1 Leaves all basal, from creeping rhizomes; corolla white; [subfamily Solanoideae].

..2 Leaves broadly elliptical, rounded at the base; corolla lobes > 2× as long as wide, attenuate at the tip; [tribe Jaboroseae]

..2 Leaves ovate, strongly cordate at the base; corolla lobes < 1.5× as long as broad, obtuse (acute) at the tip; [tribe Capsiceae]

1 Leaves all or mainly cauline.

....3 Plant distinctly woody, an upright shrub or scrambling vine.

......4 Flowers white or yellow, the tube > 6× as long as its diameter; fruit either a white berry, or a capsule.

........5 Fruit a white berry; [subfamily Cestroideae; tribe Cestreae]

........5 Fruit a capsule; [subfamily Nicotianoideae]

......4 Flowers lavender or blue, the tube < 3× as long as its diameter; fruit a red, orange, or yellow berry; [subfamily Solanoideae].

..........6 Leaves 10-30 cm long, 4-14 cm wide; [tribe Solaneae]

....3 Plant herbaceous (some taxa keyed here can be robust and tough-stemmed, but are herbaceous, lacking overwintering buds on aerial stems).

............ 7 Corolla salverform or narrowly funnel-shaped, with a well-developed tubular portion, this > 1 cm long (except in Calibrachoa) and either flared or essentially isodiametric and > 4× as long as its midpoint diameter, the limb expanding more or less abruptly from the tubular portion; fruit a capsule opening by longitudinal valves or by apical pores.

............ ..8 Corolla 7-25 cm long, white, pale blue or pale pink; capsule spiny, 3-5 cm long, subtended by a collar formed by the reflexed corolla base; [subfamily Solanoideae; tribe Datureae]

............ ..8 Corolla 0.6-7 cm long, white, blue, pink, or other colors; capsule smooth, not collared.

............ ....9 Flowers solitary, axillary; [subfamily Petunioideae].

............ ......10 Leaves linear to narrowly spatulate

............ ......10 Leaves oblong, ovate or elliptic

............ ....9 Flowers in (2-) 3-many flowered racemes or panicles.

............ ........11 Calyx accrescent in fruit, wholly or partly surrounding the capsule; corolla lavender to blue, with a whitish center; flower bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 4; [subfamily Cestroideae; tribe Browallieae]

............ ........11 Calyx not accrescent, subtending the mature fruit; corolla white, pink, green, pink, or blue; flower radially symmetrical; stamens 5.

............ ..........12 Leaves broad, > 4 cm wide; corolla tube 1.5-12.0 cm long; [subfamily Nicotianoideae]

............ ..........12 Leaves narrow, linear to narrowly oblancolate, to 0.5 mm wide; corolla tube 1.0-1.4 cm long; [subfamily Petunioideae]

............ 7 Corolla either urceolate, campanulate, or rotate, lacking a narrow tubular portion that is both > 1 cm long and > 4× as long as its midpoint diameter; fruit a berry (or circumscissile capsule in Hyoscyamus); [subfamily Solanoideae].

............ ............ 13 Fruit a circumscissile capsule; calyx accrescent, nearly enclosing the fruit; corolla cream to yellow, with a maroon center; inflorescence a strongly secund raceme; [tribe Hyoscyameae]

............ ............ 13 Fruit a berry (hollow in Capsicum); calyx either accrescent around the fruit or not (and then subtending the fruit); corolla various (but not as above, though in some Physalis yellow and with each petal marked with a purple or maroon spot); inflorescence various.

............ ............ ..14 Calyx not accrescent, subtending the mature berry.

............ ............ ....15 Berries 1.0-2.5 cm long; corolla urceolate (at least slightly constricted at the ‘neck’, just below the lobes of the corolla).

............ ............ ......16 Berries nearly spherical, blue-black, 1.0-2.0 cm long, 1.0-2.0 cm in diameter; corolla 2-3 cm long, maroon or purple, and greenish towards the base; plant an upright herb; [tribe Hyoscyameae]

............ ............ ......16 Berries elliptical, yellow, 1.5-2.5 cm long, 0.8-1.5 cm in diameter; corolla white 0.7-1.0 cm long, white; plant a trailing or scrambling vine; [tribe Physaleae]

............ ............ ....15 Berries 0.3-25 cm long.

............ ............ ........17 Locules air-filled; berries usually elongate and irregularly shaped (sometimes ovoidal or spherical; [peppers, chilis]; [tribe Capsiceae]

............ ............ ........17 Locules fleshy; berries spherical or ellipsoidal; [nightshades, tomato, potato, eggplant]; [tribe Solaneae]

............ ............ ..14 Calyx accrescent, wholly or partly surrounding the mature berry.

............ ............ ..........18 Mature calyx spiny; [tribe Solaneae]

............ ............ ..........18 Mature calyx glabrous or with hairs.

............ ............ ............ 19 Calyx divided nearly to the auricled base; corolla blue; [tribe Nicandreae]

............ ............ ............ 19 Calyx fused nearly to its summit; corolla white or yellow; [tribe Physalinae].

............ ............ ............ ..20 Fruiting calyx bright red (fresh or dry); corolla white; [cultivated and weakly naturalized near gardens]

............ ............ ............ ..20 Fruiting calyx green, yellow, or orange, drying brown or tan; corolla yellow, often marked with 5 large maroon or purple spots in the throat; [collectively widespread].

............ ............ ............ ....21 Flowers 2 or more per leaf axil; berries with spherical seed-like bodies intermixed with the flattened, reniform seeds; [of the Gulf Coastal Plain]

............ ............ ............ ....21 Flowers 1 per leaf axil; berries with flattened, reniform seeds only; [collectively widespread]

1 Leaves evergreen. {add to 1a: Scaevola in GOODENIACEAE, Morella (inodora) in MYRICACEAE, Ternstroemia in PENTAPHYLACACEAE, Pittosporum in PITTOSPORACEAE, Myrsine in PRIMULACEAE, Pyracantha in ROSACEAE, Dodonaea in SAPINDACEAE, Cestrum in SOLANACEAE, Thymelaea in THYMELAEACEAE, Conocarpus in COMBRETACEAE}

..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; [Monocots]

....3 Leaves broader, < 15× as long as wide; [Eudicots, Basal Angiosperms, or Monocots].

......4 Plant a creeping subshrub, < 1 dm tall

......4 Plant not creeping, > 3 dm tall.

........5 Inflorescence an involucrate head

........5 Inflorescence solitary (Illicium in ILLICIACEAE) or variously branched, spicate, racemose, or fascicled, not an involucrate head.

..........6 Carpels separate; fruit an aggregate; fresh foliage strongly fragrant; [Basal Angiosperms]

............ 7 Fruit an aggregate of woody follicles arranged in a whorl

............ 7 Fruit an aggregate of red to blackish berries, 4-6 mm long, each on a long stipe, giving the aggregate almost the apprearance of an umbel

..........6 Carpels fused; fruit a berry, drupe, acorn (nut), capsule, or legume; fresh foliage not strongly fragrant; [Eudicots, Monocots, and Basal Angiosperms].

............ ..8 Ovary with 3 carpels; fruit a berry; “leaves” actually cladodes; [Monocots]

............ ..8 Ovary with 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 carpels; fruit a berry, drupe, capsule, legume, or nut; leaves actually leaves; [Eudicots and Basal Angiosperms].

............ ....9 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}

............ ......10 Petals present, conspicuous, connate, white, the corolla rotate; fruit a berry with several seeds; fresh foliage with a strong, tar-like odor

............ ......10 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.

............ ........11 Perianth 4-merous; petals absent; petaloid sepals white to cream, fused and salverform; carpel 1; fruit a fleshy, red drupe, with a single seed

............ ........11 Perianth 5-merous; petals green and separate, or absent; sepals greenish, separate; carpels 3; fruit a 3-valved capsule with 3 seeds

............ ....9 Leaves with various vestiture, but not as above.

............ ..........12 Flowers in spikes, these solitary opposite leaves or in axillary umbels

............ ..........12 Flowers other types of inflorescences.

............ ............ 13 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

............ ............ 13 Leaves simple throughout; flowers either small, inconspicuous, tannish, borne in catkins (Quercus), or larger and urceolate, or with almost separate and spreading petals, white to pink, in various terminal or axillary, branched inflorescences; fruit either a nut in a cupule (an acorn), or a (3-) 5-valved capsule, or a spherical berry or drupe; stems generally brown or tan (sometimes green).

............ ............ ..14 Flowers small, inconspicuous, tannish, borne in catkins; fruit a nut in a cupule (an acorn)

............ ............ ..14 Flowers white to pink, either urceolate or tubular or with separate and spreading petals, in various terminal or axillary inflorescences; fruit either a (3-) 5-valved capsule, or a spherical berry with 10+ seeds, or a 4-8 seeded fleshy drupe, or a 1-seeded dry or fleshy drupe.

............ ............ ....15 Flowers white to pink, rotate or urceolate (the petals united at least basally), in various terminal or axillary inflorescences; fruit either a 2-5 valved capsule or a spherical berry with 10+ seeds.

............ ............ ......16 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; fruit a berry

............ ............ ......16 Leaves 1 per node; inflorescences terminal or axillary, never leaf-opposed; fruit a valved capsule

............ ............ ........17 Seeds without fleshy aril or attachment; ovaries 5-10 carpellate; flowers urceolate; leaves serrate or entire

............ ............ ........17 Seeds with fleshy aril or attachment; ovaries 2-4 carpellate; flowers rotate; leaves entire or very remotely serrulate.

............ ............ ..........18 Flowers few, not showy, green to greenish-white, inflorescence not densely arranged (flowers also sometimes solitary); capsules not beaked; leaves not revolute or undulate

............ ............ ..........18 Flowers numerous, showy, white; inflorescence densely arranged; capsules with short beak; leaf margins revolute or slightly undulate

............ ............ ....15 Flowers white, petals spreading, separate even at the base, in axillary fascicles or racemes; fruit either a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes, or a dry single-seeded drupe.

............ ............ ............ 19 Shrub rhizomatous and colonial; fruit an ellipsoid drupe, 2-3 cm long

............ ............ ............ 19 Shrub not rhizomatous; fruit either a fleshy or dry drupe, < 1 cm long.

............ ............ ............ ..20 Inflorescence an axillary fascicle or cluster; fruit a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes

............ ............ ............ ..20 Inflorescence an axillary raceme; fruit a dry drupe with 1 seed

1 Leaves deciduous. {add: Ditrysinia in EUPHORBIACEAE, Glochidion in PHYLLANTHACEAE, Phyllanthopsis in PHYLLANTHACEAE, Nierembergia in SOLANACEAE, Edgeworthia in THYMELAEACEAE, Ipomoea (I. carnea) in CONVOLVULACEAE; Swida (S. alternifolia) in CORNACEAE}

............ ............ ............ ....21 Inflorescence an involucrate head

............ ............ ............ ....21 Inflorescence branched, spicate, a catkin, or consisting of a solitary flower or axillary clusters or whorls, not an involucrate head.

............ ............ ............ ......22 Inflorescence a catkin; flowers unisexual; plants dioecious

............ ............ ............ ........23 Leaves 3.5-6 cm wide

............ ............ ............ ........23 Leaves < 3 cm wide

............ ............ ............ ......22 Inflorescence various, not a catkin; flowers bisexual; plants hermaphroditic.

............ ............ ............ ..........24 Inflorescences axillary, solitary flowers

............ ............ ............ ............ 25 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]

............ ............ ............ ............ 25 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]

............ ............ ............ ..........24 Inflorescence of 2 or more flowers; perianth 3-5-merous; fresh plants not musky-fragrant; fruits various, not as above.

............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Flowers 3-merous; fruit fleshy, red or greenish-yellow at maturity; ovary superior; [Basal Angiosperms or Eudicots].

............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 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

............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Leaves obovate or oblanceolate, broadest near the apex; stems armed with nodal spines; fresh plants not fragrant; fruit a berry, with several seeds.

............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Flowers 4-5-merous; fruit fleshy or dry, black, blue, brown, tan, or red at maturity; ovary superior or inferior; [Eudicots].

............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Fruit a 4-5-valved capsule with many seeds; inflorescence either terminal, a corymb or panicle, or an axillary whorl

............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 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).

............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Leaves largely covered with silver and/or bronze shiny lepidote scales below, giving the lower leaf surface an almost metallic appearance

............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Leaves with various vestiture, but not as above.

............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Ovary inferior or half-inferior; inflorescence an axillary cluster or raceme, or a terminal raceme.

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Fruit a spherical berry, with 10 or more seeds

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Fruit an elongate drupe (definitely longer than thick), with 1 seed.

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Fruit 15-30 mm long; inflorescence a terminal raceme

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Fruit 6-10 mm long; inflorescence an axillary fascicle

............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Ovary superior; inflorescence an axillary cluster or an axillary raceme (borne themselves in clusters).

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Fruits elongate, 8-20 mm long.

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Fruit a yellowish-green drupe, 12-15 mm long; leaves on main stems; [rich forests, mainly inland]

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Fruits spherical, < 10 mm long.

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 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

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Inflorescence an axillary cluster; fruit > 4 mm in diameter

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Fruit dry, opening by 3 valves, 1-seeded; leaf pubescence stellate

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Fruit fleshy, with 4-8 seeds; leaf pubescence simple or absent.

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Fruit yellow to red, the pedicel 10-30 mm long; leaf venation pinnate, but irregular and reticulated

............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 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