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Keyed in multiple places:

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Key C5: rooted aquatics with cauline leaves, compound or divided

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1 Leaves (or leaf-like adventitious roots) 1-pinnately compound or divided (with a central axis bearing pinnae, the pinnae not further divided).
  2 Leaves crowded at the upper end of the stem, supported by inflated branches
  2 Leaves (or leaf-like adventitious roots) spaced along the stem, no branches inflated.
    3 Emersed leaves diamond-shaped, the blade < 2× as long wide, serrate only in the upper portion of its length
    3 Emersed leaves lanceolate, the blade > 4× as long as wide, serrate along its length
1 Leaves dichotomously or otherwise complexly (2-3×) compound or divided.
      4 Plants bearing numerous bladder-like traps
      4 Plants lacking bladder-like traps.
        5 Leaves alternate; leaf segments complexly (but not dichotomously) branched.
          6 Leaf dissection 2-pinnate to 3-pinnate; flowers in racemes; petals 4, white
          6 Leaf dissection 2-ternate to 3-ternate; flowers solitary; petals 5, yellow or white
        5 Leaves opposite or whorled; leaf segments dichotomously branched.
             7 Leaves whorled; leaf segments entire or toothed with denticles.
               8 Leaf segments toothed with denticles
               8 Leaf segments entire
             7 Leaves opposite; leaf segments entire.
                 9 Leaves sessile
                 9 Leaves petiolate

Key N1: herbaceous dicots with mainly basal, compound leaves

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1 Leaves either 2-3-foliolate or palmately 4-11-foliolate (all the leaflets attached at a common point).
  2 Leaves 2-foliolate; fruit a capsule, opening by a circumscissile lid
  2 Leaves either 3-foliolate or palmately or pedately 4-11-foliolate.
    3 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
    3 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.
      4 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps
      4 Inflorescence various, usually not an umbel (sometimes an umbel in Oxalis in OXALIDACEAE); ovary superior; fruit an aggregate, legume, berry, or 2-valved capsule.
        5 Leaflets either entire or barely and very shallowly crenulate or notched at the tip (but otherwise entire).
          6 Inflorescence a spadix, surrounded by a spathe; fruit a berry; [Monocots {illogically keyed here because of the likelihood of being mistaken for a dicot}]
          6 Inflorescence a raceme or umbel, not surrounded by a spathe; fruit a capsule or legume; [Eudicots].
             7 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume; [plant of uplands]
             7 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit a 2-valved or 5-valved capsule; [plant of uplands or wetlands]
               8 Leaflets not notched at the tip; flowers white; [plants of saturated saturated or ponded wetlands]
               8 Leaflets notched at the tip; flowers pink, white, or yellow; [plants of uplands or temporarily flooded wetlands]
        5 Leaflets serrate, serrulate, or cleft.
                 9 Petals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique
                 9 Petals 5 or more; stamens 10 or more; fruit either a legume or an aggregate of achenes or follicles
                   10 Stamens many, fused into a staminal tube; carpels 10-20, in a ring; pubescence stellate (sometimes mixed with simple hairs)
                   10 Stamens 10-many, separate, or fused but not all into a staminal tube; carpel either 1 (FABACEAE), or 3-7 in a ring (RANUNCULACEAE), or many and spirally arranged on a conical receptacle (RANUNCULACEAE or ROSACEAE)
                     11 Leaflets serrulate; flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume; corolla variously colored, including white
                     11 Leaflets serrate; flowers radially symmetrical; fruit an aggregate of achenes or of follicles; corolla white or yellowish or greenish.
                       12 Fruit an aggregate of follicles
                       12 Fruit an aggregate of achenes (borne on a fleshy, expanded receptacle in Fragaria and some Potentilla)
                          13 Flowers with a hypanthium
1 Leaves 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).
                            14 Leaves 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis).
                              15 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
                              15 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.
                                16 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a legume
                                16 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit a silique/silicle, or a schizocarp of mericarps, or an achene.
                                  17 Petals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique/silicle
                                  17 Petals 0 or 5 (if 0, the sepals petaloid); stamens 2, 4, 5, or many.
                                    18 Stamens 5; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                    18 Stamens 2, 4, or many; fruit an achene
                            14 Leaves more complexly compound (with 2 or more orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                                       19 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
                                       19 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.).
                                         20 Leaf segments or ultimate lobes linear or lanceolate, > 2× as long as wide, < 4 mm wide.
                                           21 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps
                                           21 Inflorescence various, but not an umbel; ovary superior; fruit an aggregate of follicles or an elongate capsule.
                                             22 Carpels 2, fused; fruit an elongate capsule; flowers bilaterally symmetrical
                                             22 Carpels 5-10 or many, separate; fruit an aggregate; flower radially symmetrical
                                         20 Leaf segments or ultimate lobes ovate or elliptic, < 3× as long as wide, > 5 mm wide.
                                               23 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior; fruit a mericarp of 2 schizocarps or a 5-seeded drupe.
                                                 24 Fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                 24 Fruit a 5-seeded drupe
                                               23 Inflorescence various, but not an umbel; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes, an elongate capsule, or a naked seed resembling a drupe.
                                                    25 Leaflets with < 10 ultimate ‘points’ (lobe or tooth terminations), these rounded to broadly acute, often large in comparison to the leaflet and appearing as “sublobes”; pistil 1 or 4-many.
                                                      26 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; fruit an elongate capsule; [cultivated exotic, rarely persistent near gardens]
                                                      26 Corolla radially symmetrical; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes, or a naked seed resembling a drupe; [native plants of moist to dry forests and rock outcrops].
                                                        27 Leaflets 5-8 cm long, obviously longer than broad; pistil 1; fruit a naked blue seed resembling a drupe; flowers mainly 3-merous
                                                        27 Leaflets 1-6 cm long, about as long as broad if > 4 cm long; pistils 4-many; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes; flowers mainly 4-5-merous
                                                    25 Leaflets with >11 ultimate ‘points’ (lobe or tooth terminations), these acuminate to acute; pistils 1-8.
                                                          28 Pubescence of the stem and lower leaf surface glandular; flowers unisexual, on the same plant (monoecious); stamens 10; pistils 2, partly fused; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                                                          28 Pubescence of the stem and lower leaf surface non-glandular (or absent); flowers either bisexual (the plants hermaphroditic), or unisexual and the male and female flowers on separate plants (the plants dioecious); stamens 15 or more; pistils 1-8, separate; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a follicle, or a red or white berry.
                                                            29 Flowers bisexual (plants hermaphroditic); carpels 1-8 per flower; inflorescence a raceme, or a panicle of racemes with just a few branches; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a follicle, or a red or white berry
                                                            29 Flowers unisexual (plants dioecious); carpels 3-4 per pistillate flower; inflorescence a panicle of racemes, with numerous branches; fruit an aggregate of follicles

Key P1: herbaceous dicots with alternate, simple, and unlobed leaves on the stem

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1 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
1 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above (sometimes the flowers in a head, e.g. Eryngium in APIACEAE, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
  2 Perianth uniseriate (represented only by undifferentiated tepals or sepals) or completely absent; flowers usually unisexual, less commonly bisexual).
    3 Inflorescence a cyathium, consisting of a single pistillate flower (reduced to a single 3-carpellate pistil) and 2 or more staminate flowers (each reduced to 1 stamen), borne in a cup-like involucre, the involucre bearing pointed or rounded glands, these sometimes brightly colored and petaloid, mimicking an individual flower (the cyathia then secondarily arranged in terminal cymes, or solitary and axillary, etc.); fresh plants with milky juice; fruit a 3-lobed, 3-locular capsule
    3 Inflorescence not a cyathium (and staminate or bisexual flowers with > 1 stamen; fresh plants lacking milky juice (except Stillingia in EUPHORBIACEAE); fruit various, not as above.
      4 Leaf margins toothed in some manner (serrate, dentate, crenate, etc.)
        5 Leaf teeth rounded to subacute, resembling shallow lobes, irregular, few (mostly < 6 per leaf side).
          6 Fruit a single-seeded achene or utricle; [plants of various disturbed or saline, usually sunny habitats]
          6 Fruit a 3-lobed, circumscissilely dehiscent capsule; [plants native of rich moist shaded forests or exotics in suburban woodlands]
        5 Leaf teeth sharp to crenate, not lobe-like, regular, many (mostly > 10 per leaf side).
             7 Leaf bases cuneate
             7 Leaf bases cordate to rounded.
               8 Styles 3; fruit a 3-lobed, 3-carpellate capsule (1 carpel sometimes aborting); inflorescence either a terminal or leaf opposed raceme, or a dense axillary condensed cyme with conspicuous toothed bracts subtending the flowers
               8 Styles 1 or 2; fruit either an achene or a multiple of achenes; inflorescence either an axillary dense cyme (almost a head), or an axillary spike with glomerules, or a terminal or axillary panicle.
                 9 Styles 2; inflorescence a dense axillary cyme (almost a head); fruit a multiple of achenes; plant lacking stinging hairs; [exotic plant of weedy situations]
                 9 Style 1; inflorescence an axillary spikes with glomerules, or a terminal or axillary panicle; plant either with stinging hairs or not; [plant a rare exotic (Boehmeria nivea) or a native of moist forests (Boehmeria cylindrica, Laportea)]
      4 Leaf margins entire.
                   10 Ovary inferior or half-inferior.
                     11 Leaf base cordate; calyx 3-lobed, fused into a bilaterally symmetrical, curved brown or yellowish tube; fruit a capsule
                     11 Leaf base cuneate, rounded, or truncate; calyx of 3-4-5 distinct sepals, radially symmetrical, white or yellow; fruit a dry, nutlike drupe or an achene.
                       12 Leaves subsessile or very short petiolate, elliptic or narrowly elliptic, broadest near the middle; [native]
                       12 Leaves distinctly petiolate, rhombic, widest near the base; [rarely naturalized exotics].
                          13 Inflorescence of a single axillary flower
                          13 Inflorescence terminal, spikelike
                   10 Ovary superior.
                            14 Inflorescence a leaf-opposed (sometimes apparently terminal) spike or raceme; flowers visually white from white petaloid sepals, white bracts, or white stamens.
                              15 Sepals present, 4 or 5; petaloid, white; carpels 1 to many (-12); stamens 4 to many (-25); fruit a berry or an apically 2-lobed achene (as in Petiveria); leaf bases cuneate or rounded (but not cordate); [Eudicots].
                                16 Sepals 4; carpels 1; fruit subglobose berries or apically lobed achenes
                                16 Sepals 5; carpels 6-12, distinct; fruit an oblate berry
                              15 Sepals absent; carpels 3-4; stamens 2-6 (-8); fruit a capsule, a 1-seeded drupe, or a schizocarp of 3-4 mericarps; leaf bases cordate or subcordate; [Basal Angiosperms].
                                  17 Fruit a 1-seeded drupe; stamens 2; plants terrestrial or epiphytic
                                  17 Fruit a capsule or schizocarp with 3-4 mericarps; stamens 3 or 6-8; plants terrestrial
                            14 Inflorescence not leaf-opposed, either simpler (single axillary or glomerules of flowers) or more complexly branched (axillary or terminal panicles or complex cymes); flowers white, reddish, scarious, or greenish.
                                    18 Stipules tubular, sheathing (= ocreae); flowers subtended by tubular, sheathing bracteoles (= ocreolae); nodes usually prominently swollen; perianth usually of 5-6 white to pink tepals
                                    18 Stipules not tubular or sheathing; flowers not subtended by ocreolae; nodes not swollen; perianth absent or of 3-5 sepals.
                                       19 Inflorescence an terminal involucrate cluster; flowers bisexual; stamens 9
                                       19 Inflorescence axillary, or a terminal panicle or raceme that is not involucrate; stamens 3-6.
                                         20 Ovary 3-locular; styles 3, each bifid; fruit a capsule, with 6 seeds
                                         20 Ovary 1-locular; styles 1-3, not bifid; fruit a utricle or achene (1-seeded).
                                           21 Styles 1, stigma 1; flowers unisexual
                                           21 Styles 1-3, if style 1, then stigmas 3; flowers bisexual or unisexual.
                                             22 Tepals acute, scarious
                                             22 Tepals usually blunt, herbaceous
  2 Perianth biseriate (represented by differentiated whorls of sepals and petals, the sepals usually green or drab in color, the petals often brightly colored); flowers nearly always bisexual (there are exceptions).
                                               23 Ovary inferior or half-inferior.
                                                 24 Petals connate.
                                                    25 Inflorescence leaf-opposed, a dense, cylindrical spike
                                                    25 Inflorescence various, either a terminal head, or axillary and solitary, or variously axillary or terminal and more diffuse.
                                                      26 Leaves toothed; flowers blue to white
                                                      26 Leaves entire; flowers white
                                                 24 Petals distinct.
                                                        27 Petals 5; stamens 5; inflorescence a head; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                        27 Petals 4 7; stamens 6 or more; inflorescence various, not a head; fruit a capsule.
                                                          28 Petals 4-7; stamens 1× or 2× as many as the petals, 4-7, 8, 10, 12, or14; leaves herbaceous in texture
                                                          28 Petals 5 (or sometimes doubled in horticultural forms); stamens 6-40 (or more); leaves fleshy in texture
                                               23 Ovary superior.
                                                            29 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical, petals connate (except distinct in VIOLACEAE); fruit a capsule or legume (except a 1-seeded indehiscent spinose pod in Krameria in KRAMERIACEAE).
                                                              30 Petals distinct, 5; carpels 3; fruit a 3-loculed capsule
                                                              30 Petals connate (at least basally), 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8; carpels 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6 (rarely 3 in Reseda in RESEDACEAE); fruit a legume or 1-, 2-, or 5-loculed capsule (except a 1-seeded indehiscent pod in Krameria in KRAMERIACEAE).
                                                                 31 Stamens 6-10 (-25), more than the number (4 or 5) of petals and the number (4 or 5) of the sepals; fruit a legume or a 1-6-carpellate capsule.
                                                                   32 Stamens fused, monadelphous or diadelphous.
                                                                     33 Stamens 10, monadelphous or diadelphous; fruit a legume
                                                                     33 Stamens 6-8, monadelphous; fruit a capsule
                                                                   32 Stamens distinct.
                                                                       34 Carpel 1; fruit a legume
                                                                       34 Carpels 3-6; fruit a capsule
                                                                 31 Stamens 4-5, less than the number (5) of the petals; fruit a 2-5-carpellate capsule.
                                                                         35 Pistil 5-carpellate; capsule 5-locular, explosively dehiscent; inflorescence axillary, small clusters of flowers
                                                                         35 Pistil 2-carpellate; capsule 2 locular, opening gradually or not at all; inflorescence a terminal spike, raceme or panicle (or solitary, axillary flowers in Chaenorrhinum in PLANTAGINACEAE and Krameria in KRAMERIACEAE).
                                                                           36 Fruit 1-seeded, indehiscent; sepals petaloid, red-purple; petals dimorphic, the upper 3 long-clawed, the lower 2 small, thickened, and glandlike
                                                                           36 Fruit > 2-seeded, dehiscent; sepals sepaloid, green; petals not dimorphic.
                                                                              37 Stamens 5; corolla not spurred; capsule septicidal; pubescence of the stem and leaves either gland-tipped or dendritically branched
                                                                              37 Stamens 4; corolla with a distinct spur or sac at the base between the the 2 lower calyx lobes (except not spurred in Digitalis and Schwalbea); capsule loculicidal (only at the summit in Antirrhinum and Chaenorrhinum, and septicidal in Schwalbea); pubescence of the stem and leaves neither gland-tipped (except in Antirrhinum and Chaenorrhinum) nor dendritically branched.
                                                                                38 Capsule septicidal; corolla not spurred
                                                                                38 Capsule loculicidal; corolla spurred (except Digitalis)
                                                            29 Corolla radially symmetrical, petals connate or distinct; fruit various (including a capsule).
                                                                                  39 Petals distinct; stamens 5-many.
                                                                                    40 Pistils 4-10 (each 1-carpellate) in a ring, these sometimes fused basally, each with its own style/stigma; fruit either an aggregate of achenes or follicles or a 5 (-7) locular capsule.
                                                                                      41 Pistils 5 (-7); inflorescence a compound terminal cyme.
                                                                                        42 Fruit an aggregate of follicles; leaves fleshy in texture; inflorescence; leaves entire of sparsely and coarsely serrate, with < 12 points per leaf; [plants primarily of dry habitats]
                                                                                        42 Fruit a 5 (-7) locular capsule; leaves membranaceous in texture; leaves serrate, with > 20 points per leaf; [plants of wet habitats]
                                                                                      41 Pistils many; inflorescence of solitary flowers, or diffuse.
                                                                                           43 Leaves cordate at the base; flowers solitary, on long pedicels
                                                                                    40 Pistil 1, with 1-to many carpels (in many MALVACEAE, the carpels loosely united in a ring [of more than 5] around the single style/stigma); fruit either a 1-, 2-, 3-, 5-, 6-, or 10-locular capsule, or a silique/silicle, or a ring of mericarps.
                                                                                             44 Petals 4; sepals 4; stamens 6; fruit a silique/silicle
                                                                                             44 Petals 5 (rarely 4 or 6); sepals 5 (rarely 4 or 6); stamens 5 (or multiples of 5), 6, or 12; fruit a capsule or a ring of mericarps.
                                                                                               45 Stamens many, connate into a staminal tube; carpels 5-many; fruit a capsule or ring of mericarps; leaves usually serrate
                                                                                               45 Stamens 5-many, distinct; carpels 2-5; fruit a capsule; leaves entire (serrate in Croton in EUPHORBIACEAE).
                                                                                                 46 Flowers unisexual; leaf vestiture of peltate scales and/or stellate hairs
                                                                                                 46 Flowers bisexual; leaf vestiture simple or stellate.
                                                                                                   47 Flowers 6-merous (the petals and sepals 6, the stamens 6 or 12); corolla pink or purplish (rarely white); fruit a septicidal capsule
                                                                                                   47 Flowers 5-merous (the petals and sepals 5, stamens 5 or various multiples of 5); corolla yellow, reddish, or blue; fruit a loculicidal or septicidal capsule.
                                                                                                     48 Stamens 5; corolla yellow or blue; capsule either 10-locular and septicidal or 1-locular (with 3 carpels) and loculicidal.
                                                                                                        49 Capsule 10-locular (with 5 carpels) and septicidal
                                                                                                        49 Capsule 1-locular (with 3 carpels) and loculicidal
                                                                                                     48 Stamens (5-) 10, 15, 20, 30 (-many); corolla white, pink, yellow, or reddish; capsule 3-, 5- (-10)-locular, loculicidal.
                                                                                                          50 Stamens (5-) 10, 15, 20, 30 (-many); corolla yellow or reddish; capsule 3 (-10)-locular, loculicidal
                                                                                                          50 Stamens 10; corolla white or pink; capsule 5-locular
                                                                                  39 Petals fused; stamens (4-) 5 (-7).
                                                                                                            51 Pistils 2, united only by the style and stigma; fruit a schizocarp of 2 follicles (often single by abortion); plant with milky juice when fresh; leaves entire; inflorescence an umbel
                                                                                                            51 Pistil 1 (of 2 or 3 fused carpels); fruit a capsule; plant lacking milky juice; leaves entire or serrate; inflorescence various (but not an umbel).
                                                                                                              52 Ovary slightly to deeply 2-4-lobed; fruit a schizocarp of 4 mericarps or a drupe.
                                                                                                                53 Ovary deeply 4-parted; style gynobasic; fruit a schizocarp of 4 mericarps
                                                                                                                53 Ovary slightly 2-4-lobed, or not at all lobed; style terminal or reduced to a sessile terminal stigma; fruit a schizocarp of 4 mericarps, or a drupe
                                                                                                              52 Ovary not lobed; fruit a capsule or berry.
                                                                                                                  54 Leaves scale-like, 1-4.5 mm long, appressed to the stem; petals 4; stamens 4
                                                                                                                  54 Leaves larger (or only 2-8 mm long in Pyxidanthera in DIAPENSIACEAE, but then spreading); petals 5-7; stamens 5-7.
                                                                                                                     55 Plant a creeping subshrub (keyed here as a failsafe); leaves either 0.2-0.8 cm long and acicular, or 2-10 cm long and broadly ovate or elliptic.
                                                                                                                       56 Leaves 0.2-0.8 cm long and acicular
                                                                                                                       56 Leaves 2-10 cm long and broadly ovate or elliptic
                                                                                                                     55 Plant an herb, erect or sprawling; leaves > 1.5 cm long.
                                                                                                                         57 Leaves cordate at the base; plant a twining vine
                                                                                                                         57 Leaves cuneate to rounded at the base; plant an erect, sprawling, or reclining herb (twining in Solanum dulcamara in SOLANACEAE).
                                                                                                                           58 Inflorescences (solitary or of several flowers) terminal on the stem.
                                                                                                                             59 Corolla lobes longer than the fused corolla cup, blue, pink, or white; styles 2; herbage lacking stipitate glands; fresh plants not aromatic.
                                                                                                                               60 Flowers in axillary cymes; capsule subglobose; leaves 2-12 cm long
                                                                                                                               60 Flowers solitary or paired in the leaf axils; capsule cylindrical; leaves 0.5-8 cm long
                                                                                                                             59 Corolla lobes very short, much shorter than the corolla cup or tube, sometimes barely perceptible and represented only by teeth on the edge of the corolla limb, white or pink; style 1; herbage often with stipitate glands; fresh plants often rankly aromatic
                                                                                                                           58 Inflorescences (of solitary or several flowers) axillary or lateral on the stem.
                                                                                                                                  61 Flowers sessile or very-short pedicelled, solitary in the leaf axils.
                                                                                                                                    62 Stamens alternate with the corolla lobes; flower ca. 10 mm in diameter
                                                                                                                                    62 Stamens opposite the corolla lobes; flower ca. 1 mm in diameter
                                                                                                                                  61 Flowers either solitary and obviously pedicelled, or several in an axillary or lateral inflorescence.
                                                                                                                                      63 Corolla lobes longer than the fused corolla cup, blue
                                                                                                                                      63 Corolla lobes very short, much shorter than the corolla cup or tube, sometimes barely perceptible and represented only by teeth on the edge of the corolla limb, white, yellow, pink, various other colors (rarely including blue).
                                                                                                                                        64 Fruit a capsule, 4-seeded
                                                                                                                                        64 Fruit a berry or capsule, many-seeded

Key P2: herbaceous dicots with alternate, simple, and palmately lobed leaves on the stem

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1 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, the heads solitary or many and variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences, the ovary inferior, the corolla connate and tubular at least basally, the calyx absent, the stamens 5, the fruit a cypsela
1 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above (sometimes the flowers in a head, e.g. Eryngium in APIACEAE, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
  2 Plant a vine, climbing by tendrils or twining.
    3 Vine climbing by twining.
      4 Leaf margins entire; flowers bisexual; plants hermaphroditic; petals connate, large and showy
      4 Leaf margins serrate; flowers unisexual; plants dioecious; petals absent
    3 Vine climbing by tendrils.
        5 Ovary inferior; petals connate; flowers unisexual
        5 Ovary superior; petals distinct; flowers bisexual
  2 Plant an herb, sometimes sprawling, reclining (e.g. Cymbalaria in PLANTAGINACEAE, Aconitum in RANUNCULACEAE), but lacking climbing adaptations such as tendrils or twining stems.
          6 Ovary inferior; inflorescence an umbel; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
             7 Involucre well-developed and obvious
             7 Involucre absent or minute
          6 Ovary superior; inflorescence various, not an umbel; fruit various, a capsule, an aggregate of achenes or follicles, a ring of (>2) mericarps.
               8 Perianth uniseriate, the corolla absent (the calyx petaloid and white in Cnidoscolus); flowers unisexual; plants either with stinging hairs or not
               8 Perianth biseriate (uniseriate in Aphanes in ROSACEAE and in Trautvetteria in RANUNCULACEAE); flowers bisexual; plants lacking stinging hairs.
                 9 Pistils many (or 2-3 in Aphanes in ROSACEAE), each with 1 carpel, arranged spirally or in a ring (if in a ring, of 2-5); fruit an aggregate of achenes, follicles, or utricles.
                   10 Perianth bilaterally symmetrical, either hooded or spurred; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                   10 Perianth radially symmetrical, not hooded or spurred; fruit an aggregate of utricles or achenes (plumose achenes in Geum)
                     11 Stamens showy, bright white, dilated towards the tip; pistils ca. 15; fruit an aggregate of utricles
                     11 Stamens not showy, white, or dilated towards the tip; pistils many (> 25); fruit an aggregate of achenes.
                       12 Flowers with a prominent hypanthium; achenes with an elongate, plumose beak
                 9 Pistil 1, with 1-to many carpels (in many MALVACEAE, the carpels loosely united in a ring of more than 5 around the style); fruit a capsule, an achene, a follicle, or a ring of 3 or 5-many 1-seeded mericarps.
                          13 Perianth uniseriate, the corolla absent
                          13 Perianth biseriate, with well-developed and differentiated calyx and corolla
                            14 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical, the petals connate (except distinct in Delphinium in RANUNCULACEAE); fruit a capsule, a follicle, or a schizocarp of 3 1-seeded mericarps.
                              15 Corolla not spurred; fruit an elongate (10-20 cm) capsule with 2 curved beaks
                              15 Corolla with a nectar spur; fruit < 3 cm long.
                                16 Petals distinct; fruit a follicle
                                16 Petals connate; fruit a capsule or a schizocarp of 3 1-seeded mericarps.
                                  17 Carpels 2; fruit a capsule; stamens 4
                                  17 Carpels 3; fruit a schizocarp of 3 1-seeded mericarps; stamens 8
                            14 Corolla radially symmetrical, the petals distinct (fused and tubular in Ipomoea); fruit a capsule or a schizocarp consisting of a ring of 5-many 1-seeded mericarps.
                                    18 Stem trailing; petals fused and tubular
                                    18 Stem erect; petals separate.
                                       19 Stamens many, connate into a stamen tube; carpels 5-many, completely or only loosely fused; fruit a capsule or a schizocarp of 5-many mericarps borne in a ring; calyx often subtended by an epicalyx (an additional calyx-like, green, foliaceous whorl of bracts)
                                       19 Stamens 5 or 10, distinct; carpels 2 or 5, fused; fruit a capsule or a schizocarp of 5 1-seeded mericarps.
                                         20 Fruit a schizocarp of 5 1-seeded mericarps; carpels 5; stamens 10
                                         20 Fruit a capsule with 2 locules, loculicidal; carpels 2; stamens 5

Key to Ranunculaceae, Key A: Subkey in Ranunculaceae

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1 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, the upper sepal hooded or spurred; [tribe Delphinieae].
  2 Upper sepal hooded or helmet-shaped; petals hidden by the sepals; perianth blue or creamy white; stems weak, clambering, reclining, vining, or ascending in a curve
  2 Upper sepal spurred; petals at least partly exserted from the sepals; perianth blue, pink, white, or greenish; stems strong, erect, normally straight
1 Flowers radially symmetrical, no perianth parts spurred or hooded (except the 5 sepals spurred in Myosurus).
    3 Petals present, white or yellow, larger and more conspicuous than the sepals; sepals present, green; [in other words, with a second, green, less conspicuous perianth whorl below the largest and colored perianth whorl; note that some Anemone have a calyx-like involucre of 3 bracts subtending each flower]; [tribe Ranunculeae].
      4 Basal leaves linear to linear-spatulate, mostly 4-8 cm long, 1-3 mm wide; receptacle elongate, 1-6 cm long (superficially resembling a Plantago inflorescence)
      4 Basal leaves various, but not as above; receptacle globose to sub-cylindric, mostly < 1 cm long
        5 Sepals 3 (-4); petals 7-12; achenes pubescent, beakless; leaves simple, cordate, unlobed; [introduced garden plants]
        5 Sepals (3-) 5 (-6); petals typically 5-9 (10 in some "doubled" forms); achenes smooth or variously ornamented with spines, papillae, or tubercles, sometimes also pubescent; leaves various, usually not at once simple, cordate, and unlobed (except in Halerpestes); [native or introduced].
          6 Cauline leaves absent; basal leaves cordate, unlobed
          6 Cauline leaves present, well-developed; basal leaves not simultaneously cordate and unlobed
    3 Petals absent (or modified into relatively inconspicuous nectaries or staminodia); sepals present and petaloid (white, yellow, yellow-green, cream, or blue).
             7 Petaloid sepals 3-5 mm long, caducous; stamens white and showy; [tribe Ranunculeae]
             7 Petaloid sepals 6-40 mm long, not caducous; stamens not notably white and showy.
               8 Leaves opposite, distributed along the stem; style plumose; [tribe Anemoneae]
               8 Leaves all basal, or with a few alternate or whorled involucrate leaves on the stem; style not plumose.
                 9 Petaloid sepals white, bluish, or blue; basal leaves 3-5 (-7)-lobed; [tribe Anemoneae]
                   10 Leaves lobed, and also toothed and variously cleft; leaves not variegated
                   10 Leaves lobed, the margins of the lobes entire; leaves often prominently variegated
                 9 Petaloid sepals yellow, green, or whitish (sometimes marked with purple); basal leaves unlobed, or palmately cleft into 5-11 (-many) segments.
                     11 Leaves cordate-reniform, unlobed; sepals bright yellow; petals absent; [native, of bogs and marshes]; [tribe Caltheae]
                     11 Leaves palmately or pedately lobed or divided; sepals green, greenish, dull yellow, or whitish; petals modified into tubular nectaries; [introduced, rarely persistent or escaped from cultivation].
                       12 Sepals 5, green or maroon, persistent in fruit; cauline leaves present; leaf margins sharply and finely serrate; [tribe Helleboreae]
                       12 Sepals 5-8, yellow; cauline leaves either present, alternate, or absent, except for the involucre of 3 bracts which immediately subtends the flower.
                          13 Cauline leaves absent, except the 3 involucral bracts immediately subtending the flower; [tribe Cimicifugeae]
                          13 Cauline leaves present, alternate, the uppermost > 1 cm below the flower; [tribe Helleboreae]

Key to Ranunculaceae, Key B: Subkey in Ranunculaceae

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1 Fruit a follicle, each carpel with 2 or more ovules.
  2 Leaves cordate-reniform, toothed, not lobed or divided; [tribe Caltheae]
  2 Leaves variously palmately or pedately lobed or divided.
    3 Carpels 1-3; plants 3-30 dm tall; [native, except Consolida]; [tribe Delphinieae].
      4 Stems weak, clambering, reclining, or vining
      4 Stems strong, erect
    3 Carpels 3-6; plants 1-5 dm tall; [introduced, rarely persistent or escaping].
        5 Cauline leaves absent, except for the involucre which immediately subtends the fruit; [tribe Cimicifugeae]
        5 Cauline leaves present; [tribe Helleboreae].
1 Fruit an achene (or dehiscent utricle in Trautvetteria), each carpel with 1 ovule.
          6 Leaves opposite, distributed along the stem; style plumose; [tribe Anemoneae]
          6 Leaves all basal, or with a few alternate or whorled involucrate leaves on the stem; style not plumose.
             7 Basal leaves linear to linear-spatulate, mostly 4-8 cm long, 1-3 mm wide; receptacle elongate, 1-6 cm long (superficially resembling a Plantago inflorescence); [tribe Ranunculeae]
             7 Basal leaves various, but not as above, generally long-petiolate, with an expanded, crenate-toothed, 3-lobed, or palmately-lobed blade; receptacle globose to sub-cylindric, mostly < 1 cm long.
               8 Fruit a dehiscent utricle; cauline leaves alternate; [tribe Ranunculeae]
               8 Fruit an achene; cauline leaves opposite or whorled (or alternate in Ranunculus, or reduced to alternate scale-like bracts in Halerpestes).
                 9 Cauline leaves opposite or whorled, or reduced to 3 sepal-like involucral bracts immediately subtending the flower; sepals absent (but in “Hepatica” mimicked by the bracts); [tribe Anemoneae]
                   10 Leaves lobed, and also toothed and variously cleft; leaves not variegated
                   10 Leaves lobed, the margins of the lobes entire; leaves often prominently variegated
                 9 Cauline leaves alternate; sepals present; [tribe Ranunculeae]
                     11 Achenes smooth or variously ornamented with spines, papillae, or tubercles, sometimes also pubescent, usually noticeably beaked, the beak > 0.3 mm long; leaves various, usually not at once simple, cordate, and unlobed ; [native or introduced]
                     11 Achenes not ornamented with spines, papillae, or tubercles, pubescent or glabrous, beakless; leaves simple, unlobed.
                       12 Sepals 3; [introduced garden plants]
                       12 Sepals 5; [native, of s. NJ northwards]

Key to Ranunculaceae, Key C: Subkey in Ranunculaceae

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1 Leaflets linear, < 1.5 mm wide.
  2 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Delphineae]
  2 Flowers radially symmetrical.
    3 Aquatic; [native]; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
    3 Terrestrial; [exotic].
      4 Flower closely subtended by a finely dissected involucre; pistils compound; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Nigelleae]
      4 Flower lacking involucre; pistils simple.
        5 Petals 8-15 mm long, red, purple, or orange; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Adonideae]
        5 Petals 3-5 mm long, yellow; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
1 Leaflets broader, rounded, lobed, or toothed.
          6 Leaves all cauline, opposite; stems somewhat woody at base; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Anemoneae]
          6 Leaves basal and cauline, the cauline alternate (or with opposite or whorled involucral bracts).
             7 Petals present, conspicuous
               8 Flowers dangling; petals red, orange with yellow, or blue, spurred; [subfamily Thalictroideae]
               8 Flowers not dangling; petals yellow, not spurred; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
             7 Petals absent or inconspicuous (soon deciduous or altered into a nectary-bearing clavate structure); sepals sometimes petaloid and conspicuous.
                 9 Sepals petaloid, conspicuous, white (or cream, rose, pink, or tinged with green).
                   10 Involucre absent, all leaves on the stem alternate; petaloid sepals 5, white; [subfamily Thalictroideae]
                   10 Involucre of opposite or whorled, leaflike bracts present; petaloid sepals (4-) 5-20 (-30), white, cream, rose, or green.
                     11 Basal leaves with 3-5 leaflets, these toothed or incised; petaloid sepals white, cream, rose, or green; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Anemoneae]
                     11 Basal leaves with > 5 leaflets; these with 0-3 rounded lobes at the tip; petaloid sepals white to pale pink; [subfamily Thalictroideae]
                 9 Sepals absent, or inconspicuous in comparison to the stamens or pistils.
                       12 Leaflets 3; flower solitary; [subfamily Coptidoideae]
                       12 Leaflets many; flowers many, in a panicle or raceme.
                          13 Inflorescence a raceme; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Cimicifugeae]
                          13 Inflorescence a panicle; [subfamily Thalictroideae]

Key to Ranunculaceae, Key D: Subkey in Ranunculaceae

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1 Fruit a follicle or capsular (or fleshy and berrylike in some Actaea).
  2 Mature leaves > 4 dm wide; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Cimicifugeae]
  2 Mature leaves < 3 dm wide.
    3 Leaflets linear; [exotics].
      4 Flowers in a raceme, not subtended by an involucre; fruit follicular, each with a 1-2 mm long beak; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Delphineae]
      4 Flower solitary, subtended by a finely divided involucre; fruit a spherical capsule-like structure composed of 5 or 10 partially connate follicles, each follicle terminated by a linear beak 13-20 mm long; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Nigelleae]
    3 Leaflets broad, rounded; [mostly natives].
        5 Follicles borne on stipes, forming an umbel-like cluster; rhizomes yellow or orange; [subfamily Coptidoideae]
        5 Follicles sessile; rhizomes brown or tan; [subfamily Thalictroideae].
          6 Follicles 15-31 mm long, with beaks 7-18 mm long
          6 Follicles 3.5-6.5 mm long, with beaks 1.5-3 mm long
1 Fruit an achene.
             7 Leaves divided into numerous linear segments, all of which are < 1 mm wide.
               8 Plant aquatic (if leaves divided into numerous linear segments); [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
               8 Plant terrestrial.
                 9 Achenes 3-5 mm long, glabrous, with a persistent beak 0.5-1 mm long; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Adonideae]
                 9 Achenes 1.6-2 mm long, tomentose, with a persistent beak 3.5-4.5 mm long; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
             7 Leaf segments rounded or cleft, > 1 mm wide.
                   10 Leaves cauline, opposite; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Anemoneae]
                   10 Leaves basal and/or cauline, cauline leaves (if present) alternate (leaflike involucral bracts sometimes present and opposite or whorled).
                     11 Leaflike involucral bracts present, opposite or whorled.
                       12 Achenes not ribbed or veined on lateral surfaces; leaf texture moderate to distinctly thick and leathery; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Anemoneae]
                       12 Achenes conspicuously ribbed or veined on lateral surfaces; leaf texture thin, delicate; [subfamily Thalictroideae]
                     11 Leaflike involucral bracts not present.
                          13 Leaflets 3-many, if many the leaflets typically with teeth, or sharp lobes; [subfamily Ranunculoideae, tribe Ranunculeae]
                          13 Leaflets many, unlobed or typically with 3-9 rounded lobes; [subfamily Thalictroideae]