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1 Stems, and often leaves, armed with sharp prickles or spines. |
2 Shrubs to 3.5 m tall; leaves sessile; leaves paired and of different sizes |
2 Herbs to 2 (-3) m tall or shrubs, small trees, or scrambling, vine-like shrubs to 5 m tall or long; leaves petiolate; leaves not paired. |
3 Shrubs, small trees, or scrambling, vine-like shrubs to 5 m tall or long; stems with either recurved or straight prickles. |
4 Berry yellow, 1.0-1.5 cm in diameter; corolla shallowly lobed, the sinuses < ½ of the way to the base |
4 Berry red, < 1 cm in diameter; corolla lobed nearly to the base, rotate |
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3 Herbs to 2 (-3) m tall; stems with prickles, but these not strongly recurved. |
6 Berry 2.5-5 cm long, densely hirsute with hairs (2-) 3-5 mm long |
6 Berry 0.5-5 cm long, glabrous or pubescent with hairs < 1 mm long. |
7 Berry enveloped at least until near maturity by prickly calyx; leaves regularly and strongly pinnately parted or very deeply divided ( sinus depth greater than 1/2 distance from leaf margin to midvein). |
8 Corolla yellow; inflorescence stellate- pubescent only; calyx tightly enveloping the fruit; seeds coarsely undulate- rugose |
8 Corolla violet to (rarely) white, anthers all similar; inflorescence glandular- villous and stellate- pubescent; calyx loosely or tightly enveloping the fruit; seeds minutely reticulate-pitted. |
9 Anthers unequal, the lowest violet-tinged, longer, and incurved; fruiting pedicels erect; berry enclosed by the closely fitting and often adhering calyx |
9 Anthers about equal, all yellow; fruiting pedicels spreading; berry loosely enclosed by the calyx |
7 Berry not enveloped by prickly calyx; the leaves not pinnately parted or divided (except in S. sisymbriifolium), or only weakly so ( sinus depth < ½ the distance from leaf margin to midvein). |
10 Berry (1.5-) 2-5 cm long; lower leaf surface pubescent with simple hairs, these viscid ( gland-tipped) or not. |
11 Ripe berry orange-red to reddish, leaves deeply lobed ( sinus depth up to 1/2 distance from leaf margin to midvein); plants with eglandular, villous pubescence; seeds winged |
11 Ripe berry yellow, immature berry green with white mottles, leaves shallowly lobed ( sinus depth typically < 1/3 distance from leaf margin to midvein); plants glandular- viscid; seeds not winged |
10 Berry < 2 cm in diameter; lower leaf-surface stellate- pubescent. |
12 Leaves linear- lanceolate, 1-3 cm wide, trichome clusters 0.5 mm broad, with 12 or more rays |
12 Leaves ovate to elliptic, 2-8 cm wide, often lobed or cleft, trichome clusters 1 mm broad, with 5-10 rays. |
13 Leaves pinnately parted or divided, the segments often pinnately lobed; calyx enveloping fruit when ripe, berry red; plant annual |
13 Leaves irregularly lobed or cleft, the lobes or segments entire; calyx not enveloping fruit when ripe; berry yellowish orange, never red; plant perennial. |
14 Stellate trichomes of lower leaf surface stipitate, the 6-8 rays, the central one as long as or shorter than the lateral rays, of 1 cell; corolla 3-4 cm wide, calyx 8-12 mm long |
14 Stellate trichomes of lower leaf surface sessile, with 2-5 rays, the central one elongate, of 1-5 cells, and longer than the lateral rays; corolla 2-3 cm wide, calyx 5-7 mm long. |
15 Leaves entire, margins at most sinuate; plants up to 2 dm in stature; prickles few, absent, and/or confined to midveins; corollas white; inflorescence with up to ca. 4 flowers; [rare plants of c. AL and wc. GA] |
15 Leaves not entire, lobed, cleft, pinnately parted, or divided; plants 3-10 dm in stature; prickles more abundant and generally distributed; corollas purple, rarely white; inflorescence with up to ca. 15 flowers; [plants more widely distributed, weedy or ruderal]. |
16 Stems sparsely to moderately armed with prickles up to 12 mm long; inflorescences 2- to several-branched; corollas 2.0-4.4 cm in diameter; [mainly AL, FL, and GA, rarely MS] |
16 Stems unarmed or sparsely armed with prickles up to 6 mm long; inflorescences unbranched or once branched; corollas 2.2-3.0 cm in diameter; [collectively widespread]. |
17 Leaf margins deeply lobed to parted; sinuses of lobes reaching more than half the distance to the midvein or almost to the midvein; apex of leaf lobes typically rounded; [s. GA and FL] |
17 Leaf margins subentire, sinuate, or lobed; sinuses of lobes, when present, reaching less than half the distance to the midvein; apex of leaf lobes subacute to acute, sometimes rounded; [widespread] |
1 Stems and leaves unarmed, lacking prickles or spines. |
Show caption*© Nick Butcher, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Nick Butcher 18 Leaves compound (at least well-developed leaves), pinnatifid, or basally auriculate- lobed. |
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20 Leaves with 2 basal lobes or leaflets much smaller than the terminal one (some upper leaves simple); [mainly northwards] |
20 Leaves pinnately to bipinnately deeply lobed, usually with 3-9 lobes of relatively equal size; [peninsular FL] |
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21 Leaves sessile or short- petiolate, 1-5 cm long, regularly pinnatifid, the lobes similar in size and shape; plant more or less prostrate |
21 Leaves distinctly petiolate, 10-40 cm long, pinnately or bipinnately compound, the lateral leaflets ovate, often with smaller leaflets intercalated between the main leaflets; plant erect, scrambling, or sprawling. |
22 Stem pubescence glandular; anthers opening by longitudinal slits; seeds hairy; [tomato] |
22 Stem pubescence eglandular; anthers opening by terminal pores; seeds glabrous; [potato] |
18 Leaves not compound or auriculate- lobed. |
23 Shrubs and small trees; [mainly FL and s. TX southwards, rarely northwards]. |
Show caption*© Sayee Girdhari, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sayee Girdhari 24 Berry stellate- pubescent; [FL and s. TX southwards]. |
25 Leaves of new growth with stipule-like auricled miniature leaves at the petiole base; corolla lavender to deep purple; [collectively widespread] |
25 Leaves lacking associated stipule-like small leaves; corolla white. |
26 Leaf blade broadest below the midpoint, short- cuneate or nearly truncate at the base; calyx and corolla densely short- stellate pubescent |
26 Leaf blade broadest above the midpoint, narrowly cuneate at the base; calyx and corolla shaggy- pubescent with stellate hairs |
24 Berry glabrous; [mainly FL and s. TX southwards, rarely northwards]. |
27 Plants glabrous or if sparsely pubescent, the hairs simple. |
Show caption*© Candela Castro, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Candela Castro 28 Leaves glaucous; Inflorescence a branched raceme |
28 Leaves green; inflorescence a congested cyme borne opposite a leaf |
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Show caption*© Kyle Campbell, some rights reserved (CC BY-ND), uploaded by Kyle Campbell 29 Flowers 1-3 in an axillary fascicle. |
30 Leaf blades tapered to base; leaf blades widest at or above the midpoint; [ exotic] |
30 Leaf blades cordate or truncate at base; leaf blades widest near the base; [native, TX] |
29 Flowers either in a simple to compound cyme, or in a racemiform cyme. |
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23 Herbs; [collectively widespread]. |
32 Corolla 10-16 mm long, lavender; fruits 10-15 mm in diameter, yellow when ripe (blackening with age); trichomes of stems and leaves stellate, with 9-13 branches |
32 Corolla 5-8 mm long, white to cream; fruits 5-10 mm in diameter, black, purple, green, orange, red, or dark yellow when ripe; trichomes of stems and leaves simple (when present). |
33 Foliage with glandular trichomes; fresh plants sticky to the touch. |
Show caption*© Sus scrofa, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Sus scrofa Show caption*© Franck Cabot, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Franck Cabot 34 Mature berry orange, red or dark yellow, usually somewhat ellipsoid; calyx lobes with translucent sinuses |
34 Mature berry green, purple or black, usually globose or subglobose; calyx lobes without translucent sinuses. |
Show caption*© Zachary M.C., some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zachary M.C. 35 Calyx lobes not enlarged and enclosing the berry |
35 Calyx lobes enlarged in fruit and enclosing the berry. |
Show caption*© Michael John Oldham, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Michael John Oldham 36 Leaf bases attenuate to cuneate; inflorescences mostly internodal, with 4-8 (-10) flowers; corolla with a central greenish yellow star with black or purple margins; berries dark green to greenish brown, marbled with white, becoming translucent and shiny; stone cells 1-3, ca. 0.5 mm in diameter |
36 Leaf bases cordate or truncate; inflorescences mostly leaf-opposed, with 2-5 (-7) flowers; corolla with a central greenish yellow star without black or purple margins; berries pale green, not marbled with white, becoming matte, opaque; stone cells 4-6, 0.8-1 mm in diameter |
33 Foliage lacking glandular trichomes, sometimes with a few scattered trichomes with glandular tips, but not markedly glandular (fresh plants not sticky to the touch). |
37 Leaves deeply pinnatifid; prostrate herbs with fleshy leaves |
37 Leaves with entire or various toothed margins, not pinnatifid; plants erect or scrambling (rarely prostrate, if so, the leaves NOT fleshy). |
38 Mature berries orange, red or dark yellow (shiny and translucent at maturity); calyx lobes with translucent sinuses |
38 Mature berries green, purple or black; calyx lobes without translucent sinuses. |
39 Anthers 0.7-1.5 mm long. |
40 Mature berries dropping without the pedicel; calyx lobes strongly reflexed in fruit; stone cells ( sclerotic granules) (0-) 2-4 (-6) per berry |
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41 Buds narrowly ellipsoid to narrowly ovoid; corolla deeply stellate with narrowly lanceolate strap-like lobes; berries shiny, with > 10 stone cells; prostrate herbs |
41 Buds ellipsoid to ovoid to obovoid; corolla stellate with triangular to deltate lobes, not markedly lanceolate and strap-like; berries matte or somewhat shiny, usually with < 10 stone cells; erect or straggling herbs |
42 Stone cells present in mature berries, always more than 2; corolla (10-) 15-20 mm in diameter |
43 Anthers (2.7-) 3-4.5 mm long, slightly tapering to the tip; buds ovoid, tapering to the apex; free portion of the filaments minute, ca. 1/4 the length of the anther; corolla to 20 mm in diameter |
43 Anthers less than 3 mm long, ellipsoid with straight sides; buds ellipsoid; free portion of the filaments half the length of the anthers; corolla < 15 mm in diameter. |
44 Basal flower in the inflorescence with the articulation above the rachis; calyx lobes unequal, lanceolate, the longest one 1.7-4.5 mm long; seeds 1.8-2 mm long; stone cells 2-4; [prairies and open woodlands, mw. US] |
44 All flowers with the articulation at the inflorescence rachis; calyx lobes equal, deltate, 0.5-1 mm long; seeds 1.2-1.5 mm long; stone cells usually > 5; [forests and coastal areas, se. US] |
42 Stone cells in mature berries absent (occasionally 2); corolla < 15 mm in diameter. |
45 Berries 10-20 mm in diameter, shiny, slightly flattened; fruiting pedicels strongly spreading; anthers somewhat tapering, often drying brownish orange; [cultivated, perhaps a waif] |
45 Berries < 15 mm in diameter, somewhat shiny, matte or slightly glaucous, globose; fruiting pedicels weakly spreading or more usually deflexed; anthers ellipsoid, not drying brownish orange; [native, adventive, or naturalized]. |
46 Inflorescences with the flowers spaced along the rachis; anthers 1.8-2.5 mm long; fruiting pedicels spreading; berry surface slightly shiny; seeds 1.8-2 mm long |
46 Inflorescences with the flowers clustered at the tips ( sub-umbelliform), only a few spaced along the rachis; anthers > 2 mm long; fruiting pedicels deflexed, usually strongly so; berry surface matte or glaucous; seeds 1-1.5 mm long. |
47 Peduncle in fruit at right angles or more usually strongly deflexed downwards; berries 4-9 mm in diameter; calyx lobes appressed to surface of berry in fruit; styles exserted to 1.5 mm from the anther cone at anthesis; [ adventive in our area] |
47 Peduncle in fruit slightly ascending, not deflexed downward; berries 8-14 mm in diameter; calyx lobes reflexed in fruit; style exserted 2-2.5 mm from the anther cone at anthesis; [coastal habitats, native in our area] |