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).
Inflorescence , flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.
Leaflets obviously and sharply
serrate ;
pistils 1 or 5-many; fruit an
achene , or an aggregate of
achenes ,
drupelets , or
follicles .
Leaflets 7-11, slightly
pedate in their arrangement, evergreen
Pistil 1; fruit an
achene
Pistils 5-many; fruit an aggregate of
achenes ,
drupelets , or
follicles
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 .
Corolla bilaterally symmetrical;
petals 5; fruit a
legume ;
carpel 1
Corolla radially symmetrical;
petals 4 or 5; fruit either an elongate
capsule or a
berry ;
carpels 1, 2, or 5.
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
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.
Carpels 2; fruit a red
berry ;
petals connate , purplish-blue
Carpel 1; fruit a
capsule ;
petals separate, white, pink, or yellow.
Stem leaves 1-3,
alternate [or
whorled or opposite];
leaflets 3, irregularly
serrate ,
lacerate , or additionally divided or
lobed ; fruit a
silique ;
carpels 2
Stem leaves >3,
alternate ;
leaflets (1-) 3-7, each
entire or obscurely
toothed ; fruit a
capsule ;
carpel 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 ).
Inflorescence an
involucrate head subtended by
phyllaries , heads solitary or many, variously arrayed in secondary
inflorescences ; fruit a
cypsela ;
ovary inferior
Inflorescence various, but not as above; fruit various, not as above;
ovary superior .
Leaves 1-
pinnately compound (all
leaflets attached to a central
rachis ).
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
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).
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 )
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.
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).
Flowers slightly bilaterally symmetrical (2 of the
petals of different size than the other 3); fruit a
capsular schizocarp of 5
mericarps ;
carpels 5
Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit either a
loculicidal capsule or a
berry ;
carpels 2 or 3.
Fruit a
berry ; fresh plant rankly fragrant
Fruit a
capsule ; fresh plant not aromatic.
Capsule 2-
valvate ;
carpels 2;
leaflets prominently
serrate or with some
tooth -like sublobes
Leaves more complexly compound (with 2 or more orders of branching, some
leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the
rachis ).
Leaves 2×
even-pinnate ; flowers in
spikes or
spherical heads; fruit a
legume or
loment .
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 ).
Leaf
segments linear , less than 2 mm wide.
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 .
Ovary of 2 fused
carpels ; fruit a
capsule (1-seeded and
indehiscent in
Fumaria )
Ovary of 1-5or many distinct 1-
carpellate pistils ; fruit an aggregate of
follicles or
achenes
Leaf
segments broader,
lanceolate ,
ovate , or
elliptic , > 5 mm wide.
Erect or
sprawling herb;
stamens 5-6 or >15.
Leaflets sharply
serrate , with usually many teeth on each
leaflet side, the total number of “points” per
leaflet > 10.
Flowers
bisexual ;
carpels 1-8; fruit an aggregate of
follicles , a single
follicle , or an
indehiscent berry -like fruit
Flowers
unisexual ;
carpels (in
pistillate flowers) of 3 (-5)
carpels ; fruit an aggregate of
follicles
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.
Perianth bilaterally symmetrical, the
corolla of 4 fused
petals ; plant a
scandent vine or erect or
sprawling herb
Perianth radially symmetrical, of 1-5
whorls of separate
perianth parts; plant an erect herb.
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
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
Cypselae (at least of the inner
florets of the head) beaked, the
beak usually > ½ the length of the
cypselae body.
Heads solitary and terminal at the end of a stem unbranched to its
base .
Flower color pink to purple or white
Flower color yellow to yellowish-white.
Leaves
basal and
cauline , grasslike (untoothed and
unlobed ); stem leafy
Leaves
basal only, variously
toothed to
pinnately lobed ; stem
scapiform (leafless).
Pappus either of outer
scales and inner
bristles or entirely of
aristate scales .
Pappus of outer
scales and inner
plumose bristles ; leaves
oblanceolate to
oblong ; plants annual or perennial
Pappus of
aristate scales ; leaves
linear to narrowly
lanceolate ; plants annual
Heads several per stem, in various
corymbiform ,
umbelliform ,
spiciform , or
paniculiform arrays (rarely solitary and terminal in the smallest and most
depauperate individuals in a population.
Achenes distinctly flattened or
compressed .
Florets (6-)10-50+ per head
Plants taprooted annuals or
biennials , without
rhizomes
Plants
rhizomatous perennials, the
rhizomes deeply rooted in the substrate
Pappus of
plumose bristles , at least the inner series; plant an annual or
biennial .
Pappus of simple
capillary bristles ; plant an annual,
biennial , or perennial.
Beak of the
cypsela with a ring of soft white
reflexed hairs at the summit (just below the
pappus );
phyllary apices usually with
keel -like flap
Beak of the
cypsela lacking a ring of
hairs as described;
phyllary apices lacking
keel (
phyllary bases can be
keeled in
Crepis )
Pappus of 80-150
barbellulate bristles ; plant an annual or
biennial
Pappus either of 40-50 (or more) smooth
bristles or of 20-30
barbellulate bristles ; plant a perennial.
Phyllaries tomentose ;
pappus of 40-50 (or more) smooth
bristles
Cypselae beakless, the
apex typically rounded or
truncate (sometimes tapered but lacking a distinct
beak and conspicuously < ½ the length of
cypselae body).
Leaves basally disposed (stem leaves few or none, if present generally smaller in size than the
basal leaves, which are
persistent into flowering and fruiting);
corollas yellow, orange, or red.
Heads solitary or 2-3;
pappus absent, the
cypselae never bearing
scales or
bristles ;
cypselae with 8-10
ribs (3-5 prominent); [
waif , ne. US]
Heads solitary;
pappus present (occasionally absent in
Krigia );
cypselae with 10-20
ribs ; [widespread natives]
Pappus of 40-80 smooth to
barbellulate bristles and sometimes a few
subulate to
setiform scales (but
pappus never absent); [Great Plains, midwest US]
Pappus absent, of
scales , or of 5-45
bristles and 5+
scales ; [collectively widespread]
Pappus of
bristles only (these
barbellulate ,
plumose , or rarely smooth).
Pappus of
plumose bristles (these somewhat flattened at their
bases )
Leaves with
entire margins ; plants perennials, from short
rhizomes , a short
caudex with
fibrous roots , or a thick
taproot .
Leaves coarsely
toothed or
pinnately lobed ; plants annuals, from a
taproot .
Flowers usually pink to lavender; [TX; tribe Mutisieae]
Flowers usually yellow to orange; [widespread, including TX; tribe Cichorieae].
Involucre 5-12 mm high;
achenes usually > 2.5 mm long;
pappus bristles distinct, 3-7 mm long
Involucre 3-5 mm high;
achenes 1.5-2.5 mm long;
pappus bristles basally
connate (unified basally into a ring-like structure at the junction of
achene summit), 2.5-3.5 mm long
Leaves
basal and
cauline (plant often beginning with a
basal rosette , but by flowering bearing well-developed stem leaves about as large as the
basal leaves, the
basal rosette often withering prior to flowering and fruiting);
corollas yellow, orange, red, blue, pink, white, or lavender.
Pappus absent or of
scales .
Corollas pale blue (rarely pink or white)
Corollas yellow (rarely orange).
Phyllaries enfolding the outer
cypselae
Phyllaries not enfolding the outer
cypselae .
Stem
winged and
spiny ; leaves
spiny -margined;
receptacle with
paleae
Stem not
winged or
spiny ; leaves not
spiny -margined;
receptacle lacking
paleae .
Cypselae 1.2-2.8 mm long; heads borne single at the ends of
scapiform stems that are unbranched (rarely few-branched near the
base ); plants to 7 dm tall
Cypselae 3-5 mm long; heads borne in
corymbiform or
thyrsiform arrays; plants to 15 dm tall
Pappus of numerous smooth,
barbellate , or
plumose bristles .
Cypselae more or less strongly flattened.
Pappus of 30-45+
bristles , these at least partly
plumose
Cypselae terete or
prismatic , slightly or not at all flattened.
Corollas pink, purple, lavender, white, or creamy-yellow.
Leaves
linear ,
entire , < 3 mm wide, or reduced to
scales ;
cypselae 11-14 mm long; [of the Coastal Plain of GA and se. AL south to s. FL]
Leaves broader, of various shapes, usually
hastate , irregularly
lobed , and/or
serrate ;
cypselae 3.5-10 mm long; [collectively widespread in our area, south to n. FL]
Corollas bright yellow, orange, or red.
Leaves finely
prickly ;
pappus of frizzy outer
bristles and coarse, straight inner
bristles
Leaves not finely
prickly ;
pappus of
barbellulate bristles (sometimes of uneven thickness but not of 2 distinct types)
Plants taprooted annuals and
biennials (rarely perennials);
pappus bristles white and soft in texture
Plants
fibrous -rooted perennials;
pappus bristles white, light to medium tan, or sordid, stiff.
Cypselae (2-) 2.5-7 mm long;
pappus of (30-) 40-80 white, tan, or sordid
bristles , in 1-2+ series; plants
cespitose ;
corollas yellow
Cypselae 1-2.5 mm long;
pappus of 25-40+ white to sordid
bristles , in 1 series; plants
stoloniferous (
cespitose in a few species);
corollas yellow or orange