1 Leaves glandular-punctate; inflorescences pedunculate cymes; flowers perigynous; seeds with a fleshy orange aril

1 Leaves non-glandular; inflorescences catkins, racemes, or fascicles or flowers solitary; flowers hypogynous; seeds glabrous, minutely hairy, or with a terminal aril (coma) of long silky hairs.

  2 Flowers bisexual, solitary; petals present, large (2.5-3.5 cm), white (Camellia-like); stamens 200-300; fruit a large (5-6 cm diameter) indehiscent dry “berry”

  2 Flowers unisexual (the plants monoecious or dioecious), in catkins, racemes, or fascicles; petals absent; stamens 1-80; fruit a capsule or small (<2.5 cm diameter) berry or drupe.

    3 Flowers in catkins; perianth absent; fruit a capsule; seeds with a terminal aril (coma) of long silky hairs; stems not spiny; plants dioecious.

      4 Leaf blades 0.8-2 (-3)× as long as wide; stamens 5-80; buds covered by several, overlapping scales; flowering catkins arching or drooping

    3 Flowers in axillary fascicles or racemes; perianth present; fruit a berry or drupe; seeds glabrous or minutely hairy; stems usually with simple or compound spines; plants monoecious or dioecious.

        5 Leaves coriaceous, the venation obscure; leaf apex usually tipped with a spine; leaf margin entire or with 1-3 divergent spines or coarse teeth; pedicel glabrous.

        5 Leaves membranous to subcoriaceous, with evident reticulate venation; leaf apex rounded to acuminate; leaf margin crenate; pedicel glabrous or puberulent.

          6 Leaf apex acuminate, the acumen 5-10 mm long; leaves ovate to ovate-elliptic; 3-4 pairs of prominent secondary veins.

          6 Leaf apex obtuse, rounded, retuse, or obtusely short acuminate; leaves elliptic to obovate to oblong-obovate; 5-8 pairs of prominent secondary veins.

             7 Leaf base acute to obtuse; fruit a drupe, incompletely 2-6-celled, 8-10 (-25) mm diameter; style divided into 4-8 branches, spreading to reflexed; [horticultural escape]

             7 Leaf base attenuate to cuneate; fruit a berry, 5-6 mm diameter; style divided into 2-3 branches, erect; [native, s. TX].

1 Leaves evergreen. {add to 1a: Ternstroemia in PENTAPHYLACACEAE, Pyracantha in ROSACEAE, Thymelaea in THYMELAEACEAE; Chrysophyllum in SAPOTACEAE; Glycosmis parviflora in RUTACEAE}.

  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, usually sharply pointed at the apices (Ilex can have pointed apices, but leaves are not linear and marginal teeth often also present); [Monocots]

    3 Leaves broader, < 15× as long as wide, leaf apices variously shaped, if pointed usually not conspicuously sharpened; [Eudicots, Basal Angiosperms, or Monocots].

      4 Plant a creeping subshrub, < 1 dm tall

      4 Plant not creeping, > 3 dm tall (mature plants).

        5 Inflorescence an involucrate head or a raceme or a panicle consisting of spherical heads (Conocarpus in COMBRETACEAE).

          6 Inflorescence an involucrate head, the heads consisting of a receptacle bearing few-many cypselae; plants of various habitats, but not forming dense stands of shrubs in coastal habitats

          6 Inflorescence a raceme or panicle consisting of spherical heads, the fruit densely clustered in conelike heads but not cypselae; leaf abaxial surfaces with conspicuous pit domatia at the junction of midvein and secondary veins; plants salt-adapted shrubs of coastal habitats

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

             7 Flowers with a 5-lobed, fan-shaped corolla opposing a conspicuously protruding and incurved style

             7 Flowers various, but not as above.

               8 Leaves alternate, but usually clustered densely towards branch tips; leaves narrowly oblanceolate, 1-4 cm long; flowers yellow, 5-merous, the petals diminuitive (ca. 4 mm) and clawed basally (the petals often falling off by midday); [of coastal beaches, dunes, and hammocks; FL peninsula]

               8 Plants not with the above combination of traits: leaves longer and variously shaped (if narrowly oblanceolate, leaves much longer than 40 cm long) usually well-spaced throughout the stems (if clustered, then other characters lacking); [plants widely distributed in a variety of habitats].

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

                   10 Fruit an aggregate of woody follicles arranged in a whorl

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

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

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

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

                       12 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}

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

                          13 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.

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

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

                       12 Leaves with various vestiture (or glabrous), but not as above.

                              15 Flowers arranged in axillary spikes, umbels of shortened spikes, or sometimes the flowers solitary and leaf-opposing; fruit a drupe or drupe-like.

                                16 Flowers in spikes, axillary umbels (of shortened spikes), or the flowers solitary and leaf-opposing; leaves spaced, the bases oblique; stipules apparent, and clasping the stem; fruit rarely 3-angled (P. auritum), but not ridged; plants unarmed, the stems swollen at the nodes; branches somewhat zig-zagged, not arranged in conspicuous tiers

                                16 Flowers arranged in axillary spikes only; the fruit usually somewhat ridged; leaves clustered at branch tips (except T. arjuna), the bases typically cuneate; stipules reduced to glandular hairs at petiole base; plants armed or unarmed, the stem nodes not conspicuously swollen; branches arranged in tiers, the main branches erect, the lateral spreading horizontally

                              15 Flowers in other types of inflorescences, not spikes, if the inflorescence axillary only, then consisting of panicles or racemes (Cestrum) or subsessile to sessile fascicles (Myrsine and SAPOTACEAE); fruit various (acorns, berries, drupes, capsules, legumes).

                                  17 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

                                  17 Leaves simple throughout; flowers variously shaped but not papilionaceous; fruit not a legume, instead acorns, berries, capsules, or drupes.

                                    18 Flowers apetalous; arranged in catkins (Quercus in FAGACEAE; Morella inodora in MYRICACEAE) OR thyrses (Dodonaea in SAPINDACEAE).

                                       19 Flowers tannish, borne in catkins (these drooping at maturity); fruit a nut in a cupule (acorn)

                                       19 Flowers greenish-red or yellowish-green, borne in thyrses or if in catkins (Morella), these erect and globose in shape; fruit a winged, bladder-like capsule (Dodonaea) or globose, drupe-like, and covered in small, warty protuberances (Morella).

                                         20 Fruit a bladder-like, winged capsule (usually weakly 3-locular), brownish-red or brown when ripened; [peninsular FL from St. Johns County southward]

                                         20 Fruit globose, drupe-like, and covered in small, warty protuberances, blueish purple to black when ripened; [Gulf Coastal Plain from FL Panhandle and sc. GA, w. to e. LA]

                                    18 Flowers not apetalous, with a well-developed corolla, variously colored (white, cream, pink, greenish or reddish-orange), either urceolate OR tubular and with separate and spreading petals (rarely the perianth only consisting of green sepals), arranged in various terminal or axillary inflorescences, or sometimes solitary; fruit either a (3-) 5-valved capsule, or a spherical berry with (1-) 10+ seeds, OR a 1-8 seeded dry or fleshy drupe.

                                           21 Flowers white to pink or reddish-orange, rotate, tubular, or urceolate (the petals also sometimes spreading apically, but united at least basally), in various terminal or axillary inflorescences or solitary; fruit either a 2-5 valved capsule (conspicuously linear-cylindric in CAPPARACEAE), a spherical berry with 10+ seeds OR a drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets (Bourreria).

                                             22 Flowers reddish-orange; corollas bearing post-staminal hairs (appearing as tufts of hair opposite each anther)

                                             22 Flowers white, greenish-white, yellow, or pink; corollas without obvious tufts of hair opposite each anther.

                                               23 Fruit a fleshy berry; inflorescences of axillary fascicles (SAPOTACEAE), axillary and paniculate (Cestrum) or in Solanum, leaf-opposed and variously arranged (terminal, axillary, and extra-axillary).

                                                 24 Plants with milky sap (exuded from petioles when removed from stems); sepals rusty-tomentose; [c. and s. FL only in our area]; {Add Lucuma and Mimusops}.

                                                    25 Fruit a smaller, glabrous berry (< 1 cm in diameter), green, purple, or black, glabrous, not roughened; petioles not with a decurrent adaxial wing forming a groove

                                                    25 Fruit a large, globose berry (2-8 cm in diameter), pale brown in color when mature, the surface roughened in texture; petioles with a decurrent, adaxial wing forming a groove

                                                 24 Plants not exuding milky sap; sepals variously glabrous or tomentose, but not rusty-tomentose.

                                                      26 Leaves 1 per node; inflorescences axillary and paniculate (sometimes with terminal flower clusters present), never leaf opposed (although often bracteate); flowers tubular, the end of the tube often surrounding the anthers

                                                      26 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; flowers campanulate, lacking a tubular corolla

                                               23 Fruit not a fleshy berry, instead a valved capsule or a drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets (Bourreria); inflorescences terminal or axillary (or occasionally flowers solitary), never leaf-opposed.

                                                        27 Capsules pendulous and conspicuously elongate-cylindric, borne on a slender gynophore (a specialized stipe bearing the gynoecium); seeds white, grey, tan, or brownish in color and usually contrasting with the bright red interior of the capsules; plants shrubs or sometimes loosely scrambling over other plants; stamens usually much longer than the petals and conspicuously exerted from the flowers

                                                        27 Capsules (or drupes) erect, not linear nor long-cylindric, not borne on a gynophore; seeds variously colored, and sometimes surrounded by a fleshy aril (but the entire capsule interior not bright red); plants shrubs; stamens shorter than or only minimally longer than the corolla (not long exerted)

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

                                                          28 Seeds with fleshy aril or attachment (or if not fleshy, the seeds nutlets with abaxial ridges, as in Bourreria); ovaries 2-4 carpellate; flowers rotate; leaves entire or very remotely serrulate.

                                                            29 Fruit a drupe, the drupe bearing 4 bony nutlets with abaxial ridges; flowers rotate and salverform (the corolla tube evident), arranged in terminal cymes, the corolla lobes usually orbicular; leaves scabrous or hispid (except B. succulenta)

                                                            29 Fruit a capsule (the seeds with fleshy arils or attachments); flowers rotate, but not salverform (the corolla tube not lengthened), arranged solitary, few, or in cymes, terminal or axillary, the corolla lobes usually deltoid or somewhat triangular in shape; leaves glabrous or sometimes puberulent (Pittosporum), but the pubescence not rough.

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

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

                                           21 Flowers white, rotate, the petals spreading, distinct (i.e., separate to the base; nearly so in Myrsine), not tubular; arranged in axillary fascicles or racemes or in subsessile to sessile axillary fascicles (Myrsine); fruit either a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes, or a dry to leathery single-seeded drupe.

                                                                 31 Plants sometimes with pneumatophores; leaf blades with apical and pit-domatia present; [non-native, s. FL]

                                                                 31 Plants never producing pneumatophores; leaf blades variously pubescent or glandular, but lacking conspcuous marginal or apical pit-domatia; [collectively widespread natives]

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

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

                                                                     33 Inflorescence an axillary fascicle or cluster, the fascicles short-pedicellate, subsessile, or sessile

                                                                       34 Inflorescence of sessile or subsessile fascicles, the flowers 5-merous, greenish-white (often with pink streaks or dots) and with obvious staminodes; fruit a 1-seeded fleshy to leathery drupe

                                                                       34 Inflorescence of subsessile or short-pedicellate fascicles, the flowers 4-merous, white (lacking pink streaks or dots); fruit a fleshy drupe with 4-8 pyrenes

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

1 Leaves deciduous.

                                                                         35 Inflorescence an involucrate head

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

                                                                           36 Inflorescence a catkin; flowers unisexual; plants dioecious

                                                                              37 Leaves 3.5-6 cm wide

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

                                                                                38 Inflorescences consisting of solitary, axillary flowers

                                                                                  39 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]

                                                                                  39 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]

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

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

                                                                                      41 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

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

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

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

                                                                                        42 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).

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

                                                                                           43 Leaves with various vestiture, but not as above.

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

                                                                                               45 Fruit a spherical berry, with 10 or more seeds

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

                                                                                                 46 Fruit 15-30 mm long; inflorescence a terminal raceme

                                                                                                 46 Fruit 6-10 mm long; inflorescence an axillary fascicle

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

                                                                                                   47 Fruits elongate, 8-20 mm long.

                                                                                                     48 Fruit a red or orange berry, 8-20 mm long; leaves usually on spur-shoots; [salty coastal areas, or exotics of disturbed situations]

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

                                                                                                   47 Fruits spherical, < 10 mm long.

                                                                                                        49 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

                                                                                                        49 Inflorescence an axillary cluster; fruit > 4 mm in diameter

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

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

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

                                                                                                            51 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

1 Subshrubs or dwarf shrubs, aboveground stems creeping or erect, < 15 cm tall; leaves evergreen.

  2 Leaves 1.5-3 cm wide, coarsely toothed; flowers lacking sepals and petals; [exotic species, sparingly naturalized or spreading in suburban situations]

  2 Leaves < 1.5 cm wide, finely toothed or entire; flowers with sepals and petals; [native species, collectively widespread and common].

    3 Leaves fleshy, terete in ×-section; petals 5, bright pink

    3 Leaves flat, not fleshy; petals white or pale pink.

      4 Leaves < 2.5 mm wide; corolla with petals distinct; plant creeping

      4 Leaves > 5 mm wide; corolla with petals fused (distinct in Chimaphila); plant creeping or erect

1 Shrubs, aboveground stems erect, > 30 cm tall; leaves evergreen or deciduous.

        5 Inflorescence an involucrate (composite) 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

        5 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above.

          6 Leaves evergreen. {add to 6a Ardisia in PRIMULACEAE, Rhaphiolepis in ROSACEAE, Camellia in THEACEAE, Ochna in OCHNACEAE}

             7 Leaves glandular-punctate on one or both surfaces with golden-yellow glands; flowers unisexual, lacking a perianth (arranged in axillary catkins); fruit a pale gray, waxy drupe with a single seed

             7 Leaves not glandular punctate; flowers bisexual or unisexual, with a white, pink, or yellow perianth; fruit various: a red, blue, or black drupe, a berry with several seeds, or a capsule.

               8 Petals connate, flowers urceolate (ERICACEAE) or rotate, white to pale pink; flowers bisexual; fruit a drupe (Ehretia in EHRETIACEAE), OR a capsule or berry (ERICACEAE)

                 9 Flowers rotate, fragrant, the petals white, arranged primarily in terminal cymes; fruit an orange or yellow drupe, each bearing 2 hemispheric nutlets (these each also composed of 2 seeds, thus the fruit bearing 4 seeds)

                 9 Flowers urceolate, fragrant or not, the petals white to pale pink, variously arranged in terminal or axillary inflorescences (occasionally solitary in axils); fruit either a capsule or a red, blue, or black berry

               8 Petals distinct, yellow or white; flowers unisexual or bisexual; fruit either a black or red drupe with several pyrenes, a red berry with several seeds, or red or black pomes.

                   10 Plants with nodal, simple or tripartite thorns; flowers bisexual, with a yellow perianth; fruit a red berry with several seeds

                   10 Plants lacking thorns; flowers unisexual or bisexual, with a white perianth (yellow or red in Ochna); fruit either a black or red drupe with several pyrenes or a red or black pome.

                     11 Petals yellow, clawed; sepals red and forming a persistent red receptacle (torus) bearing numerous blackened drupes.

                     11 Petals white, not clawed; sepals not bright red nor persistent, the fruit a drupe or pome.

                       12 Flowers unisexual; fruit a black or red drupe with several pyrenes

                       12 Flowers bisexual; fruit a red or black pome

          6 Leaves deciduous {add [Fagaceae]}.

                          13 Plants with nodal, simple or tripartite thorns; leaf teeth spinulose

                          13 Plants lacking thorns; leaf teeth acute, blunt, rounded, or callus-tipped, but not spinulose.

                            14 Leaf blade bases conspicuously oblique-cordate or angled-truncate.

                              15 Leaves crenate-wavy, with 1-2 teeth per cm of leaf margin; pubescence of leaves and stems stellate

                              15 Leaves crenate or serrate, but usually not wavy, pubescence of leaves and stems simple {add to key; verify}

                            14 Leaves crenulate, serrate or serrulate, with >2 teeth per cm of leaf margin; leaves cuneate, rounded, or subcordate at base, not oblique; pubescence of leaves and stems absent or simple.

                                16 Leaves prominently 3-veined from the base.

                                  17 Ovary 5-locular; stamens many or 5, fused or separate; fruit a 5-valved capsule or of 5 mericarps; flowers yellow or pink, or white with a pink blaze

                                  17 Ovary 3-locular; stamens 5, separate; fruit a 3-valved capsule or drupe; flowers white or pale green

                                16 Leaves pinnately veined.

                                    18 Flowers in catkins; perianth absent or very small; fruit a 1-seeded nut, samara, or waxy drupe (capsule in Salix in SALICACEAE).

                                       19 Leaves > 4 cm wide, lacking punctate glands; fruit a 1-seeded nut or samara

                                       19 Leaves < 3 cm wide, either punctate-glandular on one or both surfaces or lacking punctate glands; fruit a 1-seeded waxy drupe or a capsule.

                                         20 Leaves punctate-glandular on one or both surfaces; fruit a 1-seeded waxy drupe.

                                    18 Flowers arrayed variously, but not in catkins; perianth present, conspicuous; fruit a 1-many-seeded capsule, pome, berry, or follicle.

                                           21 Ovary inferior; fruit fleshy and indehiscent, a berry or pome.

                                             22 Fruit a berry; leaves lacking stipules

                                             22 Fruit a pome; leaves usually prominently stipular

                                           21 Ovary superior; fruit either dry and dehiscent, a capsule or an aggregate of follicles or achenes, or fleshy and indehiscent, a drupe with 4-8 pyrenes.

                                               23 Flower apocarpous; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes

                                               23 Flower syncarpous; fruit either a capsule or a fleshy drupe.

                                                 24 Ovary 1-carpellate; fruit a 1-seeded drupe

                                                 24 Ovary 2-8-carpellate; fruit either a capsule or a drupe with 4-8 pyrenes

                                                    25 Ovary 2-8-locular; fruit fleshy and indehiscent, a drupe with 2-8 pyrenes; flowers mostly functionally unisexual (or sometimes bisexual in RHAMNACEAE).

                                                      26 Petals connate at the base; stamens alternate to the petals and opposite to the sepals; fruit 4-8-locular, with 4-8 pyrenes

                                                      26 Petals separate (or absent in Rhamnus alnifolia); stamens opposite to the petals (when present) and alternate to the sepals; fruit 2-4-locular, with 2-4 pyrenes

                                                    25 Ovary 2-3- or 5-locular; fruit dry and dehiscent, a capsule; flowers bisexual (except Stillingia in EUPHORBIACEAE).

                                                        27 Ovary and capsule 5-locular; stamens 10-many.

                                                          28 Stamens 10; corolla urceolate, sympetalous

                                                          28 Stamens many; corolla spreading, apopetalous

                                                        27 Ovary and capsule 2-3-locular; stamens 2, 5, or 10.

                                                            29 Leaves > 5× as long as wide; stamens 2; ovary and capsule 3-locular; [plants of the Coastal Plain of SC, GA, AL, and FL]

                                                            29 Leaves < 3× as long as wide; stamens 5 or 10; ovary and capsule 2-3-locular; [plants collectively widespread].

                                                              30 Stamens 5; ovary and capsule 2-locular; leaves elliptic (widest near the middle), the teeth fine (usually > 5 points per cm of margin), and along much of the margin; inflorescence a terminal raceme; hairs of the lower leaf surface simple, erect

                                                              30 Stamens 10; ovary and capsule 3-locular; leaves obovate (widest towards the apex), the teeth obscure to coarse (usually < 4 points per cm of margin), and primarily in the upper half of the leaf; inflorescence a terminal or axillary raceme or cyme; hairs of the lower leaf surface either simple and appressed, or stellate.

                                                                 31 Leaf margins regularly and evenly serrate in the upper half of the leaf (usually nearly entire towards the base); inflorescence an elongate, many flowered (>30) raceme borne at the end of branchlets of the season; corolla of separate petals, the stamens separate; hairs of the lower leaf surface simple and appressed

                                                                 31 Leaf margins wavy or irregularly dentate, mainly in the upper half of the leaf; inflorescence a few flowered (<20) axillary raceme, cyme, or cluster; corolla fused basally into a tube, the stamens adnate to the tube; hairs of the lower leaf surface stellate

1 Leaves evergreen.

  2 Plant a shrub, erect, not requiring support.

    3 Leaves with spiny margins; fruit a drupe; [uncommon horticultural escapes].

      4 Flowers 5-merous, the petals clawed; leaves usually small (ca. 2-3 mm long or less); [FL]

      4 Flowers 4-merous; petals not clawed; leaves larger (the longer leaves usually > 3 mm long); [NC northeastward]

    3 Leaves with crenate or serrate margins (the teeth not bearing small spines); fruits various; [widespread natives and non-natives]

        5 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head; [maritime situations]

        5 Leaves not fleshy; inflorescence either a head or otherwise; [collectively widespread].

          6 Leaves > 8 cm long, typically spotted with yellow, coarsely toothed; fruit a red drupe; [commonly cultivated, rarely seeding down nearby]

          6 Leaves < 8 cm long, not yellow-spotted, serrulate; fruit a capsule or purplish drupe; [plants native or cultivated].

             7 Inflorescence a head; [s. FL]

             7 Inflorescence otherwise; [more widespread].

               8 Corolla tubular, campanulate, bilaterally symmetrical; fruit a 1-seeded achene (rarely produced)

               8 Corolla radially symmetrical, with 4-5 distinct petals; fruit a 2-10-seeded capsule or drupe.

                 9 Fruit a 4-5-locular capsule, with 2 seeds per locule (though often fewer by abortion)

                 9 Fruit a (2-) 3-locular, purplish-black drupe, with (2-) 3 single-seeded stones

  2 Plant a subshrub, creeping shrub, or liana.

                   10 Leaves spinose-serrate; [exotics, rarely naturalized]

                   10 Leaves serrate (not spinose), serrulate, or crenate; [exotics and natives, collectively widespread].

                     11 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head; [maritime situations]

                     11 Leaves not fleshy; inflorescence otherwise; [collectively widespread].

                       12 Leaves on vigorous shoots with a few coarse rounded teeth towards the base (most leaves entire)

                       12 Leaves serrulate to serrate, the teeth uniformly around the margin or concentrated towards the tip; fruit dry, either indehiscent and 1-seeded or capsular and with several seeds.

                          13 Flowers 5-merous; petals fused; fruit indehiscent, 1-seeded; [montane, from e. TN, WV, and w. MD northwards in our area]

                          13 Flowers 4- or 5-merous; petals separate; fruit capsular, dehiscent, several-seeded; [collectively widespread in our area]

1 Leaves deciduous.

                            14 Leaves slightly to strongly fleshy; inflorescence a head, subtended by an involucre of phyllaries; [maritime situations]

                            14 Leaves not fleshy; 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.); [collectively widespread].

                              15 Lianas climbing by twining or by adventitious roots.

                                16 Stems with retrorse prickles; foliage scabrous

                                16 Stems not prickly; foliage smooth to variously hairy, but not scabrous.

                                  17 Leaves on vigorous shoots with a few coarse rounded teeth towards the base (most leaves entire), the larger leaves < 3 cm wide; lianas climbing by twining; fruit a fleshy berry; flowers 5-merous, with a fused, tubular corolla

                                  17 Leaves serrate, the teeth towards the leaf apex, the larger leaves > 4 cm wide; lianas climbing by adventitious roots; fruit a capsule; flowers 7-10-merous, with separate petals

                              15 Upright shrubs or trees, lacking any adaptations for climbing.

                                    18 Trees; leaves often a mix of alternate and opposite.

                                       19 Leaves harshly scabrous on the upper surface; fruit a multiple of achenes; leaf venation pinnate but irregular

                                       19 Leaves not scabrous; fruit a 2-4-seeded drupe; leaf venation neatly pinnate, the lateral veins nearly straight and parallel to one another

                                    18 Shrubs or trees; leaves strictly opposite (or often subopposite in RHAMNACEAE).

                                         20 Trees; leaves palmately-veined, with 5 or more veins from the base; [rarely naturalizing]

                                         20 Shrubs; leaves either triple-veined from near the base or pinnate-veined; [collectively widespread and common]

                                           21 Leaves strongly triple-veined from at or near the base of the blade, the 2 lateral veins arching towards the tip and rejoining the midvein or nearly so (becoming diffuse before rejoining); petals 4, white; stamens 15-90

                                           21 Leaves pinnate-veined; petals various, not both 4 and white (except sometimes in Hydrangea); stamens 1-15 (except 15-30 in Exochorda in ROSACEAE).

                                             22 Inflorescence head-like; flowers sympetalous and 4-lobed; fruit 2 seeded

                                             22 Inflorescence more diffuse, with internal axes and pedicels; flowers not BOTH sympetalous and 4-lobed (except in Forsythia and Buddleja, which have conspicuous axillary or paniculate inflorescences); fruit 1-seeded, 2-4-seeded, or 4-many-seeded.

                                               23 Plants in flower.

                                                 24 Corolla absent; flowers inconspicuous and small, in axillary fascicles or catkins.

                                                    25 Flowers in catkins; leaves usually a mix of opposite and alternate

                                                    25 Flowers in axillary fascicles; leaves strictly opposite (subopposite)

                                                 24 Corolla present; flowers larger, in terminal cymes, corymbs, racemes, panicles, or in axillary cymes or fascicles.

                                                      26 Petals separate; stamens 8-10 (-60) (or 4-6 in RHAMNACEAE and Euonymus in CELASTRACEAE).

                                                        27 Flowers 1-few, in axillary cymes; stamens 4-6; stems brown, tan, gray, or green.

                                                          28 Leaf venation pinnate, but irregular and reticulated; stems green

                                                          28 Leaf venation neatly pinnate, the lateral veins nearly straight and parallel to one another; stems brown, tan, or gray

                                                        27 Flowers 1 and terminal, or many, in terminal panicles or corymbs; stamens 8-10 (-60); stems brown, tan or gray.

                                                            29 Inflorescence a solitary, terminal flower; stamens 30-60

                                                            29 Inflorescence a terminal panicle or corymb; stamens 8-15

                                                      26 Petals fused, at least basally, and often strongly tubular; stamens 2, 4, or 5.

                                                              30 Stamens 5.

                                                                 31 Petals white, fused basally only, the lobes spreading

                                                                 31 Petals pink, yellow, or reddish, fused for most of their length

                                                              30 Stamens 2 or 4.

                                                                   32 Stamens 2; petals yellow; flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence an axillary fascicle

                                                                   32 Stamens 4; petals white, pink, or lavender; flowers bilabiate; inflorescence a terminal thyrse or panicle or an axillary cyme.

                                                                     33 Petals 4; inflorescence a terminal thyrse

                                                                     33 Petals 5; inflorescence a terminal panicle or an axillary cyme.

                                                                       34 Inflorescence an axillary cyme

                                                                       34 Inflorescence a terminal panicle

                                                                         35 Flowers lavender; fruit a shiny orange drupe (appearing berry-like)

                                                                         35 Flowers pinkish-white; fruit a bristly achene

                                               23 Plants in fruit.

                                                                           36 Fruit a berry, drupe, or achene, indehiscent, fleshy at maturity (or dry in Kolkwitzia).

                                                                              37 Fruit a berry, with 20+ seeds

                                                                              37 Fruit a drupe or achene, with 1-4 seeds.

                                                                                38 Fruit an achene (1-seeded), dry at maturity

                                                                                38 Fruit a drupe (1-4-seeded), fleshy at maturity.

                                                                                  39 Inflorescence a terminal corymb

                                                                                  39 Inflorescence axillary, fascicled or a cyme.

                                                                                    40 Foliage with stellate hairs; fruit a pink-purple 4-seeded drupe

                                                                                    40 Foliage glabrous or with simple hairs; fruit a dark red, black, or blue 1-4-seeded drupe.

                                                                                      41 Fruit a 1-seeded drupe; [NC southwards and westwards]

                                                                                      41 Fruit a 2-4-seeded drupe; [widespread in our region]

                                                                           36 Fruit a capsule, dehiscent, dry at maturity.

                                                                                        42 Inflorescence various, but more diffuse, the flowers larger (> 5 mm in diameter, except for some flowers in Hydrangea in HYDRANGEACEAE) and loosely arranged (< 5 per cm of axis).

                                                                                           43 Capsule prominently 5-angled (star-shaped in ×-section)

                                                                                           43 Capsule not angled.

                                                                                             44 Inflorescence axillary, fascicled.

                                                                                               45 Capsule pink to red; fruits solitary or in axillary cymes

                                                                                               45 Capsule brown; fruits in axillary fascicles

                                                                                             44 Inflorescence terminal, a raceme, panicle, corymb, or compound cyme or thyrse.

                                                                                                 46 Inflorescence a flat-topped corymb or rounded compound cyme, as wide as or wider than long

                                                                                                 46 Inflorescence elongated, a raceme, panicle, or thyrse, much longer than wide.

                                                                                                   47 Capsule elongate (> 3× as long as wide), 8-25 mm long

                                                                                                   47 Capsule about as long as wide, 3-6 mm long.

                                                                                                     48 Sepal lobes 5

                                                                                                     48 Sepal lobes 4