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Key G4: shrubs and subshrubs with alternate, simple, unlobed, entire leaves

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1 Leaves evergreen. {add to 1a: Ternstroemia in PENTAPHYLACACEAE, Pyracantha in ROSACEAE, Thymelaea in THYMELAEACEAE; Chrysophyllum in SAPOTACEAE; Glycosmis parviflora in RUTACEAE}.
  2 Leaves 1-7 mm long, either acicular and spreading or ovate and appressed to the stems
  2 Leaves > 10 mm long.
    3 Leaves linear, > 15× as long as wide, usually sharply pointed at the apices (Ilex can have pointed apices, but leaves are not linear and marginal teeth often also present); [Monocots]
    3 Leaves broader, < 15× as long as wide, leaf apices variously shaped, if pointed usually not conspicuously sharpened; [Eudicots, Basal Angiosperms, or Monocots].
      4 Plant a creeping subshrub, < 1 dm tall
      4 Plant not creeping, > 3 dm tall (mature plants).
        5 Inflorescence an involucrate head or a raceme or a panicle consisting of spherical heads (Conocarpus in COMBRETACEAE).
          6 Inflorescence an involucrate head, the heads consisting of a receptacle bearing few-many cypselae; plants of various habitats, but not forming dense stands of shrubs in coastal habitats
          6 Inflorescence a raceme or panicle consisting of spherical heads, the fruit densely clustered in conelike heads but not cypselae; leaf abaxial surfaces with conspicuous pit domatia at the junction of midvein and secondary veins; plants salt-adapted shrubs of coastal habitats
        5 Inflorescence not an involucrate head, instead either solitary (Illicium in ILLICIACEAE) or variously branched, spicate, racemose, umbellate, or fascicled.
             7 Flowers with a 5-lobed, fan-shaped corolla opposing a conspicuously protruding and incurved style
             7 Flowers various, but not as above.
               8 Leaves alternate, but usually clustered densely towards branch tips; leaves narrowly oblanceolate, 1-4 cm long; flowers yellow, 5-merous, the petals diminuitive (ca. 4 mm) and clawed basally (the petals often falling off by midday); [of coastal beaches, dunes, and hammocks; FL peninsula]
               8 Plants not with the above combination of traits: leaves longer and variously shaped (if narrowly oblanceolate, leaves much longer than 40 cm long) usually well-spaced throughout the stems (if clustered, then other characters lacking); [plants widely distributed in a variety of habitats].
                 9 Carpels separate; fruit an aggregate; fresh foliage strongly fragrant; [Basal Angiosperms].
                   10 Fruit an aggregate of woody follicles arranged in a whorl
                   10 Fruit an aggregate of red to blackish berries, 4-6 mm long, each on a long stipe, giving the aggregate almost the appearance of an umbel
                 9 Carpels fused; fruit a berry, drupe, acorn (nut), capsule, or legume; fresh foliage not strongly fragrant; [Eudicots, Monocots, and Basal Angiosperms].
                     11 Ovary with 3 carpels; fruit a berry; “leaves” actually cladodes; [Monocots]
                     11 Ovary with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 carpels; fruit a berry, drupe, capsule, legume, or nut; leaves actually leaves; [Eudicots and Basal Angiosperms].
                       12 Leaves largely covered with silver and/or bronze lepidote scales and/or dense stellate hairs below (visible at 10× or higher magnification), giving the lower leaf surface a slightly shiny to almost metallic appearance. {add Lyonia ferruginea and L. fruticosa in ERICACEAE; add Loropetalum in HAMAMELIDACEAE}
                          13 Petals present, conspicuous, connate, white, the corolla rotate; fruit a berry with several seeds; fresh foliage with a strong, tar-like odor
                          13 Petals absent or inconspicuous, greenish and separate if present (note that the calyx is petaloid and white or yellowish in Elaeagnus of ELAEAGNACEAE); fruit a dry capsule with 3 seeds, or a drupe with a single seed; fresh foliage lacking a strong odor.
                            14 Perianth 4-merous; petals absent; petaloid sepals white to cream, fused and salverform; carpel 1; fruit a fleshy, red drupe, with a single seed
                            14 Perianth 5-merous; petals green and separate, or absent; sepals greenish, separate; carpels 3; fruit a 3-valved capsule with 3 seeds
                       12 Leaves with various vestiture (or glabrous), but not as above.
                              15 Flowers arranged in axillary spikes, umbels of shortened spikes, or sometimes the flowers solitary and leaf-opposing; fruit a drupe or drupe-like.
                                16 Flowers in spikes, axillary umbels (of shortened spikes), or the flowers solitary and leaf-opposing; leaves spaced, the bases oblique; stipules apparent, and clasping the stem; fruit rarely 3-angled (P. auritum), but not ridged; plants unarmed, the stems swollen at the nodes; branches somewhat zig-zagged, not arranged in conspicuous tiers
                                16 Flowers arranged in axillary spikes only; the fruit usually somewhat ridged; leaves clustered at branch tips (except T. arjuna), the bases typically cuneate; stipules reduced to glandular hairs at petiole base; plants armed or unarmed, the stem nodes not conspicuously swollen; branches arranged in tiers, the main branches erect, the lateral spreading horizontally
                              15 Flowers in other types of inflorescences, not spikes, if the inflorescence axillary only, then consisting of panicles or racemes (Cestrum) or subsessile to sessile fascicles (Myrsine and SAPOTACEAE); fruit various (acorns, berries, drupes, capsules, legumes).
                                  17 Leaves 1-foliolate on the upper stems, sometimes 3-foliolate below, or all reduced to phyllodial spines; flowers papilionaceous, bright yellow; fruit a legume; stems bright green
                                  17 Leaves simple throughout; flowers variously shaped but not papilionaceous; fruit not a legume, instead acorns, berries, capsules, or drupes.
                                    18 Flowers apetalous; arranged in catkins (Quercus in FAGACEAE; Morella inodora in MYRICACEAE) OR thyrses (Dodonaea in SAPINDACEAE).
                                       19 Flowers tannish, borne in catkins (these drooping at maturity); fruit a nut in a cupule (acorn)
                                       19 Flowers greenish-red or yellowish-green, borne in thyrses or if in catkins (Morella), these erect and globose in shape; fruit a winged, bladder-like capsule (Dodonaea) or globose, drupe-like, and covered in small, warty protuberances (Morella).
                                         20 Fruit a bladder-like, winged capsule (usually weakly 3-locular), brownish-red or brown when ripened; [peninsular FL from St. Johns County southward]
                                         20 Fruit globose, drupe-like, and covered in small, warty protuberances, blueish purple to black when ripened; [Gulf Coastal Plain from FL Panhandle and sc. GA, w. to e. LA]
                                    18 Flowers not apetalous, with a well-developed corolla, variously colored (white, cream, pink, greenish or reddish-orange), either urceolate OR tubular and with separate and spreading petals (rarely the perianth only consisting of green sepals), arranged in various terminal or axillary inflorescences, or sometimes solitary; fruit either a (3-) 5-valved capsule, or a spherical berry with (1-) 10+ seeds, OR a 1-8 seeded dry or fleshy drupe.
                                           21 Flowers white to pink or reddish-orange, rotate, tubular, or urceolate (the petals also sometimes spreading apically, but united at least basally), in various terminal or axillary inflorescences or solitary; fruit either a 2-5 valved capsule (conspicuously linear-cylindric in CAPPARACEAE), a spherical berry with 10+ seeds OR a drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets (Bourreria).
                                             22 Flowers reddish-orange; corollas bearing post-staminal hairs (appearing as tufts of hair opposite each anther)
                                             22 Flowers white, greenish-white, yellow, or pink; corollas without obvious tufts of hair opposite each anther.
                                               23 Fruit a fleshy berry; inflorescences of axillary fascicles (SAPOTACEAE), axillary and paniculate (Cestrum) or in Solanum, leaf-opposed and variously arranged (terminal, axillary, and extra-axillary).
                                                 24 Plants with milky sap (exuded from petioles when removed from stems); sepals rusty-tomentose; [c. and s. FL only in our area]; {Add Lucuma and Mimusops}.
                                                    25 Fruit a smaller, glabrous berry (< 1 cm in diameter), green, purple, or black, glabrous, not roughened; petioles not with a decurrent adaxial wing forming a groove
                                                    25 Fruit a large, globose berry (2-8 cm in diameter), pale brown in color when mature, the surface roughened in texture; petioles with a decurrent, adaxial wing forming a groove
                                                 24 Plants not exuding milky sap; sepals variously glabrous or tomentose, but not rusty-tomentose.
                                                      26 Leaves 1 per node; inflorescences axillary and paniculate (sometimes with terminal flower clusters present), never leaf opposed (although often bracteate); flowers tubular, the end of the tube often surrounding the anthers
                                                      26 Leaves 1 per node or also paired (on one side of the stem) at some nodes (the leaves then uneven in size); inflorescences leaf-opposed; flowers campanulate, lacking a tubular corolla
                                               23 Fruit not a fleshy berry, instead a valved capsule or a drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets (Bourreria); inflorescences terminal or axillary (or occasionally flowers solitary), never leaf-opposed.
                                                        27 Capsules pendulous and conspicuously elongate-cylindric, borne on a slender gynophore (a specialized stipe bearing the gynoecium); seeds white, grey, tan, or brownish in color and usually contrasting with the bright red interior of the capsules; plants shrubs or sometimes loosely scrambling over other plants; stamens usually much longer than the petals and conspicuously exerted from the flowers
                                                        27 Capsules (or drupes) erect, not linear nor long-cylindric, not borne on a gynophore; seeds variously colored, and sometimes surrounded by a fleshy aril (but the entire capsule interior not bright red); plants shrubs; stamens shorter than or only minimally longer than the corolla (not long exerted)
                                                          28 Seeds without fleshy aril or attachment; ovaries 5-10 carpellate; flowers urceolate; leaves serrate or entire
                                                          28 Seeds with fleshy aril or attachment (or if not fleshy, the seeds nutlets with abaxial ridges, as in Bourreria); ovaries 2-4 carpellate; flowers rotate; leaves entire or very remotely serrulate.
                                                            29 Fruit a drupe, the drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets with abaxial ridges; flowers rotate and salverform (the corolla tube evident), arranged in terminal cymes, the corolla lobes usually orbicular; leaves scabrous or hispid (except B. succulenta)
                                                            29 Fruit a capsule (the seeds with fleshy arils or attachments); flowers rotate, but not salverform (the corolla tube not lengthened), arranged solitary, few, or in cymes, terminal or axillary, the corolla lobes usually deltoid or somewhat triangular in shape; leaves glabrous or sometimes puberulent (Pittosporum), but the pubescence not rough.
                                                              30 Flowers few, not showy, green to greenish-white, inflorescence not densely arranged (flowers also sometimes solitary); capsules not beaked; leaves not revolute or undulate
                                                              30 Flowers numerous, showy, white; inflorescence densely arranged; capsules with short beak; leaf margins revolute or slightly undulate
                                           21 Flowers white, rotate, the petals spreading, distinct (i.e., separate to the base; nearly so in Myrsine), not tubular; arranged in axillary fascicles or racemes or in subsessile to sessile axillary fascicles (Myrsine); fruit either a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes, or a dry to leathery single-seeded drupe.
                                                                 31 Plants sometimes with pneumatophores; leaf blades with apical and pit-domatia present; [non-native, s. FL]
                                                                 31 Plants never producing pneumatophores; leaf blades variously pubescent or glandular, but lacking conspcuous marginal or apical pit-domatia; [collectively widespread natives]
                                                                   32 Shrub rhizomatous and colonial; fruit an ellipsoid drupe, 2-3 cm long
                                                                   32 Shrub not rhizomatous; fruit either a fleshy or dry drupe, < 1 cm long.
                                                                     33 Inflorescence an axillary fascicle or cluster, the fascicles short-pedicellate, subsessile, or sessile
image of plant
Show caption*© Keith Bradley
image of plant
Show caption*© Aidan Campos
                                                                       34 Inflorescence of sessile or subsessile fascicles, the flowers 5-merous, greenish-white (often with pink streaks or dots) and with obvious staminodes; fruit a 1-seeded fleshy to leathery drupe
                                                                       34 Inflorescence of subsessile or short-pedicellate fascicles, the flowers 4-merous, white (lacking pink streaks or dots); fruit a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes
                                                                     33 Inflorescence an axillary raceme; fruit a dry drupe with 1 seed
1 Leaves deciduous.
                                                                         35 Inflorescence an involucrate head
                                                                         35 Inflorescence branched, spicate, a catkin, or consisting of a solitary flower or axillary clusters or whorls, not an involucrate head.
image of plant
Show caption*© Alan Cressler: Leitneria floridana (male catkin), St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, St. Marks Unit, Wakulla County, Florida 1 by Alan Cressler
                                                                           36 Inflorescence a catkin; flowers unisexual; plants dioecious
                                                                              37 Leaves 3.5-6 cm wide
                                                                              37 Leaves < 3 cm wide
                                                                           36 Inflorescence various, not a catkin; flowers bisexual; plants hermaphroditic.
                                                                                38 Inflorescences consisting of solitary, axillary flowers
image of plant
Show caption*© Michelle Wong, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michelle W.
                                                                                  39 Fruit a globose, spinose capsule bearing a longitudinal ridge across 1 or both faces, thus essentially resembling a spikey ball; perianth (4-)5-merous, consisting of 3 upper connate petaloid claws and two lower sessile petals; fresh plants without a strange musky odor; [Eudicots]
                                                                                  39 Fruit an oblong berry, greenish-yellow when ripe, not bearing small spines; perianth 3-4-merous, without connate petaloid claws; fresh plants fragrant with a strange, musky odor; [Basal Angiosperms]
                                                                                38 Inflorescence of 2 or more flowers; perianth 3-5-merous; fresh plants not musky-fragrant; fruits various, not as above.
                                                                                    40 Flowers 3-merous; fruit fleshy, red or greenish-yellow at maturity; ovary superior; [Basal Angiosperms or Eudicots].
                                                                                      41 Leaves elliptic or narrowly elliptic, broadest near the middle; fresh plants strongly fragrant with a citrus-like aroma; stems unarmed; fruit a drupe, with a single seed
                                                                                      41 Leaves obovate or oblanceolate, broadest near the apex; stems armed with nodal spines; fresh plants not fragrant; fruit a berry, with several seeds.
                                                                                    40 Flowers 4-5-merous; fruit fleshy or dry, black, blue, brown, tan, or red at maturity; ovary superior or inferior; [Eudicots].
                                                                                        42 Fruit a 4-5-valved capsule with many seeds; inflorescence either terminal, a corymb or panicle, or an axillary whorl
                                                                                        42 Fruit either a drupe or berry (indehiscent, and variously fleshy or dry) or a dry 3-valved capsule with 1 seed; inflorescence axillary (solitary, clusters, fascicles, or racemes), or in a terminal raceme (Pyrularia in SANTALACEAE).
                                                                                           43 Leaves largely covered with silver and/or bronze shiny lepidote scales below, giving the lower leaf surface an almost metallic appearance
                                                                                           43 Leaves with various vestiture, but not as above.
                                                                                             44 Ovary inferior or half-inferior; inflorescence an axillary cluster or raceme, or a terminal raceme.
                                                                                               45 Fruit a spherical berry, with 10 or more seeds
                                                                                               45 Fruit an elongate drupe (definitely longer than thick), with 1 seed.
image of plant
Show caption*© Keith Bradley
image of plant
Show caption*© Richard & Teresa Ware
                                                                                                 46 Fruit 15-30 mm long; inflorescence a terminal raceme
image of plant
Show caption*© Keith Bradley
image of plant
Show caption*© Gary P. Fleming
                                                                                                 46 Fruit 6-10 mm long; inflorescence an axillary fascicle
                                                                                             44 Ovary superior; inflorescence an axillary cluster or an axillary raceme (borne themselves in clusters).
                                                                                                   47 Fruits elongate, 8-20 mm long.
                                                                                                     48 Fruit a red or orange berry, 8-20 mm long; leaves usually on spur-shoots; [salty coastal areas, or exotics of disturbed situations]
                                                                                                     48 Fruit a yellowish-green drupe, 12-15 mm long; leaves on main stems; [rich forests, mainly inland]
                                                                                                   47 Fruits spherical, < 10 mm long.
                                                                                                        49 Inflorescence a narrowly cylindrical raceme, clustered several to many at the tip of the previous year’s wood and below the current season’s growth; fruit < 3 mm in diameter
                                                                                                        49 Inflorescence an axillary cluster; fruit > 4 mm in diameter
                                                                                                          50 Fruit dry, opening by 3 valves, 1-seeded; leaf pubescence stellate
                                                                                                          50 Fruit fleshy, with 4-8 seeds; leaf pubescence simple or absent.
                                                                                                            51 Fruit yellow to red, the pedicel 10-30 mm long; leaf venation pinnate, but irregular and reticulated
                                                                                                            51 Fruit dark red to black, the pedicel < 10 mm long; leaf venation very neatly pinnate, with the secondary veins nearly straight and parallel to one another

Key N1: herbaceous dicots with mainly basal, compound leaves

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1 Leaves either 2-3-foliolate or palmately 4-11-foliolate (all the leaflets attached at a common point).
  2 Leaves 2-foliolate; fruit a capsule, opening by a circumscissile lid
  2 Leaves either 3-foliolate or palmately or pedately 4-11-foliolate.
    3 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
    3 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.
      4 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps
      4 Inflorescence various, usually not an umbel (sometimes an umbel in Oxalis in OXALIDACEAE); ovary superior; fruit an aggregate, legume, berry, or 2-valved capsule.
        5 Leaflets either entire or barely and very shallowly crenulate or notched at the tip (but otherwise entire).
          6 Inflorescence a spadix, surrounded by a spathe; fruit a berry; [Monocots {illogically keyed here because of the likelihood of being mistaken for a dicot}]
          6 Inflorescence a raceme or umbel, not surrounded by a spathe; fruit a capsule or legume; [Eudicots].
             7 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume; [plant of uplands]
             7 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit a 2-valved or 5-valved capsule; [plant of uplands or wetlands]
               8 Leaflets not notched at the tip; flowers white; [plants of saturated saturated or ponded wetlands]
               8 Leaflets notched at the tip; flowers pink, white, or yellow; [plants of uplands or temporarily flooded wetlands]
        5 Leaflets serrate, serrulate, or cleft.
                 9 Petals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique
                 9 Petals 5 or more; stamens 10 or more; fruit either a legume or an aggregate of achenes or follicles
                   10 Stamens many, fused into a staminal tube; carpels 10-20, in a ring; pubescence stellate (sometimes mixed with simple hairs)
                   10 Stamens 10-many, separate, or fused but not all into a staminal tube; carpel either 1 (FABACEAE), or 3-7 in a ring (RANUNCULACEAE), or many and spirally arranged on a conical receptacle (RANUNCULACEAE or ROSACEAE)
                     11 Leaflets serrulate; flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume; corolla variously colored, including white
                     11 Leaflets serrate; flowers radially symmetrical; fruit an aggregate of achenes or of follicles; corolla white or yellowish or greenish.
                       12 Fruit an aggregate of follicles
                       12 Fruit an aggregate of achenes (borne on a fleshy, expanded receptacle in Fragaria and some Potentilla)
                          13 Flowers lacking a hypanthium
                          13 Flowers with a hypanthium
1 Leaves 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis) or more complexly compound (with several orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                            14 Leaves 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis).
                              15 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
                              15 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.
                                16 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume
                                16 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit a silique/silicle, or a schizocarp of mericarps, or an achene.
                                  17 Petals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique/silicle
                                  17 Petals 0 or 5 (if 0, the sepals petaloid); stamens 2, 4, 5, or many.
                                    18 Stamens 5; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                    18 Stamens 2, 4, or many; fruit an achene
                            14 Leaves more complexly compound (with 2 or more orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                                       19 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
                                       19 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above (sometimes the flowers in a head subtended by bracts, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or petals separate, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
                                         20 Leaf segments or ultimate lobes linear or lanceolate, > 2× as long as wide, < 4 mm wide.
                                           21 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps
                                           21 Inflorescence various, but not an umbel; ovary superior; fruit an aggregate of follicles or an elongate capsule.
                                             22 Carpels 2, fused; fruit an elongate capsule; flowers bilaterally symmetrical
                                             22 Carpels 5-10 or many, separate; fruit an aggregate; flower radially symmetrical
                                         20 Leaf segments or ultimate lobes ovate or elliptic, < 3× as long as wide, > 5 mm wide.
                                               23 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps or a 5-seeded drupe.
                                                 24 Fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                 24 Fruit a 5-seeded drupe
                                               23 Inflorescence various, but not an umbel; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes, an elongate capsule, or a naked seed resembling a drupe.
                                                    25 Leaflets with < 10 ultimate ‘points’ (lobe or tooth terminations), these rounded to broadly acute, often large in comparison to the leaflet and appearing as “sublobes”; pistil 1 or 4-many.
                                                      26 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; fruit an elongate capsule; [cultivated exotic, rarely persistent near gardens]
                                                      26 Corolla radially symmetrical; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes, or a naked seed resembling a drupe; [native plants of moist to dry forests and rock outcrops].
                                                        27 Leaflets 5-8 cm long, obviously longer than broad; pistil 1; fruit a naked blue seed resembling a drupe; flowers mainly 3-merous
                                                        27 Leaflets 1-6 cm long, about as long as broad if > 4 cm long; pistils 4-many; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes; flowers mainly 4-5-merous
                                                    25 Leaflets with >11 ultimate ‘points’ (lobe or tooth terminations), these acuminate to acute; pistils 1-8.
                                                          28 Pubescence of the stem and lower leaf surface glandular; flowers unisexual, on the same plant (monoecious); stamens 10; pistils 2, partly fused; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                                                          28 Pubescence of the stem and lower leaf surface non-glandular (or absent); flowers either bisexual (the plants hermaphroditic), or unisexual and the male and female flowers on separate plants (the plants dioecious); stamens 15 or more; pistils 1-8, separate; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a follicle, or a red or white berry.
                                                            29 Flowers bisexual (plants hermaphroditic); carpels 1-8 per flower; inflorescence a raceme, or a panicle of racemes with just a few branches; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a follicle, or a red or white berry
                                                            29 Flowers unisexual (plants dioecious); carpels 3-4 per pistillate flower; inflorescence a panicle of racemes, with numerous branches; fruit an aggregate of follicles

Key N2: herbaceous dicots with mainly basal, simple leaves

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1 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
1 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above (sometimes the flowers in a head subtended by bracts, e.g. Eryngium in APIACEAE, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or petals separate, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
  2 Basal leaves 2-lobed, pinnately lobed, or palmately lobed (not considering cordate, hastate, or auriculate leaf bases as “lobed”).
    3 Basal leaves 2-lobed, hinged between the lobes, each lobe with stiff, marginal, eyelash-like bristles; [Coastal Plain of NC and SC, rarely planted and weakly naturalized elsewhere]
    3 Basal leaves 3-many-lobed, palmately or pinnately; [collectively widespread].
      4 Leaf lobing pinnate.
        5 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate
        5 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 2, rarely more, carpels); fruit simple.
          6 Stamens many; sepals 2, petals 4; fresh plants with yellow, orange, or white milky juice
          6 Stamens 4, 5, or 6; sepals 4 or 5; petals 4 or 5.
             7 Petals 4, distinct; stamens 6
             7 Petals 5, fused; stamens 2, 4, or 5.
               8 Corolla radially symmetrical; stamens 5
               8 Corolla 2-lipped, bilaterally symmetrical or asymmetrical; stamens 2 or 4.
                 9 Corolla lobes not twisted, the flower bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 2
                 9 Corolla lobes twisted so as to make the flower asymmetrical; stamens 4
      4 Leaf lobing palmate.
                   10 Petiole attachment peltate.
                     11 Leaves < 10 cm in diameter
                     11 Leaves > 15 cm in diameter
                   10 Petiole attachment marginal.
                       12 Ovary inferior.
                          13 Petals 4; stamens 8; fruit a capsule
                          13 Petals 5; stamens 5; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps.
                            14 Fruit tuberculate; leaves 3-lobed
                            14 Fruit smooth; leaves with 5 or more lobes
                       12 Ovary superior, or half-inferior by fusion of a hypanthium a part of the way up the ovary wall.
                              15 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate.
                                16 Perianth of 5 green sepals and 5 colored petals.
                                  17 Carpels partly fused, arrayed in a ring of 10-20
                                  17 Carpels separate, spiral, many
                                16 Perianth of a single whorl of 3-12 petaloid sepals (the petals absent or small and rudimentary).
                                    18 Leaves 2, the single flower terminal and associated with the upper leaf; fruit an aggregate of berries
                                    18 Leaves normally > 2, flowers not as above; fruit an aggregate of achenes, utricles, or follicles
                              15 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 1-5 carpels); fruit simple.
                                       19 Hypanthium present, partially fused or not fused to the pistil; ovary partially inferior to superior
                                       19 Hypanthium absent; ovary superior.
                                         20 Petals connate at base; leaves sharply toothed
                                         20 Petals distinct; leaves with rounded lobes or teeth.
                                           21 Corolla radially symmetrical; petals 8-12; capsule fusiform, narrowed to both ends, > 5× as long as wide
                                           21 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; petals 5; capsule ovoid, < 2× as long as wide
  2 Basal leaves not lobed, at most serrate or crenate (and sometimes also cordate, hastate, auriculate, or peltate at the base).
                                             22 Basal leaves petiolate, the blade with a cordate, hastate, auriculate, or peltate base.
                                               23 Leaf margins entire.
                                                 24 Inflorescence a terminal and/or axillary raceme, panicle, or cyme of many small flowers; fruit an achene; perianth uniseriate, of 0, 4-5, or 6 tepals.
                                                    25 Flowers unisexual; staminate flowers 4-5 tepals, pistillate flowers lacking a perianth
                                                    25 Flowers bisexual; flowers with 6 tepals
                                                 24 Inflorescence either a terminal spike, or a 1-7-flowered terminal cyme, or of a solitary axillary or terminal flower; fruit various; perianth biseriate (of differentiated sepals and petals (except uniseriate, of 3 fused sepals in ARISTOLOCHIACEAE).
                                                      26 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence a terminal spike (with > 20 flowers); petals 4, usually scarious, transparent; sepals 4, green; stamens 4
                                                      26 Flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence either of a solitary flower or of a 1-7-flowered terminal cyme; petals 5, 8-12, or 0; sepals 5 (green), 3 (brown), or 5-9 (yellow); stamens 5, 12, or many.
                                                        27 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate of achenes or follicles; flowers bright yellow, either of 5-9 distinct petaloid sepals, or of 8-12 distinct petals subtended by 3-4 green distinct sepals
                                                        27 Gynoecium either of a single pistil with 6 carpels or of a single pistil with 4 carpels or of 2 nearly separate carpels; fruit a simple capsule (or deeply 2-lobed); flowers white, brown, or greenish, either of 5 fused or distinct white petals and 5 fused or distinct green sepals, or of 3 fused brown or greenish petaloid sepals.
                                                          28 Flowers brown or green, of 3 fused brown or greenish petaloid sepals (and 0 petals); carpels 6; stamens 12; leaves 4-10 cm wide
                                                          28 Flowers white, of 5 white or whitish petals and 5 green sepals; carpels 2; stamens 5; leaves 1-12 (-15) cm wide
                                                            29 Petals separate; sepals separate; plant glabrous
                                                            29 Petals fused (at least basally in Dichondra); sepals fused; carpels 2; plant pubescent.
                                                              30 Fruit a deeply 2-lobed capsule; sepals longer or ca. as long as petals; petals not undulate, fused at their bases or distal ½, the anthers maroon or brown-colored; [common, widespread in our area]
                                                              30 Fruit a fleshy berry; sepals shorter than the petals; petals undulate, fused, the anthers yellow; [rare exotic]
                                               23 Leaf margins crenate, serrate, or incised.
                                                                 31 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate; perianth of 5 green sepals and 5 colored petals (or of 2 or 4 (-5) white-colored tepals in Begonia).
                                                                   32 Flowers typically with 2 or 4 (-5) white-colored tepals; leaf bases conspicuously oblique (sometimes variegated); fruit unequally or subequally 3-winged capsules; [ornamental waifs or uncommon non-natives]
                                                                   32 Flowers with 5 green sepals and 5 colored petals (not merged into tepals); leaf bases oblique or not; fruit various but not 3-winged capsules; [natives and non-natives].
                                                                     33 Carpels 10-20, partly fused, arrayed in a ring; petals white, pink, red, or purplish
                                                                     33 Carpels many, separate, spiral; petals yellow or white.
                                                                       34 Flowers lacking a hypanthium; fruit an aggregate of achenes or aggregate of follicles
                                                                       34 Flowers with a hypanthium; fruit an aggregate of drupelets or aggregate of achenes
                                                                 31 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 1-5 carpels); fruit simple.
                                                                         35 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence of a solitary flower; fruit a 3-locular capsule
                                                                         35 Flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence an umbel (or composite of umbelliform units, or a terminal panicle.
                                                                           36 Ovary superior; inflorescence a terminal panicle or terminal raceme.
                                                                              37 Inflorescence a terminal raceme; perianth of 4 green sepals and 4 white petals; fruit a silique/silicle; fresh foliage in spring and summer with a strong garlic odor; larger leaves < 10 cm in diameter
                                                                              37 Inflorescence a terminal panicle; perianth of 6 cream-colored petaloid sepals; fruit a winged achene; fresh foliage lacking a garlic odor; larger leaves typically > 30 cm in diameter
                                                                           36 Ovary inferior; inflorescence an umbel (or a composite of umbellate units); fruit a schizocarp of mericarps.
                                                                                38 Petiole attachment peltate
                                                                                38 Petiole attachment marginal (the blade cleft to the petiole.
                                                                                  39 Leaf blades longer than wide, sharply V-cleft at the base and otherwise shallowly denticulate
                                                                                  39 Leaf blades as broad or broader than long, cleft at the base and also irregularly serrate or crenate around the margin
                                             22 Basal leaves petiolate or not, with a truncate, rounded, or cuneate leaf base.
                                                                                    40 Leaves tubular, with a sutured ventral flange, erect or reclining, adapted as a pitfall for insects (flat, phyllodial leaves sometimes present as well, common in the winter in some species, such as S. oreophila)
                                                                                    40 Leaves flat, not sutured into a tubular shape.
                                                                                      41 Stem leaves opposite; perianth 5-merous, at least the corolla bilaterally symmetrical (barely so in VALERIANACEAE), or the parts curved so as to be asymmetrical (Pedicularis in OROBANCHACEAE); stamens 2, 3, or 4.
                                                                                        42 Ovary inferior; stamens 3
                                                                                        42 Ovary superior; stamens 2 or 4.
                                                                                           43 Corolla narrowly tubular, the five lobes flaring at nearly 90 degrees and nearly radially symmetrical
                                                                                           43 Corolla distinctly 2-lipped (with prominently large upper and lower corolla lobes) or hooded (the upper lip hood-like), distinctly bilaterally symmetrical, or the lobes twisted so as to make the corolla asymmetrical.
                                                                                             44 Corolla yellow, the upper lip often slightly to strongly maroon, hooded but the corolla lobes twisted so as to make the flower asymmetrical
                                                                                             44 Corolla white, lavender, or blue, 2-lipped and bilaterally symmetrical.
                                                                                               45 Sepals separate to the base or nearly so, not forming a tube
                                                                                               45 Sepals connate for at least 0.3× their length to form a tube
                                                                                      41 Stem leaves alternate; perianth radially symmetrical (less commonly bilaterally symmetrical); stamens 5, 6-8, 9, 10 (rarely 4).
                                                                                                 46 Ovary inferior (or half-inferior in Samolus).
                                                                                                   47 Perianth 4-merous; stamens 8
                                                                                                   47 Perianth 5-merous; stamens 5.
                                                                                                     48 Inflorescence an umbel; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                                                                     48 Inflorescence an axillary or terminal raceme; fruit a capsule
                                                                                                 46 Ovary superior.
                                                                                                        49 Pistils many, each with a single carpel; fruit an aggregate of achenes
                                                                                                        49 Pistil 1, with 1-5 carpels; fruit simple (a legume, silique/silicle, capsule, utricle, or schizocarp of 4 nutlets).
                                                                                                          50 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical (barely so in Limosella in SCROPHULARIACEAE); stamens 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10.
                                                                                                            51 Stamens 6-8 or 10.
                                                                                                              52 Petals separate; stamens 10
                                                                                                              52 Petals fused; stamens 10 or 6-8.
                                                                                                                53 Stamens 6-8, epipetalous
                                                                                                            51 Stamens 2 or 4.
                                                                                                                  54 Stamens 2
                                                                                                                  54 Stamens 4.
                                                                                                                     55 [plants of coastal wetlands]
                                                                                                                     55 [plants of uplands or inland seeps or fens]
                                                                                                                       56 Flowers (and subtending bracts) red or yellow
                                                                                                                       56 Flowers purple, blue, or lavender
                                                                                                          50 Corolla radially symmetrical; stamens 5, 10, 4-6, or 9.
                                                                                                                         57 Perianth of 6 tepals; stamens 4-6 or 9; carpels 3
                                                                                                                         57 Perianth of green sepals and more brightly colored petals; stamens 5 or 10; carpels 2, 3, 4, or 5.
                                                                                                                           58 Leaves covered with sticky, gland-tipped hairs (often red), as flypaper traps for insects
                                                                                                                           58 Leaves lacking sticky gland-tipped hairs.
                                                                                                                             59 Fruit a schizocarp of 4 nutlets (ovary obviously 4-lobed in flower)
                                                                                                                             59 Fruit a capsule or silique/silicle (or utricle in Limonium in PLUMBAGINACEAE).
                                                                                                                               60 Inflorescence of a solitary, terminal flower; carpels 2-3 (-4).
                                                                                                                                  61 Corolla with a long tube and flaring corolla lobes (united > ½ its length)
                                                                                                                                  61 Corolla of separate petals or united only for a short length (< ¼ its length).
                                                                                                                                    62 Leaves serrate
                                                                                                                                    62 Leaves entire
                                                                                                                               60 Inflorescence of several to many flowers; carpels 5 (3 in Galax in DIAPENSIACEAE).
                                                                                                                                      63 Inflorescence an umbel; petals recurved, pink to almost white
                                                                                                                                      63 Inflorescence a raceme or panicle.
                                                                                                                                        64 Fruit a silique/silicle; petals 4; stamens 6
                                                                                                                                        64 Fruit either a capsule or a utricle; petals 5; stamens 5 or 10.
                                                                                                                                          65 Inflorescence a somewhat to very diffuse panicle, with 3 or more orders of branching, not giving at all the impression that the overall inflorescence is made of racemose units.
image of plant
Show caption*© Scott Ward
                                                                                                                                            66 Leaves entire; stamens 5; [plants of tidal marshes]
                                                                                                                                            66 Leaves serrate or crenate; stamens 10; [plants of various habitats, especially rock outcrops and bottomland forests and streambanks, never in tidal marshes]
                                                                                                                                          65 Inflorescence either a single terminal raceme (sometimes spike-like), or of 1 to several terminal and axillary racemes (these sometimes combined into a diffuse panicle, but one whose structure is clearly made up of many racemes).
                                                                                                                                               67 Inflorescence of 1-several terminal and axillary racemes, the plant typically well-branched, especially from the base; stamens 5
                                                                                                                                               67 Inflorescence of a single, terminal raceme, the plant unbranched; stamens 10 (or 5, with 5 staminodes)
                                                                                                                                                 68 Inflorescence spike-like, the flowers many (> 40), barely pedicelled; capsule 3-locular
                                                                                                                                                 68 Inflorescence a raceme, the flowers fewer (< 20) and distinctly pedicelled; capsule 5-locular

Key O: herbaceous dicots with alternate, compound leaves on the stem

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1 Leaves either 3-foliolate or palmately 4-11-foliolate (all the leaflets attached at a common point, or the leaflets slightly pedate in Helleborus foetidus in RANUNCULACEAE).
  2 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
  2 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above. {add under 2b [Cynosciadium] APIACEAE}
    3 Leaflets obviously and sharply serrate; pistils 1 or 5-many; fruit an achene, or an aggregate of achenes, drupelets, or follicles.
      4 Leaflets 7-11, slightly pedate in their arrangement, evergreen
image of plant
Show caption*© Mark Kluge, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mark Kluge
      4 Leaflets 3-9, palmate, deciduous
        5 Pistil 1; fruit an achene
        5 Pistils 5-many; fruit an aggregate of achenes, drupelets, or follicles
    3 Leaflets entire, finely denticulate, or very obscurely toothed (or irregularly serrate or lobed in Cardamine in BRASSICACEAE); pistil 1; fruit simple, a legume, capsule, silique, or berry.
          6 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; petals 5; fruit a legume; carpel 1
          6 Corolla radially symmetrical; petals 4 or 5; fruit either an elongate capsule or a berry; carpels 1, 2, or 5.
             7 Leaflets radially arranged at the summit of the petiole, not differentiated in size or placement into a terminal leaflet and 2 lateral leaflets; leaflets prominently notched at the apex; petals 5, yellow; inflorescence axillary, cymose or umbelliform; carpels 5
             7 Leaflets differentiated in size and placement into a terminal leaflet and 2 or more lateral leaflets; leaflets not regularly notched at the apex (a few may be slightly retuse); petals 4, white, pink, or yellow; inflorescence terminal and racemose; carpels 1 or 2.
               8 Carpels 2; fruit a red berry; petals connate, purplish-blue
               8 Carpel 1; fruit a capsule; petals separate, white, pink, or yellow.
                 9 Stem leaves 1-3, alternate [or whorled or opposite]; leaflets 3, irregularly serrate, lacerate, or additionally divided or lobed; fruit a silique; carpels 2
                 9 Stem leaves >3, alternate; leaflets (1-) 3-7, each entire or obscurely toothed; fruit a capsule; carpel 1
1 Leaves either 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis) or more complexly compound (with several orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                   10 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, heads solitary or many, variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences; fruit a cypsela; ovary inferior
                   10 Inflorescence various, but not as above; fruit various, not as above; ovary superior.
                     11 Leaves 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis).
                       12 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, papilionaceous; fruit a legume; leaves even-pinnately or odd-pinnately compound, the terminal leaflet sometimes replaced by a tendril; leaflets entire or at most minutely denticulate
                       12 Flowers radially symmetrical (or barely bilaterally symmetrical in Erodium in GERANIACEAE); fruit a capsule, capsular but of 5 mericarps, or an aggregate of achenes, nutlets, or follicles (in some cases the # of pistils from many down to 2 or even 1); leaves odd-pinnately compound, never with tendrils; leaflets serrate (or entire to shallowly lobed in Polemonium in POLEMONIACEAE, Cardamine in BRASSICACEAE, and Floerkea in LIMNANTHACEAE).
                          13 Pistils many (only 1-2 in Agrimonia, Poteridium, Poterium, and Sanguisorba); fruit an aggregate of achenes, nutlets, or follicles; hypanthium present; stamens 5-many (only 4 in Poteridium and Sanguisorba)
                          13 Pistil 1 (or deeply 2-3-lobed in Floerkea in LIMNANTHACEAE); fruit a silique, capsule, schizocarp of 2-3 mericarps, or a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps (Erodium in GERANIACEAE); hypanthium absent; stamens 3-6.
                            14 Petals 3
                            14 Petals 4-5.
                              15 Petals 4, distinct; stamens 6; inflorescence a terminal raceme; fruit a silique/silicle
                              15 Petals 5, fused (distinct in Erodium in GERANIACEAE); stamens 5; inflorescence axillary or terminal, cymose, consisting of subcapitate, umbel-like, or helicoid cymes; fruit either a capsule, or a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps (Erodium in GERANIACEAE).
                                16 Flowers slightly bilaterally symmetrical (2 of the petals of different size than the other 3); fruit a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps; carpels 5
                                16 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit either a loculicidal capsule or a berry; carpels 2 or 3.
                                  17 Fruit a berry; fresh plant rankly fragrant
                                  17 Fruit a capsule; fresh plant not aromatic.
                                    18 Capsule 2-valvate; carpels 2; leaflets prominently serrate or with some tooth-like sublobes
                                    18 Capsule 3-valvate; carpels 3; leaflets with entire margins
                     11 Leaves more complexly compound (with 2 or more orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                                       19 Leaves 2× even-pinnate; flowers in spikes or spherical heads; fruit a legume or loment.
                                       19 Leaves either 2× odd-pinnate or more complexly 2-4× ternately or ternately-pinnately compound; flowers in various inflorescences; fruits various (not legumes or loments).
                                         20 Leaf segments linear, less than 2 mm wide.
                                           21 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                           21 Inflorescence either a terminal solitary flower or terminal raceme or panicle; ovary superior, either of 2 fused carpels or of 1-5or many distinct 1-carpellate pistils; fruit either a capsule or an aggregate of follicles or achenes.
                                             22 Ovary of 2 fused carpels; fruit a capsule (1-seeded and indehiscent in Fumaria)
                                             22 Ovary of 1-5or many distinct 1-carpellate pistils; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes
                                         20 Leaf segments broader, lanceolate, ovate, or elliptic, > 5 mm wide.
                                               23 Herbaceous vine climbing by axillary tendrils; stamens 8
                                               23 Erect or sprawling herb; stamens 5-6 or >15.
                                                 24 Leaflets sharply serrate, with usually many teeth on each leaflet side, the total number of “points” per leaflet > 10.
                                                    25 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps; inflorescence an umbel
                                                    25 Inflorescence a panicle or raceme; ovary superior, of 1-8 carpels; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a single follicle, or an indehiscent berry-like fruit.
                                                      26 Flowers bisexual; carpels 1-8; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a single follicle, or an indehiscent berry-like fruit
                                                      26 Flowers unisexual; carpels (in pistillate flowers) of 3 (-5) carpels; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                                                 24 Leaflets entire, or with 1-several, broad, obtuse, rounded, or broadly acute “sublobes”, especially towards the tip of the leaflet, the total number of “points” per leaflet < 10.
                                                        27 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                        27 Inflorescence a raceme, panicle, or cyme; ovary superior, of either 1-2 fused carpels or of many separate 1-carpellate pistils.
                                                          28 Perianth bilaterally symmetrical, the corolla of 4 fused petals; plant a scandent vine or erect or sprawling herb
                                                          28 Perianth radially symmetrical, of 1-5 whorls of separate perianth parts; plant an erect herb.
                                                            29 Perianth of 4-5 whorls of 3 parts each (some of the whorls modified into nectaries); pistil 1, 1-carpellate; fruit a drupelike, blue, naked seed; largest leaflets > 6 cm long, obviously longer than wide
                                                            29 Perianth of 1 whorl; of 4-5 parts; pistils many, each 1-carpellate; fruit an aggregate of achenes or an aggregate of follicles; largest leaflets either < 6 cm long, or if longer than 6 cm, also about as wide as long

Key P1: herbaceous dicots with alternate, simple, and unlobed leaves on the stem

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1 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
1 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above (sometimes the flowers in a head, e.g. Eryngium in APIACEAE, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
  2 Perianth uniseriate (represented only by undifferentiated tepals or sepals; look at the front and back of the flowers for two layers) or completely absent; flowers usually unisexual, less commonly bisexual).
    3 Inflorescence a cyathium, consisting of a single pistillate flower (reduced to a single 3-carpellate pistil) and 2 or more staminate flowers (each reduced to 1 stamen), borne in a cup-like involucre, the involucre bearing pointed or rounded glands, these sometimes brightly colored and petaloid, mimicking an individual flower (the cyathia then secondarily arranged in terminal cymes, or solitary and axillary, etc.); fresh plants with milky juice; fruit a 3-lobed, 3-locular capsule
    3 Inflorescence not a cyathium (and staminate or bisexual flowers with > 1 stamen; fresh plants lacking milky juice (except Stillingia in EUPHORBIACEAE); fruit various, not as above.
      4 Leaf margins toothed in some manner (serrate, dentate, crenate, etc.)
        5 Leaf teeth rounded to subacute, resembling shallow lobes, irregular, few (mostly < 6 per leaf side).
          6 Fruit a single-seeded achene or utricle; [plants of various disturbed or saline, usually sunny habitats]
          6 Fruit a 3-lobed, circumscissilely dehiscent capsule; [plants native of rich moist shaded forests or exotics in suburban woodlands]
        5 Leaf teeth sharp to crenate, not lobe-like, regular, many (mostly > 10 per leaf side).
             7 Leaf bases cuneate (or strongly oblique in Begonia, with one leaf base usually being cuneate, the other variously rounded or cordate).
               8 Flowers typically with 2 or 4 (-5) showy, white-colored tepals; leaves sometimes variegated; fruit unequally or subequally 3-winged capsules; [ornamental waifs or uncommon non-natives]
               8 Flowers cyathia, not merely bearing showy tepals; leaf not variegated but sometimes bearing darkened red or black splotches; fruit capsules, but these not conspicuously winged; [natives and non-natives, usually not ornamental]
             7 Leaf bases cordate to rounded.
                 9 Styles 3; fruit a 3-lobed, 3-carpellate capsule (1 carpel sometimes aborting); inflorescence either a terminal or leaf opposed raceme, or a dense axillary condensed cyme with conspicuous toothed bracts subtending the flowers
                 9 Styles 1 or 2; fruit either an achene or a multiple of achenes; inflorescence either an axillary dense cyme (almost a head), or an axillary spike with glomerules, or a terminal or axillary panicle.
                   10 Styles 2; inflorescence a dense axillary cyme (almost a head); fruit a multiple of achenes; plant lacking stinging hairs; [exotic plant of weedy situations]
                   10 Style 1; inflorescence an axillary spikes with glomerules, or a terminal or axillary panicle; plant either with stinging hairs or not; [plant a rare exotic (Boehmeria nivea) or a native of moist forests (Boehmeria cylindrica, Laportea)]
      4 Leaf margins entire.
                     11 Ovary inferior (flowers epigynous, the ovary sitting below the perianth and androecium) or half-inferior (perigynous, the ovary sitting level with the remaining floral parts).
                       12 Leaf base cordate; calyx 3-lobed, fused into a bilaterally symmetrical, curved brown or yellowish tube; fruit a capsule
                       12 Leaf base cuneate, rounded, or truncate; calyx of 3-4-5 distinct sepals, radially symmetrical, white or yellow; fruit a dry, nutlike drupe or an achene.
                          13 Leaves subsessile or very short petiolate, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, broadest near the middle; [native]
                          13 Leaves distinctly petiolate, rhombic, widest near the base; [rarely naturalized exotics].
                            14 Inflorescence of a single axillary flower
                            14 Inflorescence terminal, spikelike
                     11 Ovary superior (flowers hypogynous, the ovary sitting above the perianth and androecium).
                              15 Inflorescence a leaf-opposed spike or raceme, the inflorescence arising opposite of stem leaves (except Saururus, whose spikelike racemes are leaf-opposed and/or terminal); flowers visually white from white petaloid sepals, white bracts, or white stamens.
                                16 Sepals present, 4 or 5; petaloid, white; carpels 1 to many (-12); stamens 4 to many (-25); fruit a berry or an apically 2-lobed achene (as in Petiveria); leaf bases cuneate or rounded (but not cordate); [Eudicots].
                                  17 Sepals 4; carpels 1; fruit subglobose berries or apically lobed achenes
                                  17 Sepals 5; carpels 5-12, distinct; fruit an oblate berry
                                16 Sepals absent; carpels 3-4; stamens 2-6 (-8); fruit a capsule, a 1-seeded drupe, or a schizocarp of 3-4 mericarps; leaf bases cordate or subcordate; [Basal Angiosperms].
                                    18 Fruit a 1-seeded drupe; stamens 2; plants terrestrial or epiphytic
                                    18 Fruit a capsule or schizocarp with 3-4 mericarps; stamens 3 or 6-8; plants terrestrial
                              15 Inflorescence not leaf opposed, instead arising with stem leaves (axillary) or terminal, the inflorescence not spikes nor racemes, instead either simpler (single axillary or glomerules of flowers) or more complexly branched (terminal or axilary panicles or terminal complex cymes); flowers white, reddish, scarious, or greenish.
                                       19 Stipules tubular, sheathing (= ocreae); flowers subtended by tubular, sheathing bracteoles (= ocreolae); nodes usually prominently swollen; perianth usually of 5-6 white to pink tepals
                                       19 Stipules not tubular or sheathing; flowers not subtended by ocreolae; nodes not swollen; perianth absent or of 3-5 sepals.
                                         20 Inflorescence a terminal involucrate cluster; flowers bisexual; stamens 9
                                         20 Inflorescence axillary, or a terminal panicle or raceme that is not involucrate; stamens 3-6.
                                           21 Ovary 3-locular; styles 3, each bifid; fruit a capsule, with 6 seeds
                                           21 Ovary 1-locular; styles 1-3, not bifid; fruit a utricle or achene (1-seeded).
                                             22 Sepals petaloid, pink and relatively conspicuous (although the sepals ca. 1-3 mm in length); plants prostrate to somewhat ascending annuals; leaves opposite or nearly whorled; achenes muricate
                                             22 Sepals not petaloid, inconspicuous, green or greyish in color; plants prostrate or erect, annual or perennial; leaves alternate OR either alternate or opposite (Amaranthaceae); achenes variously textured (smooth or textured, sometimes reticulate or verrucose, but rarely muricate).
                                               23 Styles 1, stigma 1; flowers unisexual
                                               23 Styles 1-3, if style 1, then stigmas 3; flowers bisexual or unisexual.
                                                 24 Tepals acute, scarious
                                                 24 Tepals usually blunt, herbaceous
  2 Perianth biseriate (represented by differentiated whorls of sepals and petals, the sepals usually green or drab in color, the petals often brightly colored); flowers nearly always bisexual (there are exceptions).
                                                    25 Ovary inferior (epigynous) or half-inferior (perigynous).
                                                      26 Petals connate (at least basally, often the lower half of corolla).
                                                        27 Inflorescence a leaf-opposed, dense, cylindrical spike
                                                        27 Inflorescence not a dense, leaf-opposed spike, instead a terminal head or variously axillary or terminal (the flowers solitary or not, but not in a dense spike).
                                                          28 Flowers yellow; stamens numerous (15+), monomorphic or heteromorphic (inner and outer of differing length), conspicuously exerted from the flowers, often surpassing the ovary; leaves basally lobed or unlobed (often a mix in M. floridana and M. oligosperma)
                                                          28 Flowers blue or white; stamens fewer (usually < 10), monomorphic, if exerted, the ovary usually still apparent; leaves unlobed.
                                                            29 Leaves toothed; flowers blue to white
                                                            29 Leaves entire; flowers white
                                                      26 Petals distinct.
                                                              30 Petals 5; stamens 5; inflorescence a head; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                              30 Petals 4 7; stamens 6 or more; inflorescence various, not a head; fruit a capsule.
                                                                 31 Petals 4-7; stamens 1× or 2× as many as the petals, 4-7, 8, 10, 12, or14; leaves herbaceous in texture
                                                                 31 Petals 5 (or sometimes doubled in horticultural forms); stamens 6-40 (or more); leaves fleshy in texture
                                                    25 Ovary superior (hypogynous).
                                                                   32 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical (zygomorphic), petals connate, at least basally (except distinct in VIOLACEAE); fruit a capsule or legume (the capsule conspicuously spiny in Krameria).
                                                                     33 Petals distinct, 5; carpels 3; fruit a 3-loculed capsule
                                                                     33 Petals connate (at least basally), 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8; carpels 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6 (rarely 3 in Reseda in RESEDACEAE); fruit a legume or 1-, 2-, or 5-loculed capsule (except a 1-seeded indehiscent pod in Krameria in KRAMERIACEAE).
                                                                       34 Stamens 6-10 (-25), more than the number (4 or 5) of petals and the number (4 or 5) of the sepals; fruit a legume or a 1-6-carpellate capsule.
                                                                         35 Stamens fused, monadelphous or diadelphous.
                                                                           36 Stamens 6-8, monadelphous; fruit a capsule
                                                                         35 Stamens distinct.
                                                                              37 Carpel 1; fruit a legume
                                                                              37 Carpels 3-6; fruit a capsule
                                                                       34 Stamens 4-5, less than or the same as the number (5) of the petals; fruit a 2-5-carpellate capsule.
                                                                                38 Pistil 5-carpellate; capsule 5-locular, explosively dehiscent; inflorescence of axillary, small clusters of flowers
                                                                                38 Pistil 2-carpellate; capsule 2 locular, opening gradually or not at all; inflorescence a terminal spike, raceme or panicle (or solitary, axillary flowers in Chaenorrhinum in PLANTAGINACEAE and Krameria in KRAMERIACEAE).
                                                                                  39 Fruit 1-seeded, indehiscent; sepals petaloid, red-purple; petals dimorphic, the upper 3 long-clawed, the lower 2 small, thickened, and glandlike; fruit a spiny pod
                                                                                  39 Fruit > 2-seeded, dehiscent; sepals sepaloid, green; petals not dimorphic.
                                                                                    40 Stamens 5; corolla not spurred; capsule septicidal; pubescence of the stem and leaves either gland-tipped or dendritically branched
                                                                                    40 Stamens 4; corolla with a distinct spur or sac at the base between the the 2 lower calyx lobes (except not spurred in Digitalis and Schwalbea); capsule loculicidal (only at the summit in Antirrhinum and Chaenorrhinum, and septicidal in Schwalbea); pubescence of the stem and leaves neither gland-tipped (except in Antirrhinum and Chaenorrhinum) nor dendritically branched.
                                                                                      41 Capsule septicidal; corolla not spurred
                                                                                      41 Capsule loculicidal; corolla spurred (except Digitalis)
                                                                   32 Corolla radially symmetrical (actinomorphic), petals connate or distinct; fruit various (including capsules).
                                                                                        42 Plants herbaceous vines, fleshy and mucilaginous, the leaves variously orbicular, ovate, cordate or sometimes elliptic; fruit utricles (small sacs surrounding an achene), partly to completely enclosed in the persistent, dry to somewhat fleshy perianth; sepals 2
                                                                                        42 Plants not herbaceous vines, the leaves variously shaped; fruit various, but never utricles; sepals 4 or more.
                                                                                           43 Petals distinct (flowers apopetalous); stamens 5-many (4 or 5 in Capraria).
                                                                                             44 Pistils 4-10 (each 1-carpellate) in a ring, these sometimes fused basally, each with its own style/stigma; fruit either an aggregate of achenes or follicles or a 5 (-7) locular capsule.
                                                                                               45 Pistils 5 (-7); inflorescence a compound terminal cyme.
                                                                                                 46 Fruit an aggregate of follicles; leaves fleshy in texture; inflorescence; leaves entire of sparsely and coarsely serrate, with < 12 points per leaf; [plants primarily of dry habitats]
                                                                                                 46 Fruit a 5 (-7) locular capsule; leaves membranaceous in texture; leaves serrate, with > 20 points per leaf; [plants of wet habitats]
                                                                                               45 Pistils many; inflorescence of solitary flowers, or diffuse.
                                                                                                   47 Leaves cuneate at the base; flowers in a diffuse inflorescence
                                                                                                   47 Leaves cordate at the base; flowers solitary, on long pedicels
                                                                                             44 Pistil 1, with 1-to many carpels (in many MALVACEAE, the carpels loosely united in a ring [of more than 5] around the single style/stigma); fruit either a 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, 6-, or 10-locular capsule, or a silique/silicle, or a ring of mericarps.
                                                                                                     48 Petals 4; sepals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique/silicle
                                                                                                     48 Petals 5 (rarely 4 or 6); sepals 5 (rarely 4 or 6); stamens 4, 5 (or multiples of 5), 6, or 12; fruit a capsule or a ring of mericarps.
                                                                                                        49 Stamens many, connate into a staminal tube; carpels 5-many; fruit a capsule or ring of mericarps; leaves usually serrate or crenate
                                                                                                        49 Stamens (4-) 5-many, distinct (not forming a staminal tube); carpels 2-5; fruit a capsule; leaves entire (serrate in Croton in EUPHORBIACEAE, distally serrate in Capraria in SCROPHULARIACEAE).
                                                                                                          50 Flowers unisexual; leaf vestiture of peltate scales and/or stellate hairs
                                                                                                          50 Flowers bisexual; leaf vestiture (if present) simple or stellate.
                                                                                                            51 Flowers 6-merous (the petals and sepals 6, the stamens 6 or 12); corolla pink or purplish (rarely white); fruit a septicidal capsule
                                                                                                            51 Flowers 5-merous (the petals and sepals 5, stamens 5 or various multiples of 5); corolla white, yellow, reddish (including pinkish), or blue; fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule.
                                                                                                              52 Stamens 5 ; corolla yellow or blue; capsule either 10-locular and septicidal (Linum) or 1-locular (with 3 carpels) and loculicidal.
                                                                                                                53 Capsule 10-locular (with 5 carpels) and septicidal (splitting at the septa, opening at the top)
                                                                                                                53 Capsule 1-locular (with 3 carpels) and loculicidal (splitting along outer edges, not only at the top)
                                                                                                              52 Stamens (4-) 10, 15, 20, 30 (-many); corolla white, pink, yellow, or reddish; capsule 2-, 3-, 5- (-10)-locular, loculicidal.
                                                                                                                  54 Leaf margins distally serrate, the surfaces punctate-glandular and also with internal oil-secreting cavities; corolla white (the inside sometimes with scattered purple spots); [s. FL and s. TX only in our flora area]
                                                                                                                  54 Leaf margins entire, serrate, or crenate, lacking punctate-glands and internal oil-secreting cavities; corolla white, pink, yellow, or reddish; [collectively widespread, including s. FL and s. TX].
                                                                                                                     55 Stamens (5-) 10, 15, 20, 30 (-many); corolla yellow or reddish; filaments not densely villous basally, the anthers the anthers not conspicuously tubular and lacking apical pores; capsule 3 (-10)-locular, loculicidal
                                                                                                                     55 Stamens 10; corolla white or pink; filament bases dilated basally and densely villous, the anthers tubular with conspicuous apical pore dehiscence; capsule 5-locular
                                                                                           43 Petals fused (flowers sympetalous, this includes salverform and tubular flowers); stamens (4-) 5 (-7).
                                                                                                                       56 Plants herbaceous vines, fleshy and mucilaginous, the leaves variously orbicular, ovate, cordate or sometimes elliptic; fruit utricles (small sacs surrounding an achene), partly to completely enclosed in the persistent, dry to somewhat fleshy perianth; sepals 2
                                                                                                                       56 Plants not with the above combination of characters, if herbaceous vines then fruit not utricles and sepals 4 or more.
                                                                                                                         57 Pistils 2, united only by the style and stigma; fruit a schizocarp of 2 follicles (often single by abortion); plant with milky juice when fresh; leaves entire; inflorescence an umbel
                                                                                                                         57 Pistil 1 (of 2 or 3 fused carpels); fruit a capsule, drupe, or a schizocarp splitting into 4 nutlets; plant lacking milky juice; leaves entire or serrate; inflorescence various (but not an umbel).
                                                                                                                           58 Ovary slightly to deeply 2-4-lobed (entire or shallowly lobed in Tiquilia and HELIOTROPIACEAE); fruit a schizocarp of 4 mericarps or a drupe; [BORAGINALES].
                                                                                                                             59 Ovary deeply 4-parted; style gynobasic or terminal.
                                                                                                                               60 Style gynobasic (originating from the base of the ovary's lobes); ovary slightly to deeply lobed; fruit a schizocarp of 4 mericarps
                                                                                                                               60 Style terminal (originating from the apex of the ovary), twice-cleft into 4 branches, each of which then terminates in a stigma; ovary slightly lobed; fruit a drupe with a glutinous mesocarp (or if lacking, a nut)
                                                                                                                             59 Ovary slightly 2-4-lobed, or not at all lobed; style terminal or reduced to a sessile terminal stigma.
                                                                                                                                  61 Plants usually strongly gray or white-colored and villous, growing in short, suffrutescent mounds or mats; leaves densely pubescent (hairs densely appressed adaxially, tomentose abaxially); inflorescence of solitary flowers or extra-axillary, never scirpioid; corolla lavender or whitish-lavender, the lobes 1.8-3.0 (-4.5) mm long, broadly rounded; [s. TX, westward; primarily of the Trans-Pecos region]
                                                                                                                                  61 Plants variously glabrous or pubescent (sometimes villous), usually herbaceous, occasionally suffrutescent and mound or mat-forming; inflorescence variously elongate or racemose, often scirpioid (curved or coiled on one side of the inflorescence axis; e.g., Heliotropium), occasionally solitary (e.g., Euploca, in part; although in this case the leaves of the shrubby Euploca are significantly narrower); corolla variously colored (including lavender); [plants collectively widespread, including TX]
                                                                                                                           58 Ovary not lobed; fruit a capsule or berry.
                                                                                                                                    62 Leaves scale-like, 1-4.5 mm long, appressed to the stem; petals 4; stamens 4
                                                                                                                                    62 Leaves larger (or only 2-8 mm long in Pyxidanthera in DIAPENSIACEAE, but then spreading); petals 5-7; stamens 5-7.
                                                                                                                                      63 Plant a creeping subshrub (keyed here as a failsafe); leaves either 0.2-0.8 cm long and acicular, or 2-10 cm long and broadly ovate or elliptic.
                                                                                                                                        64 Leaves 0.2-0.8 cm long and acicular
                                                                                                                                        64 Leaves 2-10 cm long and broadly ovate or elliptic
                                                                                                                                      63 Plant an herb, erect or sprawling; leaves > 1.5 cm long.
                                                                                                                                          65 Leaves cordate at the base; plant a twining vine
                                                                                                                                          65 Leaves cuneate to rounded at the base; plant an erect, sprawling, or reclining herb (twining in Solanum dulcamara in SOLANACEAE).
                                                                                                                                            66 Inflorescences (solitary or of several flowers) terminal on the stem.
                                                                                                                                               67 Calyces tubular, conspicuously 5-ribbed and bearing numerous stalked, capitate-glands
                                                                                                                                               67 Calyces not as above, flowers typically campanulate (not salverform), if tubular then not also 5-ribbed and capitate-glandular.
                                                                                                                                                 68 Corolla lobes longer than the fused corolla cup, blue, pink, or white; styles 2; herbage lacking stipitate glands; fresh plants not aromatic.
                                                                                                                                                   69 Flowers in axillary cymes; capsule subglobose; leaves 2-12 cm long
                                                                                                                                                   69 Flowers solitary or paired in the leaf axils; capsule cylindrical; leaves 0.5-8 cm long
                                                                                                                                                 68 Corolla lobes very short, much shorter than the corolla cup or tube, sometimes barely perceptible and represented only by teeth on the edge of the corolla limb, white or pink; style 1; herbage often with stipitate glands; fresh plants often rankly aromatic
                                                                                                                                            66 Inflorescences (of solitary or several flowers) axillary or lateral on the stem.
                                                                                                                                                     70 Flowers sessile or very-short pedicelled, solitary in the leaf axils.
                                                                                                                                                       71 Stamens alternate with the corolla lobes; flower ca. 10 mm in diameter
                                                                                                                                                       71 Stamens opposite the corolla lobes; flower ca. 1 mm in diameter
                                                                                                                                                     70 Flowers either solitary and obviously pedicelled, or several in an axillary or lateral inflorescence.
                                                                                                                                                         72 Calyces tubular, conspicuously 5-ribbed and bearing numerous stalked, capitate-glands
                                                                                                                                                         72 Calyces not as above, flowers typically campanulate (not salverform), if tubular then not also 5-ribbed and capitate-glandular.
                                                                                                                                                            73 Corolla lobes longer than the fused corolla cup, blue
                                                                                                                                                            73 Corolla lobes very short, much shorter than the corolla cup or tube, sometimes barely perceptible and represented only by teeth on the edge of the corolla limb, white, yellow, pink, various other colors (rarely including blue).
                                                                                                                                                              74 Fruit a capsule, 4-seeded
                                                                                                                                                              74 Fruit a berry or capsule, many-seeded

Key F1: Key to Plantae

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1 Leaves 1- or 2-foliolate, if 1-foliolate then deeply notched and appearing bilobed (Bauhinia, which is also keyed in Key G).
  2 Leaves 1-foliolate (bilobed)
  2 Leaves 2-foliolate
    3 Leaflets elliptic to lanceolate, acute at the apex; petals white, not clawed; fruit a pinkish-red berry, mucilagenous or dry at maturity; plants shrubs
    3 Leaves cordate and deeply cleft (appearing 2-foliolate) or if subtly 2-foliolate, the lobes rounded at the ends; petals pink, clawed; fruit an elongated legume; plants shrubs or sometimes vines
1 Leaves 3-, 5-, to many-foliolate.
      4 Plant a liana, climbing by twining, by tendrils, or by adventitious roots.
        5 Leaves untoothed and unlobed; fruit a legume
        5 Leaves coarsely toothed or lobed; fruit a berry (except legume in Pueraria)
          6 Leaflets obovate or broadly elliptic (broadest at or above the middle), the teeth or lobes soley or primarily in the apical half of the leaf; plant climbing by tendrils; fruit a blue to black berry.
             7 Plants with leaves trifoliolate only, the blades fleshy, > 1 mm thick when fresh, the leaftlets ovate to oblong; inflorescence axillary (accompanying leaves, not opposing them); [tribe Cayratieae]
             7 Plants often with a mix of well-developed trifoliate leaves and (less-developed) tri-lobed, simple leaves (the lobes or leaflets broadly ovate to ovate-reniform), these herbaceous, the blades thin; inflorescence leaf-opposed; [tribe Cisseae]
          6 Leaflets orbicular or ovate (broadest at the middle or below the middle), the teeth or lobes primarily or solely in the basal half of the leaf; plant climbing by stem twining or by dense, reddish adventitious roots; fruit a legume (Pueraria) or whitish berry (Toxicodendron).
               8 Plant climbing by the stem twining; [plant not actually woody, but so robust as to often be assumed to be so]
               8 Plant climbing by dense, reddish adventitious roots attaching the stem to tree trunks or rock outcrops
      4 Plant a shrub or small tree (sometimes scrambling or occasionally high-climbing with the support of other vegetation, but lacking the specialized climbing structures listed above, e.g., Akebia).
                 9 Stems armed with small prickles or stout thorns.
                   10 Stems with stout thorns at the nodes; fruit a hesperidium (orange-like, but densely hairy)
                   10 Stems with many small prickles along the internodes (directly below the nodes; sometimes inconspicuous on the vegetative stems of Erythrina); fruit various: either a legume, berry, an aggregate of drupelets, or a hip.
                     11 Leaflets with 2 rounded lateral lobes near the base, otherwise entire; fruit a legume; corolla red
                     11 Leaflet bases cuneate to rounded, unlobed (sometimes cleft), but lacking 2 rounded, lateral lobes at their bases; fruit either a drupe (Eleutherococcus), berry (Triphasia), OR a hip or aggregate of drupelets (ROSACEAE); corolla variously colored.
                       12 Flowers 3-merous (sometimes with 4 or rarely with 5 petals); fruit a glabrous berry, reddish when ripened; [uncommon non-native, s. FL]
                       12 Flowers 4- or 5-merous (with 4 or 5 petals); fruit a drupe, an aggregate of drupes, or a hip; [collectively widespread natives and non-natives, including s. FL].
                          13 Inflorescence a compound umbel, notably rounded in shape; leaves 3-5-foliolate (often trifoliolate, sometimes palmately compound); fruit a drupe; [uncommon non-native, n. FL]
                          13 Inflorescence a panicle, not notably rounded in shape; leaves 3 or more foliolate; fruit an aggregate of drupelets or a hip; [natives and non-natives; widespread]
                 9 Stems unarmed.
                            14 Leaflets serrulate, crenulate, serrate, with a few coarse and jagged teeth (spine-tipped or not), or shallowly lobed (Erythrina).
                              15 Leaflets serrulate or crenulate (crenulate teeth minute in Murraya, look closely).
                                16 Leaflets 3-11 (usually 5+ per leaf, also keyed in F5); fruit a fleshy berry, red to dark orange at maturity; [uncommon non-native, s. FL]
                                16 Leaflets usually 3 (leaves typically trifoliolate); fruit a conspicuously winged samara (dry at maturity), greenish-brown at maturity; [natives, c. FL northward and westward]
                              15 Leaflets serrate, with a few coarse and jagged teeth (spine-tipped or not), or shallowly lobed (Erythrina).
                                  17 Leaflets with 2 prominent, rounded lobes near the base; fruit a legume; flowers > 3 cm long, corollas bilaterally symmetrical, red, in a terminal raceme
                                  17 Leaflets serrate and sometimes also cleft, or with a few coarse and jagged teeth (spine-tipped or not); fruit either a tan or red drupe or a red berry; flowers < 1 cm across, corollas radially symmetrical, green, yellow, or white, in axillary or terminal panicles or racemes
                                    18 Leaflets with a few spine-tipped teeth; fruit a red berry; [TX westwards]
                                    18 Leaflets not spine-tipped; fruit a red or tan drupe; [collectively widespread]
                            14 Leaflets entire and unlobed.
                                       19 Terminal leaflet sessile.
                                         20 Leaflets < 2 cm long; stems and branches dark green
                                         20 Leaflets 2-5 cm long (Hypelate) or 5-15 cm long (Ptelea); stems and branches tan to brown
                                           21 Leaflets obovate to oblanceolate, the apices usually rounded; leaves 2-5 cm long, often congested at branch tips; fruit a fleshy drupe, maroon or black-colored when ripened; flowers arranged in panicles; [s. FL only in our area]
                                           21 Leaflets usually ovate, the apices acute or acuminate; leaves 5-15 cm long, usually spaced throughout the stems, rarely congested at leaf tips; fruit a samara, brown when ripened; flowers arranged in cymes; [c. FL northward, widespread]
                                       19 Terminal leaflet with a petiolule.
                                             22 Fruit a 3-angled capsule, valvate; leaves with a strong scent of horseradish
                                             22 Fruit a berry, a berry-like drupe, or a legume (not valvate but often dehiscent); leaves lacking a strong scent of horseradish.
                                               23 Petals white, small (ca. 4 mm long); fruit a pinkish-red berry, mucilagenous or dry at maturity
                                               23 Petals small to large, variously colored (including white); fruit a legume or if berry like, then white at maturity, often somewhat laterally flattened, and plants vining, rhizomatous shrubs (Toxicodendron).
                                                 24 Leaves pinnately trifoliolate, a rachis present as an extension of the petiole past the point of attachment of the 2 lateral leaflets, the terminal leaflet borne on a petiolule at the terminus of the rachis, with an obvious joint present between the rachis and petiolule; fruit a legume
                                                 24 Leaves palmately trifoliolate, the terminal leaflet typically with a longer petiolule than the lateral leaflets, but lacking a rachis (the petiolule of the terminal leaflet attached at the same point as the 2 lateral leaflets and unjointed); fruit a white, berry-like drupe (globose or often laterally somewhat flattened).

Key F3: Key to Plantae

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1 Leaves evenly 2-pinnately compound
1 Leaves oddly pinnate-pinnatifid, 2-pinnately compound, or more complexly compound than 2-pinnate.
  2 Leaves pinnate-pinnatifid, with 7-19 leaflets, each leaflet pinnatifid into narrowly lanceolate lobes; {upper leaflet surface dark green, lower surface silvery with gray sericeous pubescence}
  2 Leaves 2-pinnately compound, or even more complexly compound.
    3 Plant a liana, climbing by tendrils
    3 Plant a shrub or tree, not climbing.
      4 Plant armed with prickles on the stem, and sometimes also on the axes and main veins of the leaves
      4 Plant unarmed.
        5 Plant a shrub, < 2.5 m tall.
          6 Foliage green; leaflets ovate, acute at the tip; flowers 3-merous, the tepals white or cream; fruit a red berry
          6 Foliage blue-green; leaflets obovate, rounded or notched at the tip; flowers 4-5-merous, the sepals green, the petals yellow; fruit a capsule
        5 Plant a tree, > 3 m tall when flowering and fruiting.
             7 Leaflets entire
             7 Leaflets serrate.
               8 Fruit a globose drupe, tan at maturity, 10-15 mm in diameter; inflorescence an axillary panicle; corolla lavender
               8 Fruit an inflated capsule, 30-50 mm long; inflorescence a terminal thyrse; corolla yellow

Key F4: Key to Plantae

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1 Leaflets rounded to obtuse at the apex (or acute to acuminate in Gymnocladus); fruit a legume; inflorescence various, but not as below
1 Leaflets acuminate at the apex (except Cupaniopsis with leaflet apices rounded or retuse; fruit a drupe or capsule; inflorescence a panicle with many, small, radially symmetrical flowers.
  2 Fruit a dehiscent capsule.
    3 Leaflet apices rounded, retuse, or occasionally acute; fruit a yellow-orange, 3-valved capsule (green when maturing, sometimes browned after maturation), each of the 3 valves housing a black seed enclosed in an orange aril
    3 Leaflet apices acuminate or acute; fruit a hard brown capsule (Swietenia) or a 5-valved capsule (Toona); the seeds not accompanied by an orange aril.
      4 Leaflets strongly oblique at the base; leaflets fewer (4-10) per leaf; capsules 6-10 cm long; with 5 valves separating at the base of the capsule (but remaining fused at the apex of the persistent column); [s. FL only in our area]
      4 Leaflets weakley oblique at the base (if at all); leaflets numerous (16-40) per leaf; capsules 1.5-2 cm long, with 5 valves separating at the capsule apex (but remaining fused to the receptacle); [c. TN northeastward in our area, uncommon non-native]
  2 Fruit a drupe or berry-like.
        5 Leaflets 4 (sometimes 6 in Exothea) per leaf.
          6 Leaflets often 4 (sometimes 6) per leaf; the rachis never winged; petals lacking cilia; fruit ripening dark purple or black
          6 Leaflets 4, in two opposite and sessile pairs; the rachis sometimes winged; petals ciliate; fruit ripening yellowish-green
        5 Leaflets many (> 4 leaflets), usually 7-many.
             7 Tree dioecious; drupe ca. 5 mm long; stamens (of male flowers) 3-5 (-7)
             7 Tree bisexual, monoecious; drupe ca. 13 mm long; stamens 8-10

Key F5: Key to Plantae

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1 Leaves very large, > 10 dm long
1 Leaves small to large, < 10 dm long.
  2 Stems armed with prickles or stipular or nodal spines; leaves often also with prickles.
    3 Leaves with conspicuous leafy stipules, often adnate to the petiole; plant a liana or small to medium shrub; leaves serrate, often sharply and prominently so; leaves not strongly aromatic when fresh, lacking pellucid punctate glands on the surface
    3 Leaves lacking leafy stipules; plant a tree or tall shrub; leaves entire or obscurely crenate or serrate; plant a tree or tall shrub; leaves either strongly aromatic when fresh, with conspicuous pellucid punctate glands or not aromatic and not pellucid-punctate.
      4 Leaves not aromatic when fresh, lacking pellucid punctate glands; leaves never with prickles on the rachis; leaflet apices rounded
image of plant
Show caption*© Mary Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)
image of plant
Show caption*© Gary P. Fleming
      4 Leaves strongly aromatic when fresh, with conspicuous pellucid punctate glands; leaves often with prickles on the rachis; leaflet apices usually acuminate
  2 Stems unarmed (leaflets with spinose margins in some species, or the stem with dense hispid hairs, but these not particularly sharp to the touch).
        5 Leaflets entire.
          6 Plant a liana, climbing by twining
          6 Plant an upright shrub or tree, not climbing.
             7 Plant a medium or tall tree.
               8 Leaves with stipules; flowers bilaterally symmetrical, papilionaceous, white, cream, or pink; stamens 10; fruit a legume; [collectively widespread in our area]
               8 Leaves without stipules; flowers radially symmetrical, whitish; stamens 5 or 10; fruit a single-seeded drupe; [FL peninsula]
             7 Plant a shrub or small tree to 7 (-10) m tall.
                 9 Leaf 2-5 cm long, with 5-7 leaflets
                 9 Leaf > 8 cm long, with 5-many leaflets.
                   10 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, papilionaceous (reduced in Amorpha to a single petal); stamens 10; fruit a legume; leaves with stipules (stipulate).
                   10 Flowers radially symmetrical, stamens 4-5 (to 10+ in Simarouba); fruit either a drupe (Anacardiaceae, Simaroubaceae), or a 1-3-seeded berry or a samara (Picramniaceae); leaves without stipules (exstipulate).
                     11 Inflorescence a panicle; fruit a drupe; [collectively widespread]
                       12 Plants with pellucid (translucent) gland dots (usually variously present across vegetative and flowering parts)
                       12 Plants lacking pellucid gland dots.
                          13 Carpels remaining united, forming a compound fruit (the fruits various)
                          13 Carpels becoming distinct, each forming a simple drupe
                     11 Inflorescence a raceme or compound thyrse; fruit a samara or 1-3-seeded berry; [s. FL]
        5 Leaflets serrate or crenate (sometimes minutely so, look closely).
                            14 Leaflets crenate or crenulate, the teeth rounded and coarse (Cupania) or often inconspicuous or minute.
                              15 Fruit a fleshy berry, red to dark orange at maturity; leaf surfaces often (but not always) with punctate glands; flowers white, solitary or in small fascicles; [uncommon non-native, s. FL]
                              15 Fruit a capsule, drupe, or shizocarp of mericarps, variously colored at maturity; leaf surfaces not glandular-punctate; flowers variously colored, the inflorescence paniculate or thyrsiform; [collectively widespread natives and non-natives, including s. FL].
                                16 Fruit a dehiscent capsule; mid to lower leaflets usually conspicuously alternate along the rachis, the leaflet crenations often coarse; [s. FL only in our area]
                                16 Fruit a drupe or schizocarp of 2-5 samaroid mericarps (these evidently winged); mid to lower leaflets usually opposite or subopposite along the rachis, the crenations often inconspicuous; [collectively widespread].
                                  17 Leaflets with obscure crenations, not as below nor bearing glands; leaf rachis narrowly to conspicuously winged, especially towards the tip; fruit a drupe; plant a shrub or small tree
                                  17 Leaflets (especially the basal and on the basalscopic side) with 1-5 large rounded teeth, each bearing a prominent dark green gland; leaf rachis not winged; fruit a schizocarp, with 2-5 samaroid mericarps; plant a medium to large tree
                            14 Leaflets serrate.
                                    18 Leaf serrations spinose
                                    18 Leaf serrations not spinose.
                                       19 Inflorescences axillary.
                                         20 Plant a tree, freely branched; rhizome inner bark not brightly colored; flowers unisexual, the male flowers in catkins, the female flowers solitary or few in a spike, the perianth greenish or tan and inconspicuous; fruit a nut covered by a dehiscent or indehiscent involucre
                                         20 Plant a short shrub, < 1 m tall, little branched; rhizome inner bark of fresh plants bright yellow; flowers bisexual, petals absent, the 5 petaloid sepals maroon; inflorescence a drooping panicle from the base of the new year’s growth; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                                       19 Inflorescences terminal.
                                           21 Inflorescence corymbose (flat-topped or rounded, as wide as long or wider); fruit a red pome
                                           21 Inflorescence paniculate (longer than wide); fruit various (see below), but not as above.
                                             22 Leaves stipulate; flowers bright white; fruit an aggregate of 5 follicles
                                             22 Leaves lacking stipules; flowers cream or yellow; fruit either a drupe or an inflated membranaceous capsule.
                                               23 Fruit a drupe
                                               23 Fruit an inflated membranaceous capsule