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Key to Lentibulariaceae

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1 Leaves ovate or elliptic, in a basal rosette; carnivory via the viscid-slimy upper leave surfaces; flowers solitary on bractless peduncles
1 Leaves or leaf segments linear, borne along a subterranean or submersed stem; carnivory via specialized bladder-like traps; flowers in (1-) many-flowered racemes, each flower pedicel subtended by a bract

Key C1: floating aquatics

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1 Individual leaves > 2 cm wide.
  2 Leaves obovate, cuneate at the base, sessile, pale green; plants floating because of “unwettable” leaf surfaces
  2 Leaves orbicular, cordate or truncate at the base, petiolate, dark green; plants floating because of petioles inflated as bladders, or inflated cells centrally located on each leaf.
    3 Petiole terete, not air-filled; plants floating because of inflated cells centrally located on each leaf (most easily seen on the lower surface)
    3 Petiole conspicuously expanded into an air-filled bladder; plants floating because of petioles inflated as bladders
1 Individual leaves or “fronds” < 2 cm wide, or leaves absent.
      4 Submersed portions of the plant with small (< 4 mm in diameter) bladder-traps
      4 Submersed portions of plant lacking small bladder traps.
        5 Plants dichotomously forked, upper surface of leaves velvety or variously hairy
        5 Plants unbranched, or if branched, irregularly so; upper surface of leaves glabrous, waxy.
          6 Plant thalloid; flowers embedded in the thallus in reproductive pouches
          6 Plant with well-differentiated stems and leaves, the leaves obviously and alternately spaced along a well-developed stem; flowers axillary

Key C4: rooted aquatics with basal and simple, linear leaves

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1 Leaves thread-like or quill-like, about as thick as wide.
  2 Plants bulbous at base, and with the leaf bases expanded and containing sporangia; plant tufted or with very short rhizomes; [Lycophytes]
  2 Plants either somewhat bulbous or not at the base, the leaf-bases not containing sporangia; plant rhizomatous; [Pteridophytes, Eudicots, Monocots].
    3 New leaves unfurling with circinate vernation (a fiddlehead); plants reproducing by spores, from sporocarps on short stalks from the rhizome; [Pteridophytes]
    3 New leaves lacking circinate vernation; plants reproducing by flowers and seeds.
      4 Perianth differentiated, with either 3 sepals and 3 petals or 5 sepals and 5 petals; stamens either 7-many or stamens 4.
        5 Sepals 3; petals 3; stamens 7-many; [Monocots]
        5 Sepals 5; petals 5; stamens 4; [Eudicots]
      4 Perianth undifferentiated, with 0, 3, or 6 tepals; stamens 1, 2, or 3; [Monocots].
          6 Gynoecium of 2 or more pistils, each pistil with 1 carpel and with 1 stigma
          6 Gynoecium of 1 pistil, each pistil with (2-) 3 carpels and (2-) 3 stigmas.
             7 Fruit an achene; perianth absent
             7 Fruit a capsule; perianth of 6 tepals
1 Leaves ribbon-like or strap-like, distinctly flattened (sometimes only near the tip of the leaf).
               8 Subterranean portions of plant bearing bladder-traps; flowers yellow or purple, bilaterally symmetrical
               8 Subterranean portions of plant lacking bladder traps; flowers white, green, gray, radially symmetrical (except bilaterally symmetrical in Glossostigma in PHRYMACEAE).
                 9 Leaves broadened towards the tip; [Monocots, Eudicots].
                   10 Flowers 3-merous; [Monocots]
                   10 Flowers 4- or 5-merous; [Eudicots].
                     11 Leaves phyllodial, with obvious cross-partitions (septa); leaves alternate
                     11 Leaves not phyllodial; leaves opposite
                 9 Leaves parallel-margined or tapering towards the apex over much of their length; [Monocots].
                       12 Leaves tapering towards the apex over much of their length; plant either tufted and not rhizomatous, or short rhizomatous;.
                          13 Plant tufted, not rhizomatous; leaves spreading radially; inflorescence a tightly button-like head of very numerous small flowers, white, gray, tan, yellowish, or blackish; roots thickened, septate (not requiring magnification), unbranched
                          13 Planted short-rhizomatous; leaves distichous, equitant; inflorescence either a subglobular, ovoid, or cylindrical head, of spirally imbricate scales, or a diffuse corymb; roots not thickened, not septate, branched.
                            14 Inflorescence a diffuse corymb; rhizomes and roots bright red
                            14 Inflorescence a subglobular, ovoid, or cylindrical head of spirally imbricate scales subtending individual flowers; rhizomes and roots not bright red
                       12 Leaves parallel-margined; plant usually rhizomatous.
                              15 Plants of marine habitats, growing submersed in salt water; [FL and the Gulf Coast of AL, MS, and LA]
                              15 Plants of freshwater or slightly to somewhat brackish habitats; [collectively widespread].
                                16 Leaves lacking any midvein; flowers and fruits in globose heads
                                16 Leaves with a midvein; flowers and fruits solitary or in diffuse inflorescences.
                                  17 Leaves with a distinct, broad lacunar band along the midvein
                                  17 Leaves lacking a distinct lacunar band along the midvein.
                                    18 Stamens 3
                                    18 Stamens >6

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