1 Leaves compound.

  2 Plants herbaceous; leaves palmately 3-foliolate or pedately compound

  2 Plants woody; leaves either palmately divided or pinnately compound into > 20 segments

1 Leaves simple.

    3 Leaves opposite or whorled, cauline.

      4 Leaves opposite; flowers bilaterally symmetrical

      4 Leaves whorled; flowers radially or bilaterally symmetrical.

        5 Plant with 2 or more leaf-bearing nodes (all nodes whorled or some alternate).

          6 Leaves broad, < 2× as long as wide, cordate at the base; flowers unisexual and plants dioecious

          6 Leaves lanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, > 4× as long as wide, cuneate at the base; flowers bisexual and plants hermaphroditic

        5 Plant with a single leaf-bearing node.

             7 Leaves in whorls of 3 leaves

             7 Leaves in whorls of 5 or more leaves.

               8 Stem floccose, wiry (and at maturity with a second smaller whorl with usually 3 leaves subtending the flowers); flowers radially symmetrical

    3 Leaves alternate, either cauline or basal.

                 9 Inflorescence a spadix (a dense spike of hundreds of flowers, the rachis thickened and somewhat fleshy) subtended by a spathe (a green, white, orange, yellowish-green, or maroon bract) (spathe missing in Orontium)

                 9 Inflorescence otherwise, a raceme, panicle, cyme, umbel, spike, etc., the flowers arrayed in a more diffuse manner, the central rachis not thickened, the inflorescence subtended or not by green or scarious spathes.

                   10 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical or asymmetrical; fertile stamens 1 or 2 (or 5 in MUSACEAE), often with several staminodes present as well; tepals 6.

                     11 Leaf venation parallel; leaves various in size and shape, if > 3 dm long, then < 1 dm wide; perianth often differentiated into a lip and 5 petaloid tepals

                     11 Leaf venation prominently penni-parallel; leaves large, at least some on a plant with blade > 2 dm long.

                       12 Fertile stamens 5-6; leaf blades 6-30 dm long

                       12 Fertile stamen 1; leaf blades 0.5-7 dm long.

                          13 Leaves spirally arranged.

                            14 Leaves lacking ligules; ovary and fruit with warty excrescences

                            14 Leaves with 2 stipule-like ligules; ovary and fruit smooth

                          13 Leaves 2-ranked.

                              15 Leaves jointed and swollen at the summit of the petiole, forming a pulvinus.

                                16 Plants terrestrial; bracts persistent; flowers white, sepals > 5 mm long; [se. FL only]

                                16 Plants aquatic (or at least in very wet soils); bracts not persistent; flowers purple; sepals ≤ 3 mm long; [more widely distributed in southeastern coastal plain, including se. FL (T. geniculata)]

                              15 Leaves neither jointed not swollen at the summit of the petiole

                   10 Flowers radially symmetrical (weakly to strongly bilaterally symmetrical in PONTEDERIACEAE); stamens 6 (rarely 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 15, or 18); tepals usually 6 (rarely 3 or 4), when 6, either undifferentiated (6 or 4 tepals) or differentiated into 3 petals and 3 sepals.

                                  17 Inflorescence subtended by spathes (well-developed green or scarious bracts).

                                    18 Perianth not differentiated, consisting of 6 similarly colored and shaped tepals; flowers strongly to slightly bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence lacking well-developed spathaceous bracts

                                    18 Perianth differentiated into green sepals and more brightly colored petals; flowers radially symmetrical (or weakly bilaterally symmetrical, as in some Commelina).

                                       19 Ovary superior; fruit a capsule; stamens 6; [plants mainly of uplands (Murdannia and sometimes Commelina of wetlands)]

                                       19 Ovary inferior; fruit a berry; stamens 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, or 18; [plants of wetlands]

                                  17 Inflorescence not subtended by spathes, though individual small green bracts sometimes subtending individual flowers.

                                         20 Gynoecium of 2 or more pistils (6 in Butomus); fruit achenes or follicles; inflorescence a raceme or panicle with branching in whorls of 3 OR a bracteate umbel; [wetland plants].

                                           21 Flowers consisting of white petals and green sepals, with 1-many stamens and 3-many carpels (but not consistently with 9 stamens and 6 carpels); inflorescence a raceme or panicle in whorls of 3, branched; leaf blades flat or terete

                                           21 Flowers consisting of pink petals and green-pink sepals, usually with 9 stamens and 6 carpels; inflorescence an umbel; leaf blades triquetrous in cross-section

                                         20 Gynoecium of 1 pistil; fruit simple, a capsule or berry; inflorescence various, terminal or axillary, but if a raceme or panicle, not with branching in whorls of 3; [upland (or very rarely wetland) plants].

                                             22 Leaves basal or basally disposed.

                                               23 Leaves 2 (rarely 3 in Convallaria in RUSCACEAE).

                                                 24 Inflorescence a raceme; fruit a berry; tepals united, the perianth urceolate

                                                 24 Inflorescence an umbel or a solitary flower; fruit a capsule; tepals separate or basally fused.

                                                    25 Flowers in an umbel, white; fresh plants with oniony odor

                                                    25 Flowers solitary, white or yellow; fresh plants without strong odor

                                               23 Leaves 4 or more.

                                                      26 Inflorescence a terminal umbel; fruit a blue or black berry; tepals white or yellow; flowers bisexual

                                                      26 Inflorescence a terminal raceme or panicle; fruit a capsule; tepals white, green, yellowish, or pink; flowers either bisexual (Helonias in HELONIADACEAE), or unisexual and primarily on different plants (dioecious) (Chamaelirium in CHIONOGRAPHIDACEAE), or a mix of bisexual and unisexual staminate flowers (Veratrum in MELANTHIACEAE)

                                                        27 Inflorescences bracteate, with bracts subtending individual pedicels and (if they are present) branches of the inflorescence; tepals white, greenish-white, or cream

                                                        27 Inflorescence ebracteate, lacking bracts subtending pedicels; flowers bisexual (Helonias) or predominantly unisexual and on different plants (dioecious) (Chamaelirium); tepals pink (Helonias) or white to cream (Chamaelirium).

                                                          28 Flowers white to cream; plants dioecious (individual plants either male or female, with all male flowers or all female flowers)

                                                          28 Flowers pink; plants hermaphroditic (individual flowers bisexual)

                                             22 Leaves cauline.

                                                            29 Leaves both cordate/subcordate (rarely merely rounded at the base) and obviously petiolate.

                                                              30 Inflorescence an axillary many-flowered umbel; fruit a berry; axillary tendrils often present (absent in some species)

                                                              30 Inflorescence an axillary solitary flower, a few-flowered cyme, or a panicle; fruit a capsule (winged in Dioscorea, unwinged in Croomia); axillary tendrils never present (plant not climbing, or climbing by twining).

                                                                 31 Tepals 6; stamens 6; flowers unisexual (and generally on separate plants, therefore dioecious); inflorescence of a solitary flowers or a panicle; ovary inferior; [widespread in our area]

                                                                 31 Tepals 4 (-5); stamens 4 (-5); flowers bisexual; ovary superior; [AL and adjacent GA, FL, and perhaps LA]

                                                            29 Leaves not both cordate/subcordate and petiolate (some with cordate clasping or perfoliate leaf bases).

                                                                   32 Leaves alternate and in whorls at some nodes; flowers orange; tepals > 5 cm long; inflorescence a terminal umbel or single flower

                                                                   32 Leaves strictly alternate; flowers yellow, white, pink, greenish, or maroon; tepals < 5 cm long; inflorescence either a terminal cluster, raceme, panicle or umbel, or an axillary raceme, cluster or solitary flower.

                                                                     33 Inflorescence a terminal umbel; flowers slightly zygomorphic, reddish, the tepals 3.5-4.5 cm long

                                                                     33 Inflorescence either a terminal cluster, raceme, or panicle, or an axillary raceme, cluster or solitary flower; flowers actinomorphic, variously colored (most white or yellow), the tepals < 3.5 cm long (except Uvularia grandiflora).

                                                                       34 Leaves arrayed spirally around an erect, unbranched stem; fruit a septicidal capsule; flowers a mixture of bisexual and unisexual (staminate) on a plant; perianth white, greenish white, or maroon.

                                                                         35 Leaves basally disposed; leaves not at all to slightly plicate, 1-14 cm wide; tepals glabrous, 4-9 mm long, 1-3 mm wide (3-5 mm wide in M. hybridum), with either conspicuous (M. hybridum) or diffuse (M. parviflorum and M. woodii) glands; filaments fused to the basal claw of the tepal

                                                                         35 Leaves cauline; leaves strongly plicate, 6-15 cm wide; tepals pubescent, 8-13 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, with a conspicuous pair of glands near the base of the tepal blade (these sometimes more or less fused); filaments free from the tepals

                                                                       34 Leaves arrayed distichously (2 ranked) along an arching, unbranched or dichotomously (Y-forking) branched stem; fruit a berry or loculicidal capsule; flowers all bisexual; perianth white, pink, or yellow.

                                                                           36 Stems of fertile and sterile individuals simple (never branched); inflorescence a terminal raceme or panicle (Maianthemum) or axillary racemes or clusters of 1-9 flowers (Polygonatum); fruit a berry.

                                                                              37 Inflorescence terminal, a raceme or panicle; tepals separate; leaves with 3 main parallel veins, acute to acuminate at the apex; foliage green, not glaucous

                                                                              37 Inflorescence of 1-several axillary flowers; tepals fused; leaves with > 7 main parallel veins, obtuse to acute at the apex; foliage blue-green, glaucous

                                                                           36 Stems of fertile individuals branched (always at least bifurcate), but sterile individuals in some genera characteristically unbranched; inflorescence either of 1 (-2) flower(s) borne in a leaf axil (Uvularia, Streptopus), or of (1) 2 (-3) flowers borne terminally opposite the last leaf (Prosartes); fruit a berry or capsule.

                                                                                38 Leaves perfoliate; fruit a capsule

                                                                                38 Leaves sessile (though sometimes slightly to strongly clasping); fruit a berry or capsule.

                                                                                  39 Stem brown, wiry, puberulent; last 2 leaves (near stem tip) on each branch approximate to one another (sometimes subopposite) and with noticeably oblique bases; flowers and fruits terminal on the branches

                                                                                  39 Stem green, not wiry, glabrous; last 2 leaves (near stem tip) on each branch no closer together than other leaves, with symmetrical bases; flowers (and fruits) either terminal on the branches or solitary and axillary to most leaves.

                                                                                    40 Flowers and fruits in single terminal clusters (sometimes appearing axillary, but still only one cluster per branch of the stem); tepals pale to rich yellow

                                                                                    40 Flowers and fruits 1 (-2) in the axils of many leaves; tepals white to pink

1 Leaves absent at flowering, or with a solitary leaf with a purplish undersurface withering at about the time of flowering.

  2 Flowers with a spur.

    3 Spur shortly obtuse, lip partially tubular; [s. FL]

    3 Spur long and slender, lip not partially tubular; widespread in our region, south in FL to ne. FL]

  2 Flowers without a spur.

      4 Flowers white, the lip, sepals, and petals all predominantly white.

        5 Lip white with a single central green stripe; leaves often fugacious

        5 Lip white, centrally yellow to greenish-white, occasionally with multiple green veins (as in S. praecox and S. sylvatica); leaves present, absent, or withering (fugacious) at flowering

      4 Flowers pink, greenish, yellowish, or purplish, the lip sometimes white or marked with white, the sepals and petals colored.

          6 Lip strongly bearded.

             7 Flower solitary; [Mountains of SC, NC, and VA northwards]

             7 Flowers not solitary (inflorescence a raceme); [Coastal Plain of SC southwards]

          6 Lip not bearded.

               8 Lip with 2 fleshy keels near the base; pollinia 4; plants holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves

               8 Lip with 3-7 keels near the base or extending most of the length of the lip; pollinia 4 or 8; plants either holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves, or with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering.

                 9 Plants with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering (the withered remnant usually detectable); veins of the petals and sepals not strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 3 ridges; pollinia 4

                 9 Plants never with leaves, holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll); veins of the petals and sepals strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 5-7 ridges; pollinia 8

1 Leaves present at flowering (Cleistesiopsis with a foliaceous bract at the summit of the stem).

                   10 Plants with evident, above-ground pseudobulbs, sometimes enclosed by sheaths.

                     11 Leaf bases tightly sheathing the stems, often petiolate.

                       12 Lip broadest near its base; inflorescence typically a spicate raceme (prematurely umbellate in M. spicata); leaves to 10 cm long

                       12 Lip broadest near its apex; inflorescence typically a more open or lax raceme; leaves to 30 cm long.

                          13 Leaves 3-7, membranaceous, plicate; anthers green

                          13 Leaves 2, thickish, conduplicate; anthers yellow

                     11 Leaf bases not conspicuously clasping the stems (or if clasping, loosely so).

                            14 Flowers predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs > 8 (-100) cm long.

                              15 Flowers without brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 10-30 (-100) cm long

                              15 Flowers with brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 8-15 cm long

                            14 Flowers not predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs < 8 cm long.

                                16 Leaves not plicate, with conspicuous dark green mottling

                                16 Leaves plicate, without conspicuous dark green mottling.

                                  17 Lip conspicuously bearded or bearing bumpy projections

                                  17 Lip not conspicuously bearded, but sometimes with 3-7 distinct keels.

                                    18 Perianth primarily brown or green (white on the backs of the sepals and petals OR the lip greenish-white with brown lateral venation); lip tubular (Phaius) or not (Eulophia).

                                       19 Lip tubular, the backs of the perianth greenish-white

                                       19 Lip not tubular, the backs of the perianth white

                                    18 Perianth pink or purple; lip not tubular.

                                         20 Lip with 5-7 conspicuous yellow or white keels, the keels sometimes distally undulate.

                                           21 Inflorescence arising basally (directly from the pseudobulb and on separate stems from the leaf culms)

                                           21 Inflorescence arising terminally (with leaves below and on the same culm)

                                         20 Lip without 5-7 conspicuous yellow-white keels

                   10 Plants without above-ground pseudobulbs (either absent or subterranean).

                                             22 Leaf solitary.

                                               23 Leaf basal.

                                                 24 Flower with a spur.

                                                    25 Leaf long petiolate, lanceolate-elliptic; lateral sepals conspicuously spreading with long acuminate apices; [s. FL]

                                                    25 Leaf not long petiolate, orbicular; lateral sepals reflexed or slightly spreading without long acuminate apices, rather, typically blunt or rounded; [widespread; NC and TN northward]

                                                 24 Flower without a spur.

                                                      26 Flower solitary

                                                      26 Flowers in a raceme or spike.

                                                        27 Flowers relatively large, primarily pink, purple, or white; flowers arranged in loosely arranged racemes

                                                          28 Lip below (resupinate); flowers white, often cleistogamous; lip white with purple margins, with keels

                                                          28 Lip above (not resupinate); flowers purple or pink (rarely white), chasmogomous; lip with yellow fringes (beard)

                                                        27 Flowers relatively small, whitish; flowers arranged in densely (and sometimes also spirally) arranged spikes.

                                                            29 Dorsal sepal connivent with petals forming hood over column; lip sagittate-auriculate

                                                            29 Dorsal sepals not forming connivent hood with petals, or if rarely so, then lip pandurate (as in S. romanzoffianum)

                                               23 Leaf cauline.

                                                              30 Flowers in spikes or racemes, 5-many, reddish, yellowish, or greenish.

                                                              30 Flower solitary (-4), pink (rarely nearly white); [subfamily Vanilloideae; tribe Pogonieae].

                                                                 31 Sepals brown to purple, linear or narrowly oblanceolate, 3-6.5 cm long, about 5 mm wide; leaf coriaceous

                                                                 31 Sepals pink (rarely white), elliptic or oblanceolate, 1.3-2.7 cm long, 3-11 mm wide; leaf herbaceous

                                             22 Leaves 2-many.

                                                                   32 Lip inflated, pouch-like or slipper-like, 2-6 cm long

                                                                   32 Lip not inflated, or if so, then 0.3-1.1 cm long.

                                                                     33 Leaves cauline.

                                                                       34 Leaves plicate; lip saccate or arcuate

                                                                         35 Lip arcuate, with purple-brown marginal speckles; leaf sheaths inflated-tubular

                                                                         35 Lip saccate, without purple-brown marginal spots; leaf sheaths tight and not inflated-tubular.

                                                                           36 Leaves typically many (3-14); 4-20 cm long; lip variously colored without conspicuous yellow disc; [widespread]

                                                                           36 Leaves typically fewer (2-5); 4-4.5 cm long; lip primarily white with conspicuous yellow disc; [s. FL]

                                                                       34 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate; lip not saccate.

                                                                              37 Leaves alternate or opposite, not terminating the stem.

                                                                                38 Leaves 2, opposite, near the middle of the stem

                                                                                38 Leaves (2-) 3-many, alternate, variously distributed on the stem.

                                                                                  39 Plant with aerial roots throughout stem; lip orange-red, deeply 3 to 4 lobed and marginally fimbriate; [subfamily Epidendroideae]

                                                                                  39 Plant without aerial roots throughout stem; lip variously colored, if orange then not deeply 3 to 4 lobed.

                                                                                    40 Lip without a spur; leaves 0.8-8.0 cm long.

                                                                                      41 Distal portion of lip not uniformly yellow; leaves ovate, 0.4-2.0 cm long

                                                                                      41 Distal portion of lip uniformly yellow; leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate, 1-8 cm long

                                                                                    40 Lip with a spur; leaves linear, lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic, 5-40 cm long (at least the larger > 5 cm long, except in Aspidogyne, with lanceolate to ovate leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long).

                                                                                        42 Leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long, with inflated tubular sheaths; plants from creeping rhizomes

                                                                                        42 Leaves 5-40 cm long, sessile; plants from fleshy or fusiform roots.

                                                                                           43 Lip divided into 3 linear divisions, the divisions not further divided, fringed, or eroded

                                                                                           43 Lip not divided into 3 divisions, or divided into 3 divisions but the divisions not linear.

                                                                                             44 Spur saccate, 2-3 mm long, the orifice minute

                                                                                             44 Spur elongate and slender, 4-50 mm long, the orifice larger

                                                                     33 Leaves basal (sometimes with bladeless sheaths upward on the stem).

                                                                                               45 Leaves plicate.

                                                                                                 46 Lip oriented upward (not resupinate); flowers pink to white

                                                                                                 46 Lip oriented downward (resupinate); flowers greenish, purplish-brown, maroon or yellowish.

                                                                                                   47 Sepals ascending or apically reflexed, not converging

                                                                                                   47 Sepals converging, not ascending or reflexed

                                                                                               45 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate.

                                                                                                     48 Lip with a spur.

                                                                                                        49 Leaves long petiolate, not basally sheathing stems; sepals longer (to 30 mm), narrowly lanceolate

                                                                                                        49 Leaves not long petiolate, basally sheathing stems; sepals shorter, variously shaped

                                                                                                          50 Flowers bicolored, the lip white, the sepals and petals pink; leaves 2

                                                                                                          50 Flowers not bicolored, the lip, petals, and sepals similarly colored; leaves 2-5

                                                                                                            51 Lip deeply divided into 3 linear segments; leaves 3-5

                                                                                                            51 Lip entire; leaves 2

                                                                                                     48 Lip without a spur.

                                                                                                              52 Leaf blade or leaves ascending.

                                                                                                                53 Inflorescence a raceme; lip with pink-purple coloration along margin; flowers larger, not tightly spiraling

                                                                                                                53 Inflorescence a spike; lip without pink/purple coloration along margin; flowers smaller, often spiraling or tightly assembled

                                                                                                              52 Leaf blades more-or-less horizontally oriented, flat against the ground or 1-2 cm above it.

                                                                                                                  54 Flowers orange-red (except rarely light green as in S. lanceolata forma albidaviridis)

                                                                                                                  54 Flowers never strongly orange-red, instead white, yellowish, greenish, or brown (including coppery).

                                                                                                                     55 Lip oriented upward (flowers not resupinate).

                                                                                                                       56 Lip with green spots

                                                                                                                       56 Lip without green spots (sometimes with green coloration but not green-spotted).

                                                                                                                         57 Large flowers distinctly pedicellate on racemes; lip short-caudate, 4.5-7 mm long; petals obliquely triangular

                                                                                                                         57 Minute flowers sessile on spikes; lip apiculate, 1-2 mm long; petals narrowly obovate

                                                                                                                     55 Lip oriented downward (flowers resupinate).

                                                                                                                           58 Leaves with prominent white or pale green variegation on midrib and/or veins; [subtribe Goodyerinae]

                                                                                                                           58 Leaves without prominent variegation; [subtribe Spiranthinae].

                                                                                                                             59 Flowers brown or copper colored

                                                                                                                             59 Flowers white or green colored.

                                                                                                                               60 Lip and perianth segments each with a single central green stripe; leaves more or less fugacious

                                                                                                                               60 Lip and perianth without a central green stripe; occasionally with multiple green veins on the lip; leaf often persistent.

                                                                                                                                  61 Flowers white, often also marked or veined with yellow or green; [widespread in our region]

                                                                                                                                  61 Flowers green, greenish-yellow, or bronze; [FL southwards]

                                                                                                                                    62 Lip canaliculate (grooved longitudinally), without conspicuous yellow throat; flowers greenish-brown or coppery

                                                                                                                                    62 Lip not grooved longitudinally, with conspicuous yellow throat; flowers greenish-white