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Key to Aeschynomene

Fabaceae

Aeschynomene

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1 Floating aquatic with swollen, inflated stems
1 Terrestrial, prostrate or upright, stems not inflated.
  2 Prostrate perennial; leaves with 3-19 leaflets; stipules basifixed; loment articles separated by a joint and also an isthmus; calyx campanulate; [of dry, sandy or of disturbed areas].
  2 Erect or ascending annual; leaves with 21-51 or more leaflets; stipules peltate or medifixed; loment articles separated by only a joint; calyx bilabiate; [of moist to wet habitats].
    3 Leaflets with 1 longitudinal nerve; mature fruit stipe 4-25 mm long; [section Aeschynomene].
      4 Loment sinuses notched relatively symmetrically on either side, to about 2/3-3/4 the width of the segment; [FL peninsula]
      4 Loment sinuses either notched asymmetrically, or not notched as deeply; [collectively widespread]
        5 Mature fruit stipe 12-25 mm long; corolla (10-) 12-15 mm long; fruit segments 5-7 mm long, 4.5-6.5 mm wide; paired bracts subtending each flower toothed (rarely entire); standard greenish-yellow with distinct dark-red veins; leaflets 6-25 mm long, 2-5 mm wide
        5 Mature fruit stipe 4-8 (-10) mm long; corolla 7-13 (-15) mm long; fruit segments 4-6 mm long, 3.5-6 mm wide; paired bracts subtending each flower toothed or entire; standard pale orange or reddish-orange, the veins usually indistinct; leaflets 2.5-25 mm long, 1-4 mm wide.
          6 Paired bracts subtending each flower entire (rarely toothed); leaflets 2.5-13 mm long, 1-2.5 mm wide; fruit segments 4-5 mm long, 3.5-5 mm wide
          6 Paired bracts subtending each flower toothed (rarely entire); leaflets 6-25 mm long, 1.5-4 mm wide; fruit segments 5-6 mm long, 5-6 mm wide
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Key to Fabaceae, Key G: herbaceous legumes with once-pinnately, even-pinnately compound (or 'palmately' 2-foliolate) leaves with 2 or more leaflets
[subfamilies Faboideae and Caesalpinioideae]

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1 Flowers nearly regular; stamens 5-10, separate; [subfamily Caesalpinioideae, tribe Cassieae].
  2 Leaflets 5-25 pairs, each leaflet 0.5-1.5 cm long; stipules persistent, striate
  2 Leaflets (2-) 3-12 pairs, each leaflet 1.5-12 cm long; stipules caduceus, small, not striate
1 Flowers papilionoid; stamens diadelphous or monadelphous; [subfamily Faboideae].
    3 Tendrils lacking on all leaves; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous.
      4 Leaflets 2 per leaf; [tribe Aeschynomeneae]
      4 Leaflets 4-60 per leaf.
        5 Floating aquatic with stems swollen, inflated
        5 Terrestrial plants with stem not swollen
          6 Leaflets 20-60 per leaf; strong herbs (or woody) 1-4 m tall, simultaneously erect, > 1 m tall, and with stems usually > 5 mm in diameter
             7 Fruit a loment, with single-seeded segments separated by sutures; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous in 2 phalanges of 5; [tribe Aeschynomeneae]
          6 Leaflets 4-18 per leaf; weak or sprawling herbs to 1.5 m long, with weak stems usually < 5 mm in diameter (or if thicker, then < 1 m long; stamens monadelphous or diadelphous.
    3 Tendrils present in the terminal position on some or all leaves; stamens diadelphous; [tribe Fabeae].
                   10 Stipules smaller, typically much smaller than the leaflets.
                     11 Calyx lobes 1-2× as long as the calyx tube; [collectively widespread and common].
                       12 Style stout, flattened or folded, with a dense longitudinal band of hairs longitudinally arrayed along the inner side; stems ridged, angled, or longitudinally winged; leaflets 2-6 (-8) cm long; calyx 5-12 mm long
                       12 Style slender and hair-like, terete (round in ×-section), glabrous except for a ring of short hairs just below the stigma; stems ridged or angled, but not longitudinally winged; leaflets 0.5-4.5 cm long (except larger in a few waifs); calyx 2-8 mm long (except larger in a few waifs)