2-2.4 mm wide, mostly > ½ as long as the perigynia, apex acuminate to awned. | Bodies of pistillate scales 2.2-4.4 mm long, 1.2-2.4 mm wide, mostly > ½ as long as the perigynia, apex acuminate to awned. | |||||
Carex | Pistillate scales uniformly as long as or longer than the mature perigynia, usually concealing the beaks (though not necessarily the bodies), apex obtuse to acuminate, not awned. | ||||||
Carex | Perigynium beak cylindric, unwinged, lacking serrations for ca. 0.4 mm below the apex | ||||||
Carex | Perigynium beak flattened, ciliate-serrulate all the way to the apex. | ||||||
Carex | Pistillate scales (excluding the awns, if present) shorter than the perigynia at least in the middle portions of the spikes, the apical portion of the pistillate scales narrower than the perigynia beaks and not completely covering them, the apex awned in some species. | ||||||
Carex | Pistillate scales in middle or lower portions of spikes with apex acuminate with subulate or awned tip. | ||||||
Carex | Pistillate scales with apex obtuse, acute, or acuminate (but not subulate or awned). | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia thin, often not winged to the base; leaf sheaths somewhat expanded toward the apex, bearing narrow wings continuous with the midvein and the edges of the leaf blade; leaves 3-7.5 mm wide; vegetative shoots tall, conspicuous, with numerous leaves spaced along the upper half of the culm. | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia thick, winged to the base; leaf sheaths with more-or-less rounded edges, not distinctly expanded toward the apex; leaves 1-4.5 mm wide (except in C. normalis); vegetative shoots usually inconspicuous, with relatively few leaves clustered at the tip. | ||||||
Carex | Perigynium bodies lanceolate, ovate, elliptic, orbicular, or reniform, widest at the middle or toward the base; leaf sheaths various, some with prominent hyaline band near the apex adaxially. | Perigynium bodies lanceolate, ovate, elliptic, orbicular, or reniform, widest at the middle or toward the base; leaf sheaths various, some with prominent hyaline band near the apex adaxially. | |||||
Carex | Perigynia smooth to slightly papillose toward the apex, the papillae mostly < 10 μm long; lower pistillate scales usually acute or acuminate, tapering into the awn; sheaths strongly scabrous; [primarily montane in distribution southward (C. fumosimontana), or montane southward and more commonly in a variety of wetlands northward (C. gynandra)]. | Perigynia smooth to slightly papillose toward the apex, the papillae mostly < 10 μm long; lower pistillate scales usually acute or acuminate, tapering into the awn; sheaths strongly scabrous; [primarily montane in distribution southward (C. fumosimontana), or montane southward and more commonly in a variety of wetlands northward (C. gynandra)]. | |||||
Carex | Perigynia smooth to slightly papillose toward the apex, the papillae mostly < 10 μm long; lower pistillate scales usually acute or acuminate, tapering into the awn; sheaths strongly scabrous; [primarily montane in distribution southward (C. fumosimontana), or montane southward and more commonly in a variety of wetlands northward (C. gynandra)]. | Perigynia smooth to slightly papillose toward the apex, the papillae mostly < 10 μm long; lower pistillate scales usually acute or acuminate, tapering into the awn; sheaths strongly scabrous; [primarily montane in distribution southward (C. fumosimontana), or montane southward and more commonly in a variety of wetlands northward (C. gynandra)]. | |||||
Carex | Pistillate and staminate scale bodies dark reddish-brown; apex of pistillate scale bodies retuse with rounded shoulders, the awn extending from the notch; sheath faces with reddish-brown prickles; widest leaves per plant (3-) 4.5-6.5 (-8) mm wide; longest proximal spikes (29-) 42-60 (-76) mm long; longest distal spikes (20-) 29-40 (-48) mm long | Pistillate and staminate scale bodies dark reddish-brown; apex of pistillate scale bodies retuse with rounded shoulders, the awn extending from the notch; sheath faces with reddish-brown prickles; widest leaves per plant (3-) 4.5-6.5 (-8) mm wide; longest proximal spikes (29-) 42-60 (-76) mm long; longest distal spikes (20-) 29-40 (-48) mm long | |||||
Carex | Pistillate and staminate scale bodies clear, tan, or light golden-brown; apex of pistillate scale bodies acuminate to rounded (or rarely obliquely truncate) into the awn base; sheath faces with colorless prickles; widest leaves per plant (5-) 6.5-10.5 (-14) mm wide; longest proximal spikes (35-) 51-93 (-125) mm long; longest distal spikes (20-) 33-58 (-82) mm long | Pistillate and staminate scale bodies clear, tan, or light golden-brown; apex of pistillate scale bodies acuminate to rounded (or rarely obliquely truncate) into the awn base; sheath faces with colorless prickles; widest leaves per plant (5-) 6.5-10.5 (-14) mm wide; longest proximal spikes (35-) 51-93 (-125) mm long; longest distal spikes (20-) 33-58 (-82) mm long | |||||
Carex | Awn of the pistillate scale emerging from a retuse notch in the apex of the scale; perigynium 2-ribbed, obscurely nerved between the ribs; [generally of acid seepages, pocosins, and blackwater situations, often associated with Pinus serotina]. | Awn of the pistillate scale emerging from a retuse notch in the apex of the scale; perigynium 2-ribbed, obscurely nerved between the ribs; [generally of acid seepages, pocosins, and blackwater situations, often associated with Pinus serotina]. | |||||
Carex | Staminate scales with apex rounded to obtuse; widest leaves 1.8-3.0 (-4.4) mm wide; perigynium beak 0.1-0.3 mm long; [widespread] | ||||||
Carex | Staminate scales with apex acute to awned; widest leaves 2.8-8.3 mm wide; perigynium beak 0.3-0.9 mm long; [Panhandle FL and AL westward] | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia 2.5-3.3 mm long, the apex barely excurved | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia 3.2-4.2 mm long, the apex noticeably excurved | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia glabrous, (4.5-) avg. 5.6-7 (-10) mm long; pistillate scales usually with the midrib terminating below the apex, not excurrent. | ||||||
Carex | Perigynia 6-12-nerved, the nerves separate nearly to the beak apex; perigynium bodies broadly ellipsoid to more or less globose, (1.8-) 2.0-4.2 mm wide; achenes rough-papillate. | ||||||
Carex | Widest leaf blades 1.6-3.5 (-4.2) mm wide; bract sheaths concave at the apex; [of MD northward] | ||||||
Carex | Widest leaf blades (3.5-) 5-18 mm wide; bract sheaths truncate to convex at the apex; [collectively widespread in our area]. | ||||||
Carex | Pistillate scales usually awned (rarely merely cuspidate); pistillate scales (including the awn, if present) 0.5-1.2× as long as the perigynia; larger achenes 3.4-4.0 (-4.5) mm long (ca. (1.7-2.4x as long as wide); widest leaves of vegetative shoots 8-18 (-21) mm wide; pistillate spikes normally not staminate at apex (rarely with a few staminate flowers); [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | Pistillate scales usually awned (rarely merely cuspidate); pistillate scales (including the awn, if present) 0.5-1.2× as long as the perigynia; larger achenes 3.4-4.0 (-4.5) mm long (ca. (1.7-2.4x as long as wide); widest leaves of vegetative shoots 8-18 (-21) mm wide; pistillate spikes normally not staminate at apex (rarely with a few staminate flowers); [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | |||||
Carex | Pistillate scales acute or long-acuminate (rarely short-awned); pistillate scales (including the awn, if present) 0.3-0.6× as long as the perigynia; larger achenes 2.3-3.4 (-3.8) mm long (ca. 1.3-1.8x as long as wide); larger leaves mostly 4-12 mm wide; pistillate spikes normally staminate at apex; [primarily of the Coastal Plain] | Pistillate scales acute or long-acuminate (rarely short-awned); pistillate scales (including the awn, if present) 0.3-0.6× as long as the perigynia; larger achenes 2.3-3.4 (-3.8) mm long (ca. 1.3-1.8x as long as wide); larger leaves mostly 4-12 mm wide; pistillate spikes normally staminate at apex; [primarily of the Coastal Plain] | |||||
Eleocharis | Plants primarily with fertile spikelets born at the apex of culms, occasionally with a few proliferous spikelets, but rarely spreading primarily via vegetative means; culms erect, decumbent, or reclining, robust or diminutive; plants cespitose OR rhizomatous and mat-forming; plants growing as terrestrial or emergent wetland plants. | Plants primarily with fertile spikelets born at the apex of culms, occasionally with a few proliferous spikelets, but rarely spreading primarily via vegetative means; culms erect, decumbent, or reclining, robust or diminutive; plants cespitose OR rhizomatous and mat-forming; plants growing as terrestrial or emergent wetland plants. | |||||
Eleocharis | Distal leaf sheath apex delicate, membranous, or disintegrating (thus, sometimes not readily apparent); usually inflated or wrinkled, often with a torn edge; culms 0.1-0.6 (to 1 mm on fresh specimens) mm wide. | ||||||
Eleocharis | Culms 0.1-0.3 mm in diameter; achenes whitish to pale brown; leaf sheaths of the upper culm closely sheathing the stem, not wrinkled, the apex acute | ||||||
Eleocharis | Distal leaf sheath apex firm, opaque, somewhat thickened, with an acute to obtuse apex, and sometimes bearing a small tooth; rarely disintegrating, not inflated or wrinkled; culms 0.3-5 mm wide. | ||||||
Eleocharis | Culms slender to filiform; scales obtuse, 30-40 per spikelet; scales 2-3.5 mm long; achenes 0.9-1.6 mm long; leaf sheath apex with tooth (0.1 mm long) sometimes present; [of basic soils, southward in the Mountains and rarely Piedmont, widespread northward] | ||||||
Eleocharis | Culms thicker, somewhat inflated; scales acute, 5-30 per spikelet; scales 3-4 mm long; achenes 1.3-1.8 mm long; leaf sheath apex without tooth; [of brackish habitats of the outer Coastal Plain, NC northward] | ||||||
Eleocharis | Mature achenes reddish-black to black; tubercles subconic to umbonate (with a knob-like protuberance); leaf sheath apex not bearing a tooth; [series Maculosae]. | ||||||
Eleocharis | Mature achenes white, brown, yellow, or occasionally greenish (never black); tubercles deltoid; leaf sheath apex present on some or all culms; [series Ovatae]. | ||||||
Fuirena | Perianth bristles no longer than the achene stipe (not nearly reaching halfway up the achene body), without barbs (sometimes very finely toothed, the teeth ascending); blades of the perianth scales with a blunt or short-apiculate apex | ||||||
Fuirena | Perianth bristles longer than the achene stipe, reaching the middle of or exceeding the achene body, strongly and retrorsely barbed (if smooth as in F. bushii, then scales of the spikelets also with strongly retrorse apical cusps); blades of the perianth scales with an acuminate to awned apex. | ||||||
Schoenoplectiella | Achenes 1.75-2.0 mm long, unequally biconvex (rounded on both faces, but less so on one than the other), rounded-obovate, broadly cuneate at the base, rounded at the apex. | ||||||
Schoenoplectiella | Achenes 1.5-1.8 mm long, planoconvex (nearly flat on 1 face), obovate, cuneate at the base, subtruncate at the apex. | ||||||
Poaceae | Pedicelled spikelet represented by pedicel only; apex of sheath bearing 2 auricles 1-10 mm long; [native] | ||||||
Poaceae | Pedicelled spikelet present, staminate; apex of sheath truncate; [exotic] | ||||||
Poaceae | Pedicelled spikelet represented by pedicel only; apex of sheath bearing 2 auricles 1-10 mm long; awns of the lemmas once or twice-geniculate; [native] | Pedicelled spikelet represented by pedicel only; apex of sheath bearing 2 auricles 1-10 mm long; awns of the lemmas once or twice-geniculate; [native] | |||||
Poaceae | Pedicelled spikelet present, staminate; apex of sheath truncate; lemmas unawned or awned and once geniculate; [non-native] | Pedicelled spikelet present, staminate; apex of sheath truncate; lemmas unawned or awned and once geniculate; [non-native] | |||||
Poaceae | Lemmas 3-veined; ligule (0.2-) 0.5-5.5 (-7.0) mm long; apex erose or entire | ||||||
Poaceae | Lemmas 5-veined; ligule 0.8-2.2 mm long, apex erose | ||||||
Poaceae | Ligule membranous (the membrane apex ciliate); lower 1-4 florets sterile; disarticulation above the glumes and between the florets; [of various, usually moist, habitats, collectively widespread]; [tribe Centotheceae] | ||||||
Poaceae | Lemmas rounded at the apex, not awned. | ||||||
Poaceae | Lemmas acute at the apex, or awned. | ||||||
Agrostis | Lemma awned or not, the awn (when present) inserted either near the middle of the lemma or near the apex, 0-6 mm long, straight or bent, neither delicate nor flexuous; perennial, flowering Mar-Nov. | ||||||
Andropogon | Many or all peduncles longer than the subtending raceme sheaths at maturity, racemes then fully exserted above the apex of the raceme sheath. | ||||||
Andropogon | Sessile spikelets 5-7 mm long; lemma awns mostly 10-25 mm long; rachis internode with longest hairs concentrated towards its apex; inflorescence peduncles 10-17 cm long. | ||||||
Andropogon | Peduncles all shorter than the subtending raceme sheaths at maturity, at least the bases of the racemes not exserted above the apex of the raceme sheath. | ||||||
Anthenantia | Leaves weakly if at all geniculate and auriculate at junction of blade and sheath, ascending to erect (lacking a sharp bend outward at the summit of the sheath), medium green; blade (3-) 4-8 (-10) mm wide, the proximal margins glabrous or sometimes ascending pilose-ciliate; pigmentation of leaves, spikelets and their trichomes variously reddish or purplish; fertile lemma red-brown to nearly black, leaf tip with a very short taper to a blunt or rounded apex; lower sheaths crowded and keeled (therefore distichous) | Leaves weakly if at all geniculate and auriculate at junction of blade and sheath, ascending to erect (lacking a sharp bend outward at the summit of the sheath), medium green; blade (3-) 4-8 (-10) mm wide, the proximal margins glabrous or sometimes ascending pilose-ciliate; pigmentation of leaves, spikelets and their trichomes variously reddish or purplish; fertile lemma red-brown to nearly black, leaf tip with a very short taper to a blunt or rounded apex; lower sheaths crowded and keeled (therefore distichous) | |||||
Anthenantia | Leaves strongly geniculate and auriculate at junction of blade and sheath, spreading, usually squarrose (with a sharp bend outward at the summit of the sheath), yellowish green; blade 4-10 (-15) mm wide, the proximal margins ciliate at least basally with ascending strumose-hirsute cilia; pigment of leaves, spikelets and their trichomes usually with little or any red; fertile lemma brown; leaf tip with a long taper to a sharp apex; lower sheaths not crowded, keeled, or distichous | Leaves strongly geniculate and auriculate at junction of blade and sheath, spreading, usually squarrose (with a sharp bend outward at the summit of the sheath), yellowish green; blade 4-10 (-15) mm wide, the proximal margins ciliate at least basally with ascending strumose-hirsute cilia; pigment of leaves, spikelets and their trichomes usually with little or any red; fertile lemma brown; leaf tip with a long taper to a sharp apex; lower sheaths not crowded, keeled, or distichous | |||||
Axonopus | Upper floret distinctly shorter than the upper glume; glume apex acute, not overtopped by silky hairs; culm nodes usually densely pubescent; leaf margins ciliate; leaf blades on fresh plants often appearing “wavy” | ||||||
Axonopus | Upper floret approximately equal in length to the upper glume; glume apex blunt to subacute and overtopped by silky hairs; culm nodes usually glabrous; leaf-margins eciliate (may be hairy near the base); leaf blades on fresh plants not appearing “wavy” | ||||||
Chloris | Inflorescence digitate, with 2-10 branches in a single verticil (whorl) at the apex of the culm. | ||||||
Diarrhena | Callous pubescent on all mature lemmas except the first; lemmas widest below the middle and gradually tapering into a cusp at the apex, those of the first floret 7.1-10.8 mm long; mature fruit 1.3-1.8 mm broad, gradually tapering into a broad, blunt beak | ||||||
Diarrhena | Callous glabrous on all mature lemmas; lemmas widest near or above the middle and more-or-less abruptly contracted into a cusp at the apex, those of the first floret 4.6-7.5 mm long; mature fruit 1.8-2.5 mm broad, abruptly contracted into a bottlenose-shaped beak | Callous glabrous on all mature lemmas; lemmas widest near or above the middle and more-or-less abruptly contracted into a cusp at the apex, those of the first floret 4.6-7.5 mm long; mature fruit 1.8-2.5 mm broad, abruptly contracted into a bottlenose-shaped beak | |||||
Dichanthelium | Blades 3-8 mm wide; spikelets 1.1-2.1 mm long (or if < 1.5 mm long, then blades either pubescent on one or both surfaces or ciliate to the apex). | ||||||
Dichanthelium | Upper sheaths glabrous or puberulent; ligules 0-0.3 mm long, eciliate; culm blades cordate-clasping; panicles usually more than half as wide as long; spikelets 3.3-3.7 mm long, ellipsoid, apex obtuse to pointed | ||||||
Dichanthelium | Spikelets biconvex to elliptic when viewed laterally, variously shaped but not obpyriform when viewed dorsally; fertile lemma and palea smooth or reticulate (or papillose in D. lucidum with weak and sprawling culms and spikelets 1.7-2.3 mm long); first glume usually tapered from near base to apex; glume bases various | Spikelets biconvex to elliptic when viewed laterally, variously shaped but not obpyriform when viewed dorsally; fertile lemma and palea smooth or reticulate (or papillose in D. lucidum with weak and sprawling culms and spikelets 1.7-2.3 mm long); first glume usually tapered from near base to apex; glume bases various | |||||
Dichanthelium | Blades 3-8 mm wide; spikelets 1.1-2.1 mm long (if < 1.5 mm, then blades either pubescent on one or both surfaces or ciliate to the apex). | ||||||
Diplachne | Lemmas 2-3 mm long, the apex obtuse to truncate, with the midrib often extended as a mucro | ||||||
Diplachne | Lemmas 3-5 mm long, the apex acuminate or awned. | ||||||
Eragrostis | Spikelets (1.0-) 1.5-3.5 mm long, 0.9-1.4 mm wide, 4-12-flowered; lemmas 0.7-1.1 mm long, membranous, the apex truncate to obtuse | ||||||
Eragrostis | Spikelets 5-12 (-18) mm long, 1.4-2.4 mm wide, 12-42-flowered; lemmas (1.3-) 1.5-2.0 mm long, chartaceous, the apex acute | Spikelets 5-12 (-18) mm long, 1.4-2.4 mm wide, 12-42-flowered; lemmas (1.3-) 1.5-2.0 mm long, chartaceous, the apex acute | |||||
Eriochloa | Lemma of fertile floret lacking an awn; second glume not awned; panicle open, the raceme-like lateral branches remote and divergent, the lowermost longest, the upper gradually reduced in length to the apex (E. acuminata var. acuminata, E. michauxii var. michauxii) or the panicle compact (E. villosa); spikelets 12-40 on a typical, primary branch. | Lemma of fertile floret lacking an awn; second glume not awned; panicle open, the raceme-like lateral branches remote and divergent, the lowermost longest, the upper gradually reduced in length to the apex (E. acuminata var. acuminata, E. michauxii var. michauxii) or the panicle compact (E. villosa); spikelets 12-40 on a typical, primary branch. | |||||
Glyceria | Lemma (6-) 7-8.5 (-10) mm long, acute to acuminate; palea longer than the lemma, extending 1.5-3 mm beyond the lemma apex | ||||||
Glyceria | Lemma 2.4-6.0 mm long, obtuse to notched; palea about as long as the lemma (ranging from shorter than the lemma and included, to projecting up to 1.5 mm beyond the lemma apex). | ||||||
Glyceria | Lemma (3.5-) 4.0-6.0 mm long, the apex with 1-2 strongly developed lobes, and also often toothed between the lobes; leaf blades 2-12 cm long; primary panicle branches 1.5-9.5 cm long | ||||||
Glyceria | Lemma 2.4-4.8 mm long, the apex rounded or with a few poorly developed rounded teeth; leaf blades 9-32 cm long; primary panicle branches 3-17 cm long. | ||||||
Luziola | Culms prostrate; leaves conspicuously clustered toward the apex of the culms, floating, 1-5 (-8) cm long; pistillate inflorescence an inconspicuous axillary raceme, 1.1-3.5 cm long, with 2-5 florets | Culms prostrate; leaves conspicuously clustered toward the apex of the culms, floating, 1-5 (-8) cm long; pistillate inflorescence an inconspicuous axillary raceme, 1.1-3.5 cm long, with 2-5 florets | |||||
Melica | First glume oblong, 6.5-10 mm long, 2-4× as long as wide, acute to obtuse at the apex, about the same length and width as the second glume; inflorescence with (0-) 1-5 branches from the lower nodes only; fertile lemmas 2; leaves 1-6 mm wide; [common, widespread in our area] | ||||||
Melica | First glume oblong, 6.5-10 mm long, 2-4× as long as wide, acute to obtuse at the apex, about the same length and width as the second glume; inflorescence with (0-) 1-5 branches from the lower nodes only; fertile lemmas 2; leaves 1-6 mm wide; [common, widespread in our area] | ||||||
Melica | First glume broadly ovate, 5-8 mm long, 1.5-2× as long as wide, obtuse to rounded at the apex, shorter and broader than the second glume; inflorescence with 2-10 (or more) branches from most nodes; fertile lemmas (2-) 3; leaves 3-12 mm wide; [rare, Mountains of NC and VA, northward and westward] | ||||||
Melica | First glume broadly ovate, 5-8 mm long, 1.5-2× as long as wide, obtuse to rounded at the apex, shorter and broader than the second glume; inflorescence with 2-10 (or more) branches from most nodes; fertile lemmas (2-) 3; leaves 3-12 mm wide; [rare, Mountains of NC and VA, northward and westward] | ||||||
Poa | Anthers 0.6-0.9 (-1.0) mm long; lemmas broad-acute, obtuse or truncate at the apex, the keel and lateral margins of the lemma forming an apical angle of 42-82 degrees, firm at the tip, the scarious tip absent or up to 0.25 mm long | ||||||
Poa | Anthers 0.9-1.5 mm long; lemmas acute to acuminate at the apex, the keel and lateral margins of the lemma forming an apical angle of 10-47 degrees, pliable at the tip, the scarious tip prominent and 0.25-0.5 mm long | ||||||
Polypogon | Inflorescence dense, cylindrical, and spikelike; glumes 2-3 mm long, with prominent awns 3.5-7 mm long; spikelets disarticulating near apex of pedicel; annual. | Inflorescence dense, cylindrical, and spikelike; glumes 2-3 mm long, with prominent awns 3.5-7 mm long; spikelets disarticulating near apex of pedicel; annual. | |||||
Puccinellia | Inflorescence diffuse, the lower branches with spikelets restricted to the distal portions; lower inflorescence branches spreading horizontal to deflexed at maturity; lemma 1.5-2.1 mm long, the midnerve not reaching the apex | Inflorescence diffuse, the lower branches with spikelets restricted to the distal portions; lower inflorescence branches spreading horizontal to deflexed at maturity; lemma 1.5-2.1 mm long, the midnerve not reaching the apex | |||||
Puccinellia | Inflorescence compact, the lower branches bearing spikelets nearly to the base; lower inflorescence branches ascending at maturity; lemma 2.0-2.5 mm long, the midnerve reaching the apex, and often excurrent as a mucro | Inflorescence compact, the lower branches bearing spikelets nearly to the base; lower inflorescence branches ascending at maturity; lemma 2.0-2.5 mm long, the midnerve reaching the apex, and often excurrent as a mucro | |||||
Berberis | Leaves with 1-9 (20) bristles on each margin, the bristles 3-6 mm apart; berries ovoid (6-9 mm long, 6-7 mm broad), 5-10 (rarely more) in an often umbellate raceme; petals notched at apex; [section Canadenses] | ||||||
Berberis | Leaves with 18-36 bristles on each margin, ca. 2 mm apart; berries ellipsoid (8-10 mm long, 4-5 mm broad), 10-20 in a raceme; petals obtuse at apex; [section Vulgares] | ||||||
Ranunculus | Larger leaves mostly pinnately 3-7-foliolate, the terminal leaflet larger than the lateral leaflets, the leaflets (especially the terminal) often further cleft or lobed, the blade usually longer than wide in outline, the segments often rather narrow; naked receptacle conical, tapering gradually to the apex (the region of staminal attachment as thick as the region of gynoecial attachment, which tapers through all or nearly all of its length, best seen by stripping off the achenes); rhizome regenerating totally each growing season, producing both fibrous and (at the end of the growing season) tuberous roots (1.3-4.9 mm in diameter); [rare in our area, in calcareous, mafic, or ultramafic sites with prairie affinities] | Larger leaves mostly pinnately 3-7-foliolate, the terminal leaflet larger than the lateral leaflets, the leaflets (especially the terminal) often further cleft or lobed, the blade usually longer than wide in outline, the segments often rather narrow; naked receptacle conical, tapering gradually to the apex (the region of staminal attachment as thick as the region of gynoecial attachment, which tapers through all or nearly all of its length, best seen by stripping off the achenes); rhizome regenerating totally each growing season, producing both fibrous and (at the end of the growing season) tuberous roots (1.3-4.9 mm in diameter); [rare in our area, in calcareous, mafic, or ultramafic sites with prairie affinities] | |||||
Ranunculus | Larger leaves mostly palmately 3-foliolate, the terminal leaflet about the same size as the lateral leaflets, the leaflets sometimes further cleft or lobed, the blade usually as wide as long or wider; naked receptacle clavate or ellipsoid (the region of staminal attachment distinctly narrower than the region of gynoecial attachment, thus forming a waist, from which the gynoecial region expands and then tapers to the apex); rhizome regenerated partially each growing season, producing uniform, fibrous roots (up to 3.0 mm in diameter); leaves usually simple and ovate, or trifoliate with ovate leaflets; [collectively widespread in our area]. | Larger leaves mostly palmately 3-foliolate, the terminal leaflet about the same size as the lateral leaflets, the leaflets sometimes further cleft or lobed, the blade usually as wide as long or wider; naked receptacle clavate or ellipsoid (the region of staminal attachment distinctly narrower than the region of gynoecial attachment, thus forming a waist, from which the gynoecial region expands and then tapers to the apex); rhizome regenerated partially each growing season, producing uniform, fibrous roots (up to 3.0 mm in diameter); leaves usually simple and ovate, or trifoliate with ovate leaflets; [collectively widespread in our area]. | |||||
Hamamelidaceae | Leaves coarsely crenate, at least towards the apex; petals 0 or 4, if present, greenish, yellow, or reddish. | ||||||
Hamamelidaceae | Leaves coarsely crenate, at least towards the apex; petals 0 or 4, if present, greenish, yellow, or reddish. | ||||||
Kalanchoe | Leaves terete, about as thick as wide; leaf margins entire, except for a few teeth at the apex, bearing plantlets between the teeth | Leaves terete, about as thick as wide; leaf margins entire, except for a few teeth at the apex, bearing plantlets between the teeth | |||||
Crassula | Seeds rugulose or smooth; leaves 2-6 mm long, the apex acute to obtuse; sepals 0.4-1.5 mm long. | ||||||
Crassula | Seeds with sharp-pointed papillae; leaves 1.5-3 mm long, the apex obtuse; sepals 0.4-0.6 mm long | ||||||
Myriophyllum | Midstem leaves with 11 or fewer segments on each side of rachis; leaves rounded at apex; stem diameter more-or-less uniform; stem tips usually green; winter buds produced; [native, of DE and northward] | ||||||
Myriophyllum | Midstem leaves with 12 or more segments on each side of rachis; many leaves appear truncate or clipped at apex; stem diameter below inflorescence is up to 2× diameter of lower stem; stem tips usually reddish; no winter buds; [widespread exotic] | ||||||
Myriophyllum | Midstem submerged leaves with (3-) 5-11 segments on each side of rachis; leaves rounded at apex; stem diameter more-or-less uniform; stem tips usually green; turions (specialized winter buds) produced late in the season; [native, of DE and northward] | ||||||
Myriophyllum | Midstem leaves with 12-25 segments on each side of rachis; many leaves appear truncate or clipped at apex; stem diameter below inflorescence up to 2× the diameter of the lower stem; stem tips usually reddish; turions (specialized winter buds) not produced; [widespread exotic] | ||||||
Cercis | Flowering pedicels 10-20 mm long; main palmate veins 5 (usually with an additional pair of less prominent veins running very close to and parallel to the lower blade margin); flowers (11-) 12-14 mm long (measured dried, from base of calyx to the end of the longest petal); leaf apex prominently acuminate | Flowering pedicels 10-20 mm long; main palmate veins 5 (usually with an additional pair of less prominent veins running very close to and parallel to the lower blade margin); flowers (11-) 12-14 mm long (measured dried, from base of calyx to the end of the longest petal); leaf apex prominently acuminate | |||||
Cercis | Flowering pedicels 6-8 mm long; main palmate veins 7 (usually with an additional pair of less prominent veins running very close to and parallel to the lower blade margin); flowers 8-13 mm long; leaf apex acuminate, acute, rounded, or emarginate. | ||||||
Cercis | Leaves thin, dull above (sun leaves slightly coriaceous, slightly glossy above), bluish-green or yellowish-green; leaf apex usually acuminate to acute; leaf margins plane; legumes 9-14 (-18) mm wide; flowers 8-11 mm long; wing of legume (0.7-) 0.9-1.5 (-1.8) mm wide; [widespread in our region] | Leaves thin, dull above (sun leaves slightly coriaceous, slightly glossy above), bluish-green or yellowish-green; leaf apex usually acuminate to acute; leaf margins plane; legumes 9-14 (-18) mm wide; flowers 8-11 mm long; wing of legume (0.7-) 0.9-1.5 (-1.8) mm wide; [widespread in our region] | |||||
Cercis | Leaves coriaceous, glossy above, deep, rich green; leaf apex usually rounded or slightly emarginate; leaf margins undulate; legumes (11-) 13-17 (-20) mm wide; flowers (9-) 10-13 mm long; wing of legume (1.2-) 1.4-2.0 mm wide; [OK and TX, southwards] | Leaves coriaceous, glossy above, deep, rich green; leaf apex usually rounded or slightly emarginate; leaf margins undulate; legumes (11-) 13-17 (-20) mm wide; flowers (9-) 10-13 mm long; wing of legume (1.2-) 1.4-2.0 mm wide; [OK and TX, southwards] | |||||
Canavalia | Leaflets coriaceous, 1.0-1.4× as long as wide, rounded (or obtuse) at the apex; seeds 1.5-2.0 cm long, mottled lighter and darker brown; [native, of beaches and coastal strands] | Leaflets coriaceous, 1.0-1.4× as long as wide, rounded (or obtuse) at the apex; seeds 1.5-2.0 cm long, mottled lighter and darker brown; [native, of beaches and coastal strands] | |||||
Canavalia | Leaflets herbaceous, 1.5-2× as long as wide, acuminate, acute, or obtuse at the apex; seeds 1.5-3.5 cm long, not mottled, either white to off-white or brown to dark olive; [rare exotic, of disturbed areas]. | ||||||
Kummerowia | Stems antrorsely appressed-strigose; mid-stem leaves with petioles 4-10 mm long; leaflets retuse or emarginate at the apex; leaflets conspicuously spreading-ciliate; calyx covering 1/3-1/2 of the legume | ||||||
Kummerowia | Stems retrorsely appressed-strigose; mid-stem leaves with petioles 1-2 (-4) mm long; leaflets acute to obtuse at the apex; leaflets inconspicuously appressed-ciliate; calyx covering 1/2-4/5 of the legume | ||||||
Lespedeza | Leaflets distinctly widest toward the tip, 3-5× as long as wide, the base and apex very differently shaped (the base narrowly cuneate, the tip rounded, truncate or even retuse); racemes reduced, with 2-3 flowers, shorter than the subtending leaves; [plants exotic] | ||||||
Lespedeza | Leaflets generally widest near the middle, 1-8 (-10)× as long as wide, the base and apex shaped similarly (i.e., both rounded, or both cuneate); racemes with 3-many flowers, shorter or longer than the subtending leaves; [plants native, except L. virgata and L. daurica]. | ||||||
Lespedeza | Leaflets 1.3-1.8× as long as wide, the margins obviously and strongly curving from base to apex; petioles of midstem and upper stem leaves mainly 10-15 mm long. | ||||||
Orbexilum | Leaflets subcordate, 4-7 cm wide, 1-1.5× as long as wide, glandular-punctate above and below, the apex obtuse; calyx stipitate-glandular; petals 8-10 mm long; [apparently endemic to Polk Co. NC, perhaps extinct] | ||||||
Orbexilum | Leaflets rounded at base, 2-4 cm wide, 1.5-2.5× as long as wide, eglandular or sparsely glandular above, the apex acute; calyx lacking stipitate glands; petals 5-7 mm long; [widely scattered from w. VA and w. NC westward] | ||||||
Trifolium | Heads axillary, sessile, in the axils of subtending leaves; calyx tube glabrous (except for a few hairs at apex); [section Lotoidea] | ||||||
Vicia | Legumes symmetrically rounded at the apex; inflorescence with 1-2 (-4) flowers | ||||||
Vicia | Legumes asymmetrically acute at the apex; inflorescence with 1-15 flowers. | ||||||
Rosaceae | Leaves with 3 (-5) teeth at the apex, otherwise entire | ||||||
Rosaceae | Leaflets entire, except for 3 (-5) teeth at the apex; [tribe Potentilleae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit an aggregate of dry, non-adherent achenes; leaflets obtuse at apex; [tribe Colurieae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit an aggregate of fleshy, adherent drupelets; leaflets acuminate at apex; [tribe Rubeae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fresh fruit reddish inside; leaflets serrate, 2.5-12 cm long; sepaloid bracts narrowing to apex, untoothed | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fresh fruit whitish inside; leaflets crenate, 2-4 cm long; sepaloid bracts widest at apex, 3-5-toothed | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit a hip, developing from a globose to urceolate hypanthium, enclosing the ovaries and achenes, except for the apical orifice; leaflets usually acute to obtuse at the apex; leaflet margins crenulate or serrulate; [tribe Roseae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit a hip, developing from a globose to urceolate hypanthium, enclosing the ovaries and achenes, except for the apical orifice; leaflets usually acute to obtuse at the apex; leaflet margins crenulate or serrulate; [tribe Roseae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit a hip, developing from a globose to urceolate hypanthium, enclosing the ovaries and achenes, except for the apical orifice; leaflets usually acute to obtuse at the apex; leaflet margins crenulate or serrulate; [tribe Roseae] | ||||||
Rosaceae | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | |||||
Rosaceae | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | |||||
Rosaceae | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | Fruit an aggregate of drupelets, developing from a flattish or hemispheric hypanthium, with the ovaries and drupelets exposed; leaflets usually acuminate at the apex; leaflet margins serrate or doubly serrate; [tribe Rubeae] | |||||
Rosa | Sepals entire, tapering to apex, persistent on fruit and erect or nearly erect; flowers generally solitary, or with 1-3 laterals. | Sepals entire, tapering to apex, persistent on fruit and erect or nearly erect; flowers generally solitary, or with 1-3 laterals. | |||||
Agrimonia | Major leaflets obovate to elliptic, apex obtuse to acute; flowers mostly alternate along inflorescence axis; [Coastal Plain pinelands; e. SC south to c. peninsular FL and west to e. TX] | ||||||
Agrimonia | Major leaflets lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, apex acuminate to rarely acute; flowers mostly sub-opposite along inflorescence axis; [bottomlands, marshes; CT west to s. MI and SD, south to FL, TX, the West Indies and Mexico] | Major leaflets lanceolate to narrowly elliptic, apex acuminate to rarely acute; flowers mostly sub-opposite along inflorescence axis; [bottomlands, marshes; CT west to s. MI and SD, south to FL, TX, the West Indies and Mexico] | |||||
Geum | Style straight or slightly sinuous, neither jointed nor tightly twisted, the tip straight; basal leaves with a cordate or reniform terminal lobe 7-15 cm wide and 1-several lateral lobes generally < 1 cm long (rarely to 2 cm long); cauline leaves much reduced, flabellate, with clasping base and rounded apex; leaves thick, subcoriaceous, the upper surface dark green and glossy; petals 13-20 mm long, bright yellow; [of crevices and ledges on high elevation cliffs (less commonly grassy balds)]; [subgenus Micracomastylis] | Style straight or slightly sinuous, neither jointed nor tightly twisted, the tip straight; basal leaves with a cordate or reniform terminal lobe 7-15 cm wide and 1-several lateral lobes generally < 1 cm long (rarely to 2 cm long); cauline leaves much reduced, flabellate, with clasping base and rounded apex; leaves thick, subcoriaceous, the upper surface dark green and glossy; petals 13-20 mm long, bright yellow; [of crevices and ledges on high elevation cliffs (less commonly grassy balds)]; [subgenus Micracomastylis] | |||||
Geum | Style straight or slightly sinuous, neither jointed nor tightly twisted, the tip straight; basal leaves with a cordate or reniform terminal lobe 7-15 cm wide and 1-several lateral lobes generally < 1 cm long (rarely to 2 cm long); cauline leaves much reduced, flabellate, with clasping base and rounded apex; leaves thick, subcoriaceous, the upper surface dark green and glossy; petals 13-20 mm long, bright yellow; [of crevices and ledges on high elevation cliffs (less commonly grassy balds)]; [subgenus Micracomastylis] | Style straight or slightly sinuous, neither jointed nor tightly twisted, the tip straight; basal leaves with a cordate or reniform terminal lobe 7-15 cm wide and 1-several lateral lobes generally < 1 cm long (rarely to 2 cm long); cauline leaves much reduced, flabellate, with clasping base and rounded apex; leaves thick, subcoriaceous, the upper surface dark green and glossy; petals 13-20 mm long, bright yellow; [of crevices and ledges on high elevation cliffs (less commonly grassy balds)]; [subgenus Micracomastylis] | |||||
Geum | Style with a tight kink or twist, the straight portion above the kink more-or-less deciduous, leaving a hook; basal leaves variable, trifoliate, pinnatifid, simple or with a large terminal lobe (to 8 cm wide) and much smaller lateral lobes; cauline leaves trifoliate to simple, mostly sessile or petiolate base, with acute or acuminate apex; leaves herbaceous, the upper surface medium green, not notably glossy; petals 1-10 mm long, white, cream, pale yellow, bright yellow, lavender, maroon, or purple; [of mesic to boggy forests, or less commonly, grassy balds (G. geniculatum)]. | Style with a tight kink or twist, the straight portion above the kink more-or-less deciduous, leaving a hook; basal leaves variable, trifoliate, pinnatifid, simple or with a large terminal lobe (to 8 cm wide) and much smaller lateral lobes; cauline leaves trifoliate to simple, mostly sessile or petiolate base, with acute or acuminate apex; leaves herbaceous, the upper surface medium green, not notably glossy; petals 1-10 mm long, white, cream, pale yellow, bright yellow, lavender, maroon, or purple; [of mesic to boggy forests, or less commonly, grassy balds (G. geniculatum)]. | |||||
Spiraea | Leaves rounded, obtuse, or acute at the apex; petals white (rarely pink); [native]. | ||||||
Spiraea | Follicle 2-3 mm long; leaves 1-2× as long as wide, rounded or obtuse at apex, rounded at base; plants 3-8 (-10) dm tall; [of dry or moist forested slopes, or thin soil on rock outcrops, rarely of streambanks] | ||||||
Spiraea | Follicle 1-2 mm long; leaves 2-4× as long as wide, acute at apex, cuneate at base; plants 4-25 dm tall; [of rocky riverbanks] | ||||||
Spiraea | Leaves long-acuminate at the apex; petals pink (rarely white or red); [exotic]. | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf blade attenuate along most of petiole, margin subentire, obscurely toothed near apex | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf blade cuneate at base, margin distinctly toothed or dentate near apex. | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaves often with 3 lobelike points near apex. | Leaves often with 3 lobelike points near apex. | |||||
Crataegus | Leaves denticulate or subentire to apex, rarely with any lobelike points. | Leaves denticulate or subentire to apex, rarely with any lobelike points. | |||||
Crataegus | Leaf apex rounded or with an abrupt short point, margins finely or sharply toothed beyond middle of blade; terminal shoot leaves unlobed to very obscurely lobed. | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf teeth sharp, conspicuously black-glandular, apex rather jagged-toothed | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaves persistently pubescent, apex usually rounded | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaves pubescent when young, later glabrate, apex with a short point | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf apex 3-lobed or with 3-5 distinct points or several larger teeth; terminal shoot leaves moderately to deeply lobed. | Leaf apex 3-lobed or with 3-5 distinct points or several larger teeth; terminal shoot leaves moderately to deeply lobed. | |||||
Crataegus | Terminal shoot leaves shallowly lobed or unlobed, apex obtuse, margins crenate-serrate | ||||||
Crataegus | Terminal shoot leaves shallowly to moderately lobed, apex usually acute, margins serrate. | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf blades 20-30 mm long, often elliptic, apex acute | ||||||
Crataegus | Leaf blades 30-40 mm long, usually rhombic or obovate, apex obtuse | ||||||
Pyracantha | Leaf margins usually entire, rarely remotely serrulate and only towards the leaf apex. | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Branches armed, secondary branches (short shoots) thorn-tipped; Leaf margins serrulate, serrate, or crenate; leaf apex acuminate or acute; drupe with 2-4 stones; petals 4 or 5, white, cream, or yellow; [collectively widespread in our region]. | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Branches unarmed; leaf margins entire; leaf apex either slightly to deeply notched or acute to acuminate; drupe with 1 stone; petals 5 or absent; [FL peninsula or TX]. | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Leaf margins entire; leaf apex obtuse (to short-acuminate); tendrils absent (plant climbing by twining); [widespread in our area] | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Leaf margins serrate to crenate; leaf apex acute-acuminate; tendrils present; [of ne. FL southward] | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Drupe with 1 stone; leaves 0.5-3 cm long, entire, 1-veined, the apex notched; branches armed with thorn-tipped secondary short shoots and sometimes also with stipular spines; [TX, peninsular FL] | ||||||
Rhamnaceae | Drupe with 2-4 stones; leaves (2-) 4-13 cm long, toothed (serrate or crenate), with prominently pinnate venation, the apex acuminate, acute, or obtuse; branches unarmed; [collectively widespread]. | ||||||
Colubrina | Secondary veins nearly straight and parallel, 6-12 on either side of the midvein; leaf apex obtuse to rounded; inflorescences 20-50 (-70)-flowered; peduncles 8-15 mm long | Secondary veins nearly straight and parallel, 6-12 on either side of the midvein; leaf apex obtuse to rounded; inflorescences 20-50 (-70)-flowered; peduncles 8-15 mm long | |||||
Colubrina | Secondary veins curved, arcing towards the margin, 4-9 on either side of the midvein; leaf apex acute to acuminate; inflorescences 8-30 flowered; peduncles 1-10 mm long. | Secondary veins curved, arcing towards the margin, 4-9 on either side of the midvein; leaf apex acute to acuminate; inflorescences 8-30 flowered; peduncles 1-10 mm long. | |||||
Ulmus | Leaf apex acute; flowers appearing in the late winter to late spring; calyx lobes 5, broadly rounded; upper surfaces of leaves glabrous to somewhat scabrous; [widespread in our area] | Leaf apex acute; flowers appearing in the late winter to late spring; calyx lobes 5, broadly rounded; upper surfaces of leaves glabrous to somewhat scabrous; [widespread in our area] | |||||
Ulmus | Leaf apex obtuse; flowers appearing in the late summer to fall; calyx lobes 6-9, linear; upper surfaces of leaves harshly scabrous; [w. TN and w. MS westward; disjunct in FL] | ||||||
Ulmus | Leaves without ciliate margins; samara glabrous except along the margin of the notched apex or on the central vein of the wing; bud scales brown, margins pale-ciliate; [introduced, planted and sometimes naturalized or persistent] | Leaves without ciliate margins; samara glabrous except along the margin of the notched apex or on the central vein of the wing; bud scales brown, margins pale-ciliate; [introduced, planted and sometimes naturalized or persistent] | |||||
Ulmus | Leaf base oblique but not overlapping the petiole; branchlets with corky wings; samara glabrous except along the margin of the notched apex; [subgenus Ulmus, section Foliaceae] | ||||||
Urticaceae | Plant with stinging trichomes, these having a distinct bulbous or cylindrical base, and a stiff, translucent apex; [tribe Urticeae] | Plant with stinging trichomes, these having a distinct bulbous or cylindrical base, and a stiff, translucent apex; [tribe Urticeae] | |||||
Urticaceae | Flowers in axillary panicles or fascicles; foliage shiny, bright green; leaves 3-veined from the base, the 2 main side veins extending to the apex of the blade, the midvein with many secondary veins borne along its length at a nearly right angle, and connecting to the 2 main side veins rather than reaching the leaf margin; [tribe Lecantheae] | Flowers in axillary panicles or fascicles; foliage shiny, bright green; leaves 3-veined from the base, the 2 main side veins extending to the apex of the blade, the midvein with many secondary veins borne along its length at a nearly right angle, and connecting to the 2 main side veins rather than reaching the leaf margin; [tribe Lecantheae] | |||||
Fagus | Leaves denticulate; cupule prickles 1-2.5 (-4) mm long, slightly to strongly recurved; cupule valves generally ovate, the apex obtuse, reddish in color; leaves with fairly dense white acicular trichomes on the lower leaf surface at maturity; leaf base sometimes clearly cordate; [plants of the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and low to moderate elevations (mostly below 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | Leaves denticulate; cupule prickles 1-2.5 (-4) mm long, slightly to strongly recurved; cupule valves generally ovate, the apex obtuse, reddish in color; leaves with fairly dense white acicular trichomes on the lower leaf surface at maturity; leaf base sometimes clearly cordate; [plants of the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and low to moderate elevations (mostly below 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | |||||
Fagus | Leaves denticulate; cupule prickles 1-2.5 (-4) mm long, slightly to strongly recurved; cupule valves generally ovate, the apex obtuse, reddish in color; leaves with fairly dense white acicular trichomes on the lower leaf surface at maturity; leaf base sometimes clearly cordate; [plants of the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and low to moderate elevations (mostly below 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | Leaves denticulate; cupule prickles 1-2.5 (-4) mm long, slightly to strongly recurved; cupule valves generally ovate, the apex obtuse, reddish in color; leaves with fairly dense white acicular trichomes on the lower leaf surface at maturity; leaf base sometimes clearly cordate; [plants of the Coastal Plain, Piedmont, and low to moderate elevations (mostly below 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | |||||
Fagus | Leaves sharply serrate; cupule prickles (3-) 4-10 mm long, projecting forward; cupule valves generally narrowly triangular, the apex acute, grayish-yellow in color; leaves usually lacking white acicular trichomes on the lower surface at maturity, instead with yellowish glandular hairs (acicular trichomes often present on the veins); leaf base not clearly cordate; [plants of moderate to high elevations (mostly above 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | Leaves sharply serrate; cupule prickles (3-) 4-10 mm long, projecting forward; cupule valves generally narrowly triangular, the apex acute, grayish-yellow in color; leaves usually lacking white acicular trichomes on the lower surface at maturity, instead with yellowish glandular hairs (acicular trichomes often present on the veins); leaf base not clearly cordate; [plants of moderate to high elevations (mostly above 1050 m or 3500 feet) in the Mountains] | |||||
Quercus | Leaves predominantly lanceolate, mostly 6-12 cm long and 0.7-2 cm wide, most of them 5-8× as long as wide, the apex acute; mature leaves with tufts of hairs in the vein axils below, and sometimes also some pubescence on the blade surface near the midrib; blades never with lobes or teeth; leaves deciduous in autumn; young leaves bronze red, emerging tightly rolled lengthwise and appearing linear; [trees of bottomlands and upland depression swamps, mesic uplands, and also weedy and frequent in disturbed successional habitats] | Leaves predominantly lanceolate, mostly 6-12 cm long and 0.7-2 cm wide, most of them 5-8× as long as wide, the apex acute; mature leaves with tufts of hairs in the vein axils below, and sometimes also some pubescence on the blade surface near the midrib; blades never with lobes or teeth; leaves deciduous in autumn; young leaves bronze red, emerging tightly rolled lengthwise and appearing linear; [trees of bottomlands and upland depression swamps, mesic uplands, and also weedy and frequent in disturbed successional habitats] | |||||
Quercus | Leaves predominantly oblanceolate, obovate, or rhombic, mostly 2.5-10 cm long and 1.5-4 cm wide, most of them 2-5× as long as wide, the apex acute, obtuse, or rounded; mature leaves with or without tufts of hairs in the vein axils below, lacking pubescence on the blade surface; blades sometimes with 1-5 lateral lobes or teeth; leaves persisting until spring, or tardily and irregularly deciduous in winter; young leaves red, yellow, or green, not emerging tightly rolled lengthwise; [trees primarily either of swamp forests, maritime forests, or sandhills, not typically weedy]. | Leaves predominantly oblanceolate, obovate, or rhombic, mostly 2.5-10 cm long and 1.5-4 cm wide, most of them 2-5× as long as wide, the apex acute, obtuse, or rounded; mature leaves with or without tufts of hairs in the vein axils below, lacking pubescence on the blade surface; blades sometimes with 1-5 lateral lobes or teeth; leaves persisting until spring, or tardily and irregularly deciduous in winter; young leaves red, yellow, or green, not emerging tightly rolled lengthwise; [trees primarily either of swamp forests, maritime forests, or sandhills, not typically weedy]. | |||||
Quercus | Leaves shallowly 3-lobed near the broad apex (some leaves of sprout or juvenile shoots may be more lobed); [section Lobatae; subsection Phellos]. | ||||||
Carya | Terminal buds elongate, somewhat flattened in cross-section (particularly towards the apex of the bud), with 4-6 valvate scales; leaves with 7-13 (-19) leaflets, these symmetrical to strongly falcate; fruit sutures narrowly winged. | ||||||
Carya | Terminal buds elongate, somewhat flattened in cross-section (particularly towards the apex of the bud), with 4-6 valvate scales; leaves with 7-13 (-19) leaflets, these symmetrical to strongly falcate; fruit sutures narrowly winged. | ||||||
Carya | Terminal buds elongate, somewhat flattened in cross-section (particularly towards the apex of the bud), with 4-6 valvate scales; leaves with 7-13 (-19) leaflets, these symmetrical to strongly falcate; fruit sutures narrowly winged. | ||||||
Carya | Terminal buds elongate, somewhat flattened in cross-section (particularly towards the apex of the bud), with 4-6 valvate scales; leaves with 7-13 (-19) leaflets, these symmetrical to strongly falcate; fruit sutures narrowly winged. | ||||||
Carya | Bark shaggy (on large trees separating in segments to a meter in length); leaves with (3-) 5 (-7) leaflets; serrations of the leaflets densely (or only moderately) ciliate when young, most densely so just below the tooth apex, the hairs sloughing with age but leaving a subapical tuft of white trichomes on at least some teeth; fallen foliage turning black. | Bark shaggy (on large trees separating in segments to a meter in length); leaves with (3-) 5 (-7) leaflets; serrations of the leaflets densely (or only moderately) ciliate when young, most densely so just below the tooth apex, the hairs sloughing with age but leaving a subapical tuft of white trichomes on at least some teeth; fallen foliage turning black. | |||||
Carya | Twigs stout; terminal buds 8-20 mm long; leaves with (5-) 7-9 (-11) leaflets; lower surface of leaflets moderately to densely hirsute with a mixture of acicular (single), fascicled (2-8 rays), and multiradiate (8-many rays) hairs; small peltate scales of the lower surface of leaflets all round; fruit husk 4-13 mm thick; nuts slightly to strongly 4-angled toward the apex. | Twigs stout; terminal buds 8-20 mm long; leaves with (5-) 7-9 (-11) leaflets; lower surface of leaflets moderately to densely hirsute with a mixture of acicular (single), fascicled (2-8 rays), and multiradiate (8-many rays) hairs; small peltate scales of the lower surface of leaflets all round; fruit husk 4-13 mm thick; nuts slightly to strongly 4-angled toward the apex. | |||||
Carya | Bark shaggy; petiole hirtellous; leaflet apex acuminate; lower surface of leaflets hirsute with acicular (single), 2-6-rayed fascicled, and occasional multiradiate hairs; fruit husk pubescent, lacking pustulate bumps; fruit 4-7 cm long; nut 3-6 cm long; [rare southward] | ||||||
Carya | Bark tight; petiole hirsute; leaflet apex acute; lower surface of leaflets densely hirsute with acicular (single) and abundant 2-8-rayed fascicled and multiradiate hairs; fruit husk glabrous, with pustulate bumps; fruit 3.5-5 cm long; nut 2.5-3.5 cm long; [common southward] | ||||||
Carya | Twigs slender; terminal buds 3-15 mm long; leaves with 3-7 (-9) leaflets; lower surface of leaflets mostly glabrous, except for along the midrib and primary veins, and sometimes hirsute on the surface with acicular (single) and infrequent fascicled (2-8 rays) hairs (lacking multiradiate trichomes); small peltate scales of the lower surface of leaflets of various types, 4-lobed and/or irregular scales often more frequent than round scales; fruit husk 2-5 mm thick; nuts either 4-angled or not toward the apex. | Twigs slender; terminal buds 3-15 mm long; leaves with 3-7 (-9) leaflets; lower surface of leaflets mostly glabrous, except for along the midrib and primary veins, and sometimes hirsute on the surface with acicular (single) and infrequent fascicled (2-8 rays) hairs (lacking multiradiate trichomes); small peltate scales of the lower surface of leaflets of various types, 4-lobed and/or irregular scales often more frequent than round scales; fruit husk 2-5 mm thick; nuts either 4-angled or not toward the apex. | |||||
Betula | Bark yellowish-gray, yellowish, pink, reddish-brown, or dark brown; samara rounded or slightly retuse at its apex, the wings making up 1/2 or less of the width; fruiting peduncles sessile (peduncled in B. nigra). | ||||||
Betula | Bark yellowish-gray, yellowish, pink, reddish-brown, or dark brown; samara rounded or slightly retuse at its apex, the wings making up 1/2 or less of the width; fruiting peduncles sessile (peduncled in B. nigra). | ||||||
Betula | Leaf blades mostly 2-6 cm long, suborbicular, the apex rounded; secondary veins 3-6 per leaf side; [of Smyth County in sw. VA] | Leaf blades mostly 2-6 cm long, suborbicular, the apex rounded; secondary veins 3-6 per leaf side; [of Smyth County in sw. VA] | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades ovate or triangular, 7-15 cm long, the apex acute to acuminate; secondary veins 9-12 per leaf side; [widespread in the Mountains, and northward also the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of our area] | Leaf blades ovate or triangular, 7-15 cm long, the apex acute to acuminate; secondary veins 9-12 per leaf side; [widespread in the Mountains, and northward also the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of our area] | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades ovate or triangular, 7-15 cm long, the apex acute to acuminate; secondary veins 9-12 per leaf side; [widespread in the Mountains, and northward also the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of our area] | Leaf blades ovate or triangular, 7-15 cm long, the apex acute to acuminate; secondary veins 9-12 per leaf side; [widespread in the Mountains, and northward also the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of our area] | |||||
Betula | Bark white to pale gray; samara strongly retuse at its apex, the wings making up over 1/2 of the width; fruiting catkins peduncled; [subgenus Betula]. | ||||||
Betula | Bark white to pale gray; samara strongly retuse at its apex, the wings making up over 1/2 of the width; fruiting catkins peduncled; [subgenus Betula]. | ||||||
Betula | Leaves glabrous beneath or somewhat pubescent on the veins; bark of young stems remaining tight; leaf apex long-acuminate to attenuate; central lobe of infructescence scales shorter than the basal and lateral lobes. | ||||||
Betula | Leaf apex long-acuminate, but not attenuate; infructescence scales sparsely pubescent on the outer surface; bark of mature trees creamy to bright white | ||||||
Betula | Leaf apex long-acuminate, but not attenuate; infructescence scales sparsely pubescent on the outer surface; bark of mature trees creamy to bright white | ||||||
Betula | Leaf apex attenuate-acuminate; infructescence scales densely pubescent on the outer surface; bark of mature trees grayish white | ||||||
Betula | Leaf apex attenuate-acuminate; infructescence scales densely pubescent on the outer surface; bark of mature trees grayish white | ||||||
Betula | Leaves pubescent beneath, at least on the veins; bark of young stems exfoliating; leaf apex acute to short-acuminate; central lobe of infructescence scales equal to or longer than the basal and lateral lobes. | ||||||
Betula | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | Leaf blades cordate (rarely rounded) at the base, with (8-) 9-12 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 5.6-8.7 mm long, the lateral lobes upturned (curved towards the apex); bark of mature trees pink-white to brown-white or red-brown-white; twigs glabrous or slightly pubescent (and then glabrate in age); lenticels of young twigs large, the smallest ca. 1 mm; leaf margins singly serrate to obscurely doubly-serrate | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | |||||
Betula | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | Leaf blades broadly cuneate to truncate at the base, with 6-9 pairs of lateral veins; scales of carpellate aments 3.9-6.2 mm long, the lateral lobes divergent (curved outwards, away from the apex); bark of mature trees chalky white (rarely light brown to dark brown); twigs densely pubescent; lenticels of young twigs variable in size, the smallest about 0.25 mm; leaf margins usually obviously doubly-serrate | |||||
Carpinus | Leaves narrowly ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-8.5 cm long, 1-4.5 cm wide, the apex acute, secondary teeth small and blunt, the lower leaf surface lacking conspicuous dark glands; bracts of the infructescence with rounded to subacute tips and few, blunt teeth; [primarily of the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont] | Leaves narrowly ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-8.5 cm long, 1-4.5 cm wide, the apex acute, secondary teeth small and blunt, the lower leaf surface lacking conspicuous dark glands; bracts of the infructescence with rounded to subacute tips and few, blunt teeth; [primarily of the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont] | |||||
Carpinus | Leaves narrowly ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-8.5 cm long, 1-4.5 cm wide, the apex acute, secondary teeth small and blunt, the lower leaf surface lacking conspicuous dark glands; bracts of the infructescence with rounded to subacute tips and few, blunt teeth; [primarily of the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont] | Leaves narrowly ovate to oblong-ovate, 3-8.5 cm long, 1-4.5 cm wide, the apex acute, secondary teeth small and blunt, the lower leaf surface lacking conspicuous dark glands; bracts of the infructescence with rounded to subacute tips and few, blunt teeth; [primarily of the Coastal Plain and lower Piedmont] | |||||
Carpinus | Leaves ovate to elliptic, 5.8-12.5 cm long, 2.5-6.0 cm wide, usually abruptly narrowed to the tip (sometimes gradually tapered to a long, acuminate apex), the secondary teeth often almost as long as the primary teeth, sharp-tipped, the lower leaf surface with conspicuous dark-brown glands; bracts of the infructescence mostly sharp-tipped and bearing several sharp teeth; [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | Leaves ovate to elliptic, 5.8-12.5 cm long, 2.5-6.0 cm wide, usually abruptly narrowed to the tip (sometimes gradually tapered to a long, acuminate apex), the secondary teeth often almost as long as the primary teeth, sharp-tipped, the lower leaf surface with conspicuous dark-brown glands; bracts of the infructescence mostly sharp-tipped and bearing several sharp teeth; [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | |||||
Carpinus | Leaves ovate to elliptic, 5.8-12.5 cm long, 2.5-6.0 cm wide, usually abruptly narrowed to the tip (sometimes gradually tapered to a long, acuminate apex), the secondary teeth often almost as long as the primary teeth, sharp-tipped, the lower leaf surface with conspicuous dark-brown glands; bracts of the infructescence mostly sharp-tipped and bearing several sharp teeth; [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | Leaves ovate to elliptic, 5.8-12.5 cm long, 2.5-6.0 cm wide, usually abruptly narrowed to the tip (sometimes gradually tapered to a long, acuminate apex), the secondary teeth often almost as long as the primary teeth, sharp-tipped, the lower leaf surface with conspicuous dark-brown glands; bracts of the infructescence mostly sharp-tipped and bearing several sharp teeth; [primarily of the Mountains and Piedmont] | |||||
Momordica | Bract of the male flowers toothed; bract of male flowers attached at the apex of the peduncle; fruit 2.5-4 (-7) cm long | ||||||
Parnassia | Main parallel veins of each petal (9-) 11-17 (counted at a point halfway between the base and the apex and ignoring short laterals), usually not dilated toward the apex of the petal; outer- or basal-most main vein branching pseudo-dichotomously several times; rhizome horizontal, long-creeping, the leaves scattered or loosely clustered, tending to form clonal patches to several m in diameter; ovary white; [Coastal Plain pinelands] | Main parallel veins of each petal (9-) 11-17 (counted at a point halfway between the base and the apex and ignoring short laterals), usually not dilated toward the apex of the petal; outer- or basal-most main vein branching pseudo-dichotomously several times; rhizome horizontal, long-creeping, the leaves scattered or loosely clustered, tending to form clonal patches to several m in diameter; ovary white; [Coastal Plain pinelands] | |||||
Parnassia | Main parallel veins of each petal 5-9 (counted at a point halfway between the base and the apex and ignoring short laterals), often strongly dilated toward the apex of the petal; outer- or basal-most main vein with numerous short laterals on the outer side, extending to the petal margin with few or no branchings; rhizome erect, short, the leaves strongly clustered, not forming large clonal patches; ovary green, sometimes white toward the base; [primarily of the Mountains, rarely also disjunct in the Coastal Plain] | Main parallel veins of each petal 5-9 (counted at a point halfway between the base and the apex and ignoring short laterals), often strongly dilated toward the apex of the petal; outer- or basal-most main vein with numerous short laterals on the outer side, extending to the petal margin with few or no branchings; rhizome erect, short, the leaves strongly clustered, not forming large clonal patches; ovary green, sometimes white toward the base; [primarily of the Mountains, rarely also disjunct in the Coastal Plain] | |||||
Euonymus | Leaf apex acute to short-acuminate; larger leaves with teeth 8-11 per cm | ||||||
Euonymus | Leaf apex long-acuminate; larger leaves with teeth 6-8 per cm | ||||||
Oxalis | Leaflets green; flowers pink, blooming mainly spring-summer; plants with bulbs and bulblets; leaflet apex usually truncate | ||||||
Oxalis | Leaflets purple or green; flowers white, blooming mainly in the winter; plants with scale-clad rhizomes; leaflet apex usually deeply notched | ||||||
Hypericum | Large outer sepals broadly rounded to obtuse at the apex; shrub solitary, 3-10 dm tall; bark of older stems reddish-brown, exfoliating in strips; [widespread in our area] | Large outer sepals broadly rounded to obtuse at the apex; shrub solitary, 3-10 dm tall; bark of older stems reddish-brown, exfoliating in strips; [widespread in our area] | |||||
Hypericum | Large outer sepals acute and apiculate at the apex; shrub rhizomatous-colonial, to 15 dm tall; bark of older stems gray to black, tight and smooth; [FL peninsula only] | ||||||
Pombalia | Leaf blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, apex acute or abruptly attenuate, margins shallowly serrate to serrulate (rarely subentire); corolla whitish to violet or purple, > 15 mm long, bottom petal 2.5-3× as long as others; [exotic, Miami-Dade Co., FL] |
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