Flora of the Southeastern United States

1 Leaves distinct, whorled or alternate; flowers in terminal cymose inflorescences; flowers 4-5 (-8)-merous.

  2 Petals connate as a tube; leaves serrate, bearing plantlets in the serrations; [subfamily Kalanchoideae]

  2 Petals distinct or at most basally connate; leaves entire, crenate, or serrate, but not bearing plantlets along the margin; [subfamily Sempervivoideae].

    3 Plants with spheroidal basal rosettes consisting of dozens or more spirally arranged leaves, the leaves flattened and the tips conspicuously apiculate; flowers 8-16-merous

    3 Plants with or without basal rosettes (if rosettes present, these not as above), leaves obtuse to acute, rarely apiculate (if so, the leaves not distinctly flattened and not in spheroidal rosettes); flowers 4-7 (-9)-merous

      4 Flowers (5-) 6-7 (-9)-merous, yellow; inflorescence bracteate.

        5 Inflorescence reflexed in bud; sepals lanceolate; plant glabrous

        5 Inflorescence erect in bud; seplas triangular-lanceolate; plant glabrous or slightly glandular

      4 Flowers 4-5-merous, variously colored (including yellow); inflorescence bracteate OR ebracteate.

          6 Perennials without rosettes, the stems 0.5-10 dm tall (dying back in winter to the rootstock); leaves large, relatively thin in texture, usually 5-25 times as wide as thick, often crenate; flowers pink, purple, white, or greenish.

             7 Flowers 5-merous, bisexual; flowering stems 2-10 dm tall, from an underground, tuberous base; average leaves 3-11 cm long, 1-5 cm wide; ovaries attenuate at the base; [tribe Telephieae]

             7 Flowers 4 -(5)-merous, usually unisexual and then the plants dioecious; flowering stems 0.5-4 dm tall, from axils of brown scale-leaves clothing a stout rootstock at least in part exposed aboveground; average leaves 1-5 cm long, 0.4-1.5 cm wide; ovaries not attenuate at the base; [tribe Umbiliceae]

          6 Perennials or annuals with or without rosettes, the stems < 2 dm tall (the perennials with stems persistent through the winter); leaves smaller, flat or terete, relatively thicker, entire; flowers white or yellow; [tribe Sedeae].

               8 Leaves flat; leaf margins toothed or crenate.

                 9 Leaves alternate; petals yellow

                 9 Leaves opposite; petals white to pink

               8 Leaves flat, subterete, or terete; leaf margins entire.

                   10 Carpels united basally (to about 1/3 their length); petals cucullate, initially partly enclosing 4 of the 8 stamens; follicles dehiscing by a tear-shaped valve on the lower surface; stem and leaves normally red; [of granitic flatrocks of the Piedmont of GA, NC, SC, and VA, and sandstone glades in TN, nw. GA, and AL]

                   10 Carpels free; petals flat, never enclosing any of the 8 anthers; follicle dehiscing by a longitudinal slit along the adaxial (upper) suture; stem and leaves normally green, sometimes somewhat pink or reddish; [collectively of various habitats, including similar habitats as Diamorpha]

1 Leaves whorled, most nodes with 3 or more leaves.

  2 Leaves strongly toothed to pectinate

  2 Leaves entire or finely toothed.

    3 Leaves tipped by a callus (visible at 10× magnification); leaf margins entire; flowers many, grouped in a terminal involucrate head; [Eudicots]

    3 Leaves not callus-tipped; leaf margins finely toothed or at least with conical protrusions remaining from the disintegration of better-developed deciduous teeth; flowers solitary on elongate, flexuous stalks; [Monocots]

1 Leaves opposite, no nodes with 3 or more leaves.

      4 Cauline leaves in 1 pair

      4 Cauline leaves in 2-many nodes.

        5 Leaves in 2-3 pairs, appearing verticillate; plants of marine waters; [of FL, MS, LA and southward]

        5 Leaves along stem at 2-many nodes; plants of fresh to brackish waters; [collectively widespread].

          6 Flowers 3-merous; [Monocots].

             7 Leaf margins (or at least leaf sheaths) serrate or minutely spiny; fruits sessile, entire; leaves 5-15× as long as wide

             7 Leaf margins (including sheaths) entire; fruit stalked, dentate on one side; leaves >20× as long as wide

          6 Flowers 4- or 5-merous; [Eudicots].

               8 Leaves 1-12 cm long; flowers borne in axillary or terminal spikes or clusters

               8 Leaves 0.5-3 (-5) cm long; flowers solitary, axillary.

                 9 Carpels 2-5, fused; fruit capsular (variously dehiscent); leaves thin in texture or somewhat succulent (e.g. Bacopa in PLANTAGINACEAE).

                   10 Leaves dimorphic, the terminal leaves usually spatulate (strongly expanded towards the apex); corolla absent; stamen 1

                   10 Leaves monomorphic, obovate, oblanceolate, or parallel-margined; corolla present (absent in Didiplis in LYTHRACEAE); stamens 2-6.

                     11 Flower radially symmetrical, 3-4-merous; petals absent or separate

                       12 Stems lacking ridges running down from leaf bases

                       12 Stems with ridges running down from leaf bases

                     11 Flower bilaterally symmetrical, 4-5-merous; petals present, fused at least basally, forming a tube.

                          13 Corolla 4-merous

                          13 Corolla 5-merous