1 Fruit a fleshy drupe; plant a small tree, shrub, or sprawling vine; mature stems terete or obscurely 4-sided (by secondary growth). |
2 Flowers zygomorphic; palmately (3-) 5-7 (-9) foliolate or simple ( V. rotundifolia); [subfamily Viticoideae] |
2 Flowers essentially actinomorphic; leaves simple. |
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3 Stems glabrous or pubescent with simple (unbranched) hairs; inflorescence terminal (rarely only axillary); calyx lobes conspicuous or diminuitive. |
4 Corolla 5-40 mm long; calyx 5-18 mm, the lobes conspicuous, the calyx length often surpassing the fruit when mature; [subfamily Ajugoideae] |
4 Corolla 2-5 mm long; the calyx lobes inconspicuous and not surpassing the mature fruit; [subfamily Premnoideae] |
1 Fruit a schizocarp of 4 dry mericarps; plant either an herb or a shrub to 5 (-20) dm tall; mature stems usually distinctly 4-sided (sometimes terete or obscurely 4-sided). |
5 Calyx with either a distinctly enlarged protuberance on the upper surface, or the upper lobe expanded and “cap-like”. |
6 Calyx with 5 lobes, clearly separate apically, with the upper lobe expanded and “cap-like” |
6 Calyx with 2 entire lobes joined at the margins, rounded apically, with a distinct protuberance on the upper surface |
5 Calyx without an enlarged protuberance or “cap-like” upper lobe. |
7 Upper lip of corolla greatly reduced or lobes laterally disposed, thus the corolla appearing to consist of one large lower lip; [subfamily Ajugoideae]. |
8 Lower lip with 2-4 lobes; flowers yellow or deep blue-purple; plants stoloniferous |
8 Lower lip appearing 5- lobed ( proximal 2 lateral, erect lobes represent the cryptic upper lip); flowers white to pink; plants cespitose |
7 Upper lip of corolla conspicuous, flaring or galeate. |
9 Plants distinctly repent and rooting at the nodes, or producing elongate stolons. |
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11 Herbs; leaves cordate- reniform, coarsely crenate, the blade > 1 cm long; inflorescence of axillary cymules; corollas 10-20 mm |
11 Subshrubs; leaves ovate to elliptic, entire, the blade < 1 cm long; inflorescence a terminal thyrse; corollas 4-5 mm |
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12 Inflorescence in dense axillary verticils; calyx and corolla actinomorphic, calyx 4-5- lobed, flowers 3-4 mm long |
12 Inflorescence terminal; calyx and corolla zygomorphic, calyx 5- lobed, flowers 20-30 mm long |
9 Plants not distinctly repent or stoloniferous. |
13 Calyx with 6-10 lobes or teeth. |
14 Calyx zygomorphic, canescent with simple trichomes, spinose lobe tips straight |
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13 Calyx with 5 or fewer lobes or teeth. |
15 Calyx with 3-4 prominent lobes (rarely 5, if one includes small teeth). |
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17 Calyx with 4 unequal primary lobes; flowers large, 2.5-3.5 cm long, in bracteate terminal racemes |
17 Calyx with 3 primary lobes (upper lobe occasionally with 3 apiculate teeth, e.g. Salvia lyrata); flowers 3 cm or less, in terminal thyrses. |
18 Stamens 4; calyx enveloped and partially concealed by subtending bracts |
18 Stamens 2; calyx not enveloped by subtending bracts. |
19 Shrubs; calyx with simple and dendritic hairs; leaves revolute, coriaceous |
19 Herbs; calyx with simple trichomes; leaves non- revolute, margins various, membranaceous |
15 Calyx usually with 5 prominent lobes (except for Clinopodium with rarely fused upper lobes). |
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22 Corolla actinomorphic, lobes spreading and nearly equal (one lobe slightly emarginate and/or enlarged). |
23 Inflorescences axillary; foliage not or faintly aromatic |
23 Inflorescences terminal; foliage strongly aromatic |
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24 Inflorescence in loose terminal and axillary cymules; corollas not galeate or arching |
24 Inflorescence densely capitate (often also axillary); corollas strongly galeate, arching |
21 Calyx and corollas clearly zygomorphic. |
25 Corolla 7-20 mm; inflorescence a densely clustered terminal or axillary cyme, or a well developed panicle. |
26 Inflorescence a dense cluster of one or more terminal cymules (occasionally just axillary); lower lip of corolla not fringed |
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25 Corolla ca. 3-10 mm long; inflorescence a loose axillary cyme or slender terminal spike or spike-like panicle. |
27 Corolla 3.5-4 mm, borne 2 per node in a slender terminal spike; middle lobe of upper calyx reduced |
27 Corolla 4-10 mm, borne in axillary cymes or spike-like panicle; upper calyx lobes similar. |
28 Flowers in loose axillary cymes; calyx gibbous, throat closed by hairs; corollas ca. 4-5 mm long |
28 Flowers in a spike-like panicle; calyx not gibbous or closed by hairs; corollas ca. 10 mm long |
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29 Stamens ascending under the upper corolla lip, either included within the tube (or at least not clearly exserted beyond it). |
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31 Flowers borne in terminal verticils or thyrses, with reduced bracteal leaves. |
32 Calyx 15-nerved; verticils tightly aggregated |
32 Calyx 5-10-nerved; verticils well spaced |
31 Flowers borne in axils of well-developed leaves, or a terminal raceme with 1 flower per node. |
33 Calyx lobes with thickened spinescent apices. |
34 Stems often with swollen nodes (areas just below appear dark and sunken upon drying, except G. ladanum); hairs of the stem either exclusively hispid or short recurved and mixed with longer glandular trichomes; corolla 15-28 mm long |
34 Stems without swollen nodes; hairs of the stem finely and softly retrorse, generally lacking glandular hairs (though sessile glands may be present); corolla 5-14 mm long. |
35 Corolla 5-7 mm long, not much longer than the calyx, weakly bilabiate and lacking an annulus |
35 Corolla 8-14 mm long and well-exceeding the calyx, strongly galeate and annulate |
33 Calyx lobes without spinescent apices (although lobes may be pointed or acute). |
36 Flowers in terminal racemes, corolla tube broadly inflated |
36 Flowers borne in axils of well developed leaves, corolla tube not broadly inflated. |
37 Verticils 2-6-flowered, loose; corollas 5-7 mm |
37 Verticils 6-12-flowered, compact; corollas 10-30 mm. |
38 Corolla 10-15 mm long; calyx with 10+ nerves |
38 Corolla 10-30 mm long; calyx 5-nerved |
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39 Shrubs, diffusely branched; [restricted to se. Coastal Plain and Cumberland Plateau] |
39 Herbs, branched or unbranched; [collectively widespread]. |
40 Calyx teeth distinctly white or pink, noticeably different from the tube |
40 Calyx teeth coloration not noticeably different from the tube. |
41 Flowers 1 per bracteal axil. |
42 Corolla nearly regular, 4-6 mm long. |
42 Corolla bilabiate, >10 mm long |
41 Flowers 2-many per bract or leaf axil. |
43 Plants lemon-scented, flowers in the axils of well-developed leaves |
43 Plants mint-scented or non-aromatic, flowers terminal and/or axillary. |
44 Upper median calyx lobe longer and wider than the other 4; flowers terminal |
44 Upper lobes differing in sinus depth and/or size from the lower lobes; flowers borne variously. |
45 Bracts broadly rounded, apiculate or absent. |
46 Bracts broadly rounded, apiculate; inflorescence terminal |
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45 Bracts setaceous or elliptic, but not broadly rounded or apiculate, present. |
47 Calyx clearly bilabiate; corollas 7-15 mm long |
47 Calyx scarcely bilabiate; corollas 5-7 mm long |
29 Stamens (at least some) well exserted beyond the upper corolla lobe. |
48 Lower lip of corolla distinctly fringed |
48 Lower lip of corolla not fringed. |
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50 Flowers in dense terminal capitate clusters, subtended by large bracteal leaves (these often whitened on the upper surface and especially towards the base) |
50 Flowers borne otherwise. |
51 Flowers borne in few-flowered cymose axillary clusters, overall appearing paniculate; [subfamily Ajugoideae] |
51 Flowers borne in a spike-like terminal thyrse. |
52 Corolla pink to lavender or white, 11-17 mm long |
52 Corolla blue (rarely white), 7-12 mm long |
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53 Flowers borne in a dense terminal spike, 2-3-verticilled globose head, or spiciform thryse. |
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55 Small plants to ca. 30 cm; leaves short, sessile, linear- lanceolate with revolute, entire margins; [ endemic to FL and se. GA] |
55 Large plants, well over 30 cm tall; leaves often petiolate, broadly ovate or lanceolate, margins not revolute or entire; [collectively widespread]. |
56 Bracts broadly rounded; corolla distinctly bilabiate; plants 1-3 m tall |
56 Bracts linear- lanceolate; corolla nearly regular; plants < 1 m tall |
53 Flowers borne in axillary verticils or terminal ( capitate to loosely flowered) clusters. |
57 Flowers in axillary clusters, corolla nearly regular. |
58 Axillary clusters loose, 1-3-flowered; [subfamily Ajugoideae] |
58 Axillary clusters dense, many-flowered; corolla white-pink |
59 Stems scabrous; corolla mostly blue-violet |
59 Stems glabrous to pubescent; corolla mostly white-pink |
57 Flowers in densely capitate or loosely flowered terminal clusters, corolla distinctly bilabiate. |
60 Flowers in loosely branched terminal and axillary cymes |
60 Flowers densely capitate cluster or terminal spike of well spaced verticils. |
61 Inflorescence either capitate or a spike, not subtended by large bracteal leaves |
61 Inflorescence capitate, subtended by large bracteal leaves (these often whitened on the upper surface and especially towards the base) |
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2 Plant a shrub, erect, not requiring support. |
3 Leaves with spiny margins; fruit a drupe; [uncommon horticultural escapes]. |
4 Flowers 5 -merous, the petals clawed; leaves usually small (ca. 2-3 mm long or less); [FL] |
4 Flowers 4 -merous; petals not clawed; leaves larger (the longer leaves usually > 3 mm long); [NC northeastward] |
3 Leaves with crenate or serrate margins (the teeth not bearing small spines); fruits various; [widespread natives and non-natives] |
5 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head; [ maritime situations] |
5 Leaves not fleshy; inflorescence either a head or otherwise; [collectively widespread]. |
6 Leaves > 8 cm long, typically spotted with yellow, coarsely toothed; fruit a red drupe; [commonly cultivated, rarely seeding down nearby] |
6 Leaves < 8 cm long, not yellow-spotted, serrulate; fruit a capsule or purplish drupe; [plants native or cultivated]. |
7 Inflorescence a head; [s. FL] |
7 Inflorescence otherwise; [more widespread]. |
8 Corolla tubular, campanulate, bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a 1-seeded achene (rarely produced) |
8 Corolla radially symmetrical, with 4-5 distinct petals; fruit a 2-10-seeded capsule or drupe. |
 Show caption*© Alan Cressler: Euonymus americanus, fruit, Coke Ovens Park, Dunlap, Sequatchie County, Tennessee 2 by Alan Cressler Fruit a 4-5- locular capsule, with 2 seeds per locule (though often fewer by abortion) |
9 Fruit a (2-) 3- locular, purplish-black drupe, with (2-) 3 single-seeded stones |
2 Plant a subshrub, creeping shrub, or liana. |
10 Leaves spinose- serrate; [exotics, rarely naturalized] |
10 Leaves serrate (not spinose), serrulate, or crenate; [exotics and natives, collectively widespread]. |
11 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head; [ maritime situations] |
11 Leaves not fleshy; inflorescence otherwise; [collectively widespread]. |
12 Leaves on vigorous shoots with a few coarse rounded teeth towards the base (most leaves entire) |
12 Leaves serrulate to serrate, the teeth uniformly around the margin or concentrated towards the tip; fruit dry, either indehiscent and 1-seeded or capsular and with several seeds. |
13 Flowers 5 -merous; petals fused; fruit indehiscent, 1-seeded; [ montane, from e. TN, WV, and w. MD northwards in our area] |
13 Flowers 4- or 5 -merous; petals separate; fruit capsular, dehiscent, several-seeded; [collectively widespread in our area] |
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14 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head, subtended by an involucre of phyllaries; [ maritime situations] |
14 Leaves not fleshy; 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.); [collectively widespread]. |
15 Lianas climbing by twining or by adventitious roots. |
16 Stems with retrorse prickles; foliage scabrous |
16 Stems not prickly; foliage smooth to variously hairy, but not scabrous. |
17 Leaves on vigorous shoots with a few coarse rounded teeth towards the base (most leaves entire), the larger leaves < 3 cm wide; lianas climbing by twining; fruit a fleshy berry; flowers 5 -merous, with a fused, tubular corolla |
17 Leaves serrate, the teeth towards the leaf apex, the larger leaves > 4 cm wide; lianas climbing by adventitious roots; fruit a capsule; flowers 7-10 -merous, with separate petals |
15 Upright shrubs or trees, lacking any adaptations for climbing. |
18 Trees; leaves often a mix of alternate and opposite. |
19 Leaves harshly scabrous on the upper surface; fruit a multiple of achenes; leaf venation pinnate but irregular |
19 Leaves not scabrous; fruit a 2-4-seeded drupe; leaf venation neatly pinnate, the lateral veins nearly straight and parallel to one another |
18 Shrubs or trees; leaves strictly opposite (or often subopposite in RHAMNACEAE). |
20 Trees; leaves palmately-veined, with 5 or more veins from the base; [rarely naturalizing] |
20 Shrubs; leaves either triple-veined from near the base or pinnate-veined; [collectively widespread and common] |
21 Leaves strongly triple-veined from at or near the base of the blade, the 2 lateral veins arching towards the tip and rejoining the midvein or nearly so (becoming diffuse before rejoining); petals 4, white; stamens 15-90 |
21 Leaves pinnate-veined; petals various, not both 4 and white (except sometimes in Hydrangea); stamens 1-15 (except 15-30 in Exochorda in ROSACEAE). |
22 Inflorescence head-like; flowers sympetalous and 4- lobed; fruit 2 seeded |
22 Inflorescence more diffuse, with internal axes and pedicels; flowers not BOTH sympetalous and 4- lobed (except in Forsythia and Buddleja, which have conspicuous axillary or paniculate inflorescences); fruit 1-seeded, 2-4-seeded, or 4-many-seeded. |
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24 Corolla absent; flowers inconspicuous and small, in axillary fascicles or catkins. |
25 Flowers in catkins; leaves usually a mix of opposite and alternate |
25 Flowers in axillary fascicles; leaves strictly opposite (subopposite) |
24 Corolla present; flowers larger, in terminal cymes, corymbs, racemes, panicles, or in axillary cymes or fascicles. |
26 Petals separate; stamens 8-10 (-60) (or 4-6 in RHAMNACEAE and Euonymus in CELASTRACEAE). |
27 Flowers 1-few, in axillary cymes; stamens 4-6; stems brown, tan, gray, or green. |
28 Leaf venation pinnate, but irregular and reticulated; stems green |
28 Leaf venation neatly pinnate, the lateral veins nearly straight and parallel to one another; stems brown, tan, or gray |
27 Flowers 1 and terminal, or many, in terminal panicles or corymbs; stamens 8-10 (-60); stems brown, tan or gray. |
29 Inflorescence a solitary, terminal flower; stamens 30-60 |
29 Inflorescence a terminal panicle or corymb; stamens 8-15 |
26 Petals fused, at least basally, and often strongly tubular; stamens 2, 4, or 5. |
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31 Petals white, fused basally only, the lobes spreading |
31 Petals pink, yellow, or reddish, fused for most of their length |
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32 Stamens 2; petals yellow; flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence an axillary fascicle |
32 Stamens 4; petals white, pink, or lavender; flowers bilabiate; inflorescence a terminal thyrse or panicle or an axillary cyme. |
33 Petals 4; inflorescence a terminal thyrse |
33 Petals 5; inflorescence a terminal panicle or an axillary cyme. |
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35 Flowers lavender; fruit a shiny orange drupe (appearing berry-like) |
35 Flowers pinkish-white; fruit a bristly achene |
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36 Fruit a berry, drupe, or achene, indehiscent, fleshy at maturity (or dry in Kolkwitzia). |
37 Fruit a berry, with 20+ seeds |
37 Fruit a drupe or achene, with 1-4 seeds. |
38 Fruit an achene (1-seeded), dry at maturity |
38 Fruit a drupe (1-4-seeded), fleshy at maturity. |
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40 Foliage with stellate hairs; fruit a pink-purple 4-seeded drupe |
40 Foliage glabrous or with simple hairs; fruit a dark red, black, or blue 1-4-seeded drupe. |
41 Fruit a 1-seeded drupe; [NC southwards and westwards] |
41 Fruit a 2-4-seeded drupe; [widespread in our region] |
36 Fruit a capsule, dehiscent, dry at maturity. |
42 Inflorescence a catkin, the flowers small (< 5 mm in diameter) and tightly arranged on the inflorescence axis (> 5 per cm of the axis) |
42 Inflorescence various, but more diffuse, the flowers larger (> 5 mm in diameter, except for some flowers in Hydrangea in HYDRANGEACEAE) and loosely arranged (< 5 per cm of axis). |
43 Capsule prominently 5-angled (star-shaped in ×-section) |
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Show caption*© Alan Cressler: Euonymus americanus, fruit, Coke Ovens Park, Dunlap, Sequatchie County, Tennessee 2 by Alan Cressler pink to red; fruits solitary or in axillary cymes |
45 Capsule brown; fruits in axillary fascicles |
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46 Inflorescence a flat-topped corymb or rounded compound cyme, as wide as or wider than long |
46 Inflorescence elongated, a raceme, panicle, or thyrse, much longer than wide. |
47 Capsule elongate (> 3× as long as wide), 8-25 mm long |
47 Capsule about as long as wide, 3-6 mm long. |
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