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Keyed in multiple places:

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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 lacking a hypanthium
                          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 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 N2: herbaceous dicots with mainly basal, simple leaves

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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 subtended by bracts, e.g. Eryngium in APIACEAE, but then with other features differing, such as stamens 4, or green calyx present, or petals separate, or fruit a schizocarp of mericarps, etc.).
  2 Basal leaves 2-lobed, pinnately lobed, or palmately lobed (not considering cordate, hastate, or auriculate leaf bases as “lobed”).
    3 Basal leaves 2-lobed, hinged between the lobes, each lobe with stiff, marginal, eyelash-like bristles; [Coastal Plain of NC and SC, rarely planted and weakly naturalized elsewhere]
    3 Basal leaves 3-many-lobed, palmately or pinnately; [collectively widespread].
      4 Leaf lobing pinnate.
        5 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate
        5 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 2, rarely more, carpels); fruit simple.
          6 Stamens many; sepals 2, petals 4; fresh plants with yellow, orange, or white milky juice
          6 Stamens 4, 5, or 6; sepals 4 or 5; petals 4 or 5.
             7 Petals 4, distinct; stamens 6
             7 Petals 5, fused; stamens 2, 4, or 5.
               8 Corolla radially symmetrical; stamens 5
               8 Corolla 2-lipped, bilaterally symmetrical or asymmetrical; stamens 2 or 4.
                 9 Corolla lobes not twisted, the flower bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 2
                 9 Corolla lobes twisted so as to make the flower asymmetrical; stamens 4
      4 Leaf lobing palmate.
                   10 Petiole attachment peltate.
                     11 Leaves < 10 cm in diameter
                     11 Leaves > 15 cm in diameter
                   10 Petiole attachment marginal.
                       12 Ovary inferior.
                          13 Petals 4; stamens 8; fruit a capsule
                          13 Petals 5; stamens 5; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps.
                            14 Fruit tuberculate; leaves 3-lobed
                            14 Fruit smooth; leaves with 5 or more lobes
                       12 Ovary superior, or half-inferior by fusion of a hypanthium a part of the way up the ovary wall.
                              15 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate.
                                16 Perianth of 5 green sepals and 5 colored petals.
                                  17 Carpels partly fused, arrayed in a ring of 10-20
                                  17 Carpels separate, spiral, many
                                16 Perianth of a single whorl of 3-12 petaloid sepals (the petals absent or small and rudimentary).
                                    18 Leaves 2, the single flower terminal and associated with the upper leaf; fruit an aggregate of berries
                                    18 Leaves normally > 2, flowers not as above; fruit an aggregate of achenes, utricles, or follicles
                              15 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 1-5 carpels); fruit simple.
                                       19 Hypanthium present, partially fused or not fused to the pistil; ovary partially inferior to superior
                                       19 Hypanthium absent; ovary superior.
                                         20 Petals connate at base; leaves sharply toothed
                                         20 Petals distinct; leaves with rounded lobes or teeth.
                                           21 Corolla radially symmetrical; petals 8-12; capsule fusiform, narrowed to both ends, > 5× as long as wide
                                           21 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; petals 5; capsule ovoid, < 2× as long as wide
  2 Basal leaves not lobed, at most serrate or crenate (and sometimes also cordate, hastate, auriculate, or peltate at the base).
                                             22 Basal leaves petiolate, the blade with a cordate, hastate, auriculate, or peltate base.
                                               23 Leaf margins entire.
                                                 24 Inflorescence a terminal and/or axillary raceme, panicle, or cyme of many small flowers; fruit an achene; perianth uniseriate, of 0, 4-5, or 6 tepals.
                                                    25 Flowers unisexual; staminate flowers 4-5 tepals, pistillate flowers lacking a perianth
                                                    25 Flowers bisexual; flowers with 6 tepals
                                                 24 Inflorescence either a terminal spike, or a 1-7-flowered terminal cyme, or of a solitary axillary or terminal flower; fruit various; perianth biseriate (of differentiated sepals and petals (except uniseriate, of 3 fused sepals in ARISTOLOCHIACEAE).
                                                      26 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence a terminal spike (with > 20 flowers); petals 4, usually scarious, transparent; sepals 4, green; stamens 4
                                                      26 Flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence either of a solitary flower or of a 1-7-flowered terminal cyme; petals 5, 8-12, or 0; sepals 5 (green), 3 (brown), or 5-9 (yellow); stamens 5, 12, or many.
                                                        27 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate of achenes or follicles; flowers bright yellow, either of 5-9 distinct petaloid sepals, or of 8-12 distinct petals subtended by 3-4 green distinct sepals
                                                        27 Gynoecium either of a single pistil with 6 carpels or of a single pistil with 4 carpels or of 2 nearly separate carpels; fruit a simple capsule (or deeply 2-lobed); flowers white, brown, or greenish, either of 5 fused or distinct white petals and 5 fused or distinct green sepals, or of 3 fused brown or greenish petaloid sepals.
                                                          28 Flowers brown or green, of 3 fused brown or greenish petaloid sepals (and 0 petals); carpels 6; stamens 12; leaves 4-10 cm wide
                                                          28 Flowers white, of 5 white or whitish petals and 5 green sepals; carpels 2; stamens 5; leaves 1-12 (-15) cm wide
                                                            29 Petals separate; sepals separate; plant glabrous
                                                            29 Petals fused; sepals fused; carpels 2; plant pubescent.
                                                              30 {XXXX}; [common, widespread in our area]
                                                              30 {YYYY}; [rare exotic]
                                               23 Leaf margins crenate, serrate, or incised.
                                                                 31 Gynoecium of separate pistils (each with a single carpel); fruit an aggregate; perianth of 5 green sepals and 5 colored petals.
                                                                   32 Carpels 10-20, partly fused, arrayed in a ring; petals white, pink, red, or purplish
                                                                   32 Carpels many, separate, spiral; petals yellow or white.
                                                                     33 Flowers lacking a hypanthium; fruit an aggregate of achenes or aggregate of follicles
                                                                     33 Flowers with a hypanthium; fruit an aggregate of drupelets or aggregate of achenes
                                                                 31 Gynoecium of a single pistil (with 1-5 carpels); fruit simple.
                                                                       34 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence of a solitary flower; fruit a 3-locular capsule
                                                                       34 Flowers radially symmetrical; inflorescence an umbel (or composite of umbelliform units, or a terminal panicle.
                                                                         35 Ovary superior; inflorescence a terminal panicle or terminal raceme.
                                                                           36 Inflorescence a terminal raceme; perianth of 4 green sepals and 4 white petals; fruit a silique/silicle; fresh foliage in spring and summer with a strong garlic odor; larger leaves < 10 cm in diameter
                                                                           36 Inflorescence a terminal panicle; perianth of 6 cream-colored petaloid sepals; fruit a winged achene; fresh foliage lacking a garlic odor; larger leaves typically > 30 cm in diameter
                                                                         35 Ovary inferior; inflorescence an umbel (or a composite of umbellate units); fruit a schizocarp of mericarps.
                                                                              37 Petiole attachment peltate
                                                                              37 Petiole attachment marginal (the blade cleft to the petiole.
                                                                                38 Leaf blades longer than wide, sharply V-cleft at the base and otherwise shallowly denticulate
                                                                                38 Leaf blades as broad or broader than long, cleft at the base and also irregularly serrate or crenate around the margin
                                             22 Basal leaves petiolate or not, with a truncate, rounded, or cuneate leaf base.
                                                                                  39 Leaves tubular, with a sutured ventral flange, erect or reclining, adapted as a pitfall for insects (flat, phyllodial leaves sometimes present as well, common in the winter in some species, such as S. oreophila)
                                                                                  39 Leaves flat, not sutured into a tubular shape.
                                                                                    40 Stem leaves opposite; perianth 5-merous, at least the corolla bilaterally symmetrical (barely so in VALERIANACEAE), or the parts curved so as to be asymmetrical (Pedicularis in OROBANCHACEAE); stamens 2, 3, or 4.
                                                                                      41 Ovary inferior; stamens 3
                                                                                      41 Ovary superior; stamens 2 or 4.
                                                                                        42 Corolla narrowly tubular, the five lobes flaring at nearly 90 degrees and nearly radially symmetrical
                                                                                        42 Corolla distinctly 2-lipped (with prominently large upper and lower corolla lobes) or hooded (the upper lip hood-like), distinctly bilaterally symmetrical, or the lobes twisted so as to make the corolla asymmetrical.
                                                                                           43 Corolla yellow, the upper lip often slightly to strongly maroon, hooded but the corolla lobes twisted so as to make the flower asymmetrical
                                                                                           43 Corolla white, lavender, or blue, 2-lipped and bilaterally symmetrical.
                                                                                             44 Sepals separate to the base or nearly so, not forming a tube
                                                                                             44 Sepals connate for at least 0.3× their length to form a tube
                                                                                    40 Stem leaves alternate; perianth radially symmetrical (less commonly bilaterally symmetrical); stamens 5, 6-8, 9, 10 (rarely 4).
                                                                                               45 Ovary inferior (or half-inferior in Samolus).
                                                                                                 46 Perianth 4-merous; stamens 8
                                                                                                 46 Perianth 5-merous; stamens 5.
                                                                                                   47 Inflorescence an umbel; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                                                                   47 Inflorescence an axillary or terminal raceme; fruit a capsule
                                                                                               45 Ovary superior.
                                                                                                     48 Pistils many, each with a single carpel; fruit an aggregate of achenes
                                                                                                     48 Pistil 1, with 1-5 carpels; fruit simple (a legume, silique/silicle, capsule, utricle, or schizocarp of 4 nutlets).
                                                                                                        49 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical (barely so in Limosella in SCROPHULARIACEAE); stamens 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10.
                                                                                                          50 Stamens 6-8 or 10.
                                                                                                            51 Petals separate; stamens 10
                                                                                                            51 Petals fused; stamens 10 or 6-8.
                                                                                                              52 Stamens 10, monadelphous
                                                                                                              52 Stamens 6-8, epipetalous
                                                                                                          50 Stamens 2 or 4.
                                                                                                                53 Stamens 2
                                                                                                                53 Stamens 4.
                                                                                                                  54 [plants of coastal wetlands]
                                                                                                                  54 [plants of uplands or inland seeps or fens]
                                                                                                                     55 Flowers (and subtending bracts) red or yellow
                                                                                                                     55 Flowers purple, blue, or lavender
                                                                                                        49 Corolla radially symmetrical; stamens 5, 10, 4-6, or 9.
                                                                                                                       56 Perianth of 6 tepals; stamens 4-6 or 9; carpels 3
                                                                                                                       56 Perianth of green sepals and more brightly colored petals; stamens 5 or 10; carpels 2, 3, 4, or 5.
                                                                                                                         57 Leaves covered with sticky, gland-tipped hairs (often red), as flypaper traps for insects
                                                                                                                         57 Leaves lacking sticky gland-tipped hairs.
                                                                                                                           58 Fruit a schizocarp of 4 nutlets (ovary obviously 4-lobed in flower)
                                                                                                                           58 Fruit a capsule or silique/silicle (or utricle in Limonium in PLUMBAGINACEAE).
                                                                                                                             59 Inflorescence of a solitary, terminal flower; carpels 2-3 (-4).
                                                                                                                               60 Corolla with a long tube and flaring corolla lobes (united > ½ its length)
                                                                                                                               60 Corolla of separate petals or united only for a short length (< ¼ its length).
                                                                                                                                  61 Leaves serrate
                                                                                                                                  61 Leaves entire
                                                                                                                             59 Inflorescence of several to many flowers; carpels 5 (3 in Galax in DIAPENSIACEAE).
                                                                                                                                    62 Inflorescence an umbel; petals recurved, pink to almost white
                                                                                                                                    62 Inflorescence a raceme or panicle.
                                                                                                                                      63 Fruit a silique/silicle; petals 4; stamens 6
                                                                                                                                      63 Fruit either a capsule or a utricle; petals 5; stamens 5 or 10.
                                                                                                                                        64 Inflorescence a somewhat to very diffuse panicle, with 3 or more orders of branching, not giving at all the impression that the overall inflorescence is made of racemose units.
image of plant
Show caption*© Scott Ward
                                                                                                                                          65 Leaves entire; stamens 5; [plants of tidal marshes]
                                                                                                                                          65 Leaves serrate or crenate; stamens 10; [plants of various habitats, especially rock outcrops and bottomland forests and streambanks, never in tidal marshes]
                                                                                                                                        64 Inflorescence either a single terminal raceme (sometimes spike-like), or of 1 to several terminal and axillary racemes (these sometimes combined into a diffuse panicle, but one whose structure is clearly made up of many racemes).
                                                                                                                                            66 Inflorescence of 1-several terminal and axillary racemes, the plant typically well-branched, especially from the base; stamens 5
                                                                                                                                            66 Inflorescence of a single, terminal raceme, the plant unbranched; stamens 10 (or 5, with 5 staminodes)
                                                                                                                                               67 Inflorescence spike-like, the flowers many (> 40), barely pedicelled; capsule 3-locular
                                                                                                                                               67 Inflorescence a raceme, the flowers fewer (< 20) and distinctly pedicelled; capsule 5-locular

Key O: herbaceous dicots with alternate, compound leaves on the stem

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1 Leaves either 3-foliolate or palmately 4-11-foliolate (all the leaflets attached at a common point, or the leaflets slightly pedate in Helleborus foetidus in RANUNCULACEAE).
  2 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
  2 Inflorescence, flower, and fruit structure various, but not with the combination of features as above. {add under 2b [Cynosciadium] APIACEAE}
    3 Leaflets obviously and sharply serrate; pistils 1 or 5-many; fruit an achene, or an aggregate of achenes, drupelets, or follicles.
      4 Leaflets 7-11, slightly pedate in their arrangement, evergreen
      4 Leaflets 3-9, palmate, deciduous
        5 Pistil 1; fruit an achene
        5 Pistils 5-many; fruit an aggregate of achenes, drupelets, or follicles
    3 Leaflets entire, finely denticulate, or very obscurely toothed (or irregularly serrate or lobed in Cardamine in BRASSICACEAE); pistil 1; fruit simple, a legume, capsule, silique, or berry.
          6 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; petals 5; fruit a legume; carpel 1
          6 Corolla radially symmetrical; petals 4 or 5; fruit either an elongate capsule or a berry; carpels 1, 2, or 5.
             7 Leaflets radially arranged at the summit of the petiole, not differentiated in size or placement into a terminal leaflet and 2 lateral leaflets; leaflets prominently notched at the apex; petals 5, yellow; inflorescence axillary, cymose or umbelliform; carpels 5
             7 Leaflets differentiated in size and placement into a terminal leaflet and 2 or more lateral leaflets; leaflets not regularly notched at the apex (a few may be slightly retuse); petals 4, white, pink, or yellow; inflorescence terminal and racemose; carpels 1 or 2.
               8 Carpels 2; fruit a red berry; petals connate, purplish-blue
               8 Carpel 1; fruit a capsule; petals separate, white, pink, or yellow.
                 9 Stem leaves 1-3, alternate [or whorled or opposite]; leaflets 3, irregularly serrate, lacerate, or additionally divided or lobed; fruit a silique; carpels 2
                 9 Stem leaves >3, alternate; leaflets (1-) 3-7, each entire or obscurely toothed; fruit a capsule; carpel 1
1 Leaves either 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis) or more complexly compound (with several orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                   10 Inflorescence an involucrate head subtended by phyllaries, heads solitary or many, variously arrayed in secondary inflorescences; fruit a cypsela; ovary inferior
                   10 Inflorescence various, but not as above; fruit various, not as above; ovary superior.
                     11 Leaves 1-pinnately compound (all leaflets attached to a central rachis).
                       12 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical, papilionaceous; fruit a legume; leaves even-pinnately or odd-pinnately compound, the terminal leaflet sometimes replaced by a tendril; leaflets entire or at most minutely denticulate
                       12 Flowers radially symmetrical (or barely bilaterally symmetrical in Erodium in GERANIACEAE); fruit a capsule, capsular but of 5 mericarps, or an aggregate of achenes, nutlets, or follicles (in some cases the # of pistils from many down to 2 or even 1); leaves odd-pinnately compound, never with tendrils; leaflets serrate (or entire to shallowly lobed in Polemonium in POLEMONIACEAE, Cardamine in BRASSICACEAE, and Floerkea in LIMNANTHACEAE).
                          13 Pistils many (only 1-2 in Agrimonia, Poteridium, Poterium, and Sanguisorba); fruit an aggregate of achenes, nutlets, or follicles; hypanthium present; stamens 5-many (only 4 in Poteridium and Sanguisorba)
                          13 Pistil 1 (or deeply 2-3-lobed in Floerkea in LIMNANTHACEAE); fruit a silique, capsule, schizocarp of 2-3 mericarps, or a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps (Erodium in GERANIACEAE); hypanthium absent; stamens 3-6.
                            14 Petals 3
                            14 Petals 4-5.
                              15 Petals 5, fused (distinct in Erodium in GERANIACEAE); stamens 5; inflorescence axillary or terminal, cymose, consisting of subcapitate, umbel-like, or helicoid cymes; fruit either a capsule, or a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps (Erodium in GERANIACEAE).
                                16 Flowers slightly bilaterally symmetrical (2 of the petals of different size than the other 3); fruit a capsular schizocarp of 5 mericarps; carpels 5
                                16 Flowers radially symmetrical; fruit either a loculicidal capsule or a berry; carpels 2 or 3.
                                  17 Fruit a berry; fresh plant rankly fragrant
                                  17 Fruit a capsule; fresh plant not aromatic.
                                    18 Capsule 2-valvate; carpels 2; leaflets prominently serrate or with some tooth-like sublobes
                                    18 Capsule 3-valvate; carpels 3; leaflets with entire margins
                     11 Leaves more complexly compound (with 2 or more orders of branching, some leaflets at least attached to second-order branches from the rachis).
                                       19 Leaves 2× even-pinnate; flowers in spikes or spherical heads; fruit a legume or loment.
                                       19 Leaves either 2× odd-pinnate or more complexly 2-4× ternately or ternately-pinnately compound; flowers in various inflorescences; fruits various (not legumes or loments).
                                         20 Leaf segments linear, less than 2 mm wide.
                                           21 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                           21 Inflorescence either a terminal solitary flower or terminal raceme or panicle; ovary superior, either of 2 fused carpels or of 1-5or many distinct 1-carpellate pistils; fruit either a capsule or an aggregate of follicles or achenes.
                                             22 Ovary of 2 fused carpels; fruit a capsule (1-seeded and indehiscent in Fumaria)
                                             22 Ovary of 1-5or many distinct 1-carpellate pistils; fruit an aggregate of follicles or achenes
                                         20 Leaf segments broader, lanceolate, ovate, or elliptic, > 5 mm wide.
                                               23 Herbaceous vine climbing by axillary tendrils; stamens 8
                                               23 Erect or sprawling herb; stamens 5-6 or >15.
                                                 24 Leaflets sharply serrate, with usually many teeth on each leaflet side, the total number of “points” per leaflet > 10.
                                                    25 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps; inflorescence an umbel
                                                    25 Inflorescence a panicle or raceme; ovary superior, of 1-8 carpels; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a single follicle, or an indehiscent berry-like fruit.
                                                      26 Flowers bisexual; carpels 1-8; fruit an aggregate of follicles, a single follicle, or an indehiscent berry-like fruit
                                                      26 Flowers unisexual; carpels (in pistillate flowers) of 3 (-5) carpels; fruit an aggregate of follicles
                                                 24 Leaflets entire, or with 1-several, broad, obtuse, rounded, or broadly acute “sublobes”, especially towards the tip of the leaflet, the total number of “points” per leaflet < 10.
                                                        27 Inflorescence an umbel; ovary inferior, of 2 fused carpels; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
                                                        27 Inflorescence a raceme, panicle, or cyme; ovary superior, of either 1-2 fused carpels or of many separate 1-carpellate pistils.
                                                          28 Perianth bilaterally symmetrical, the corolla of 4 fused petals; plant a scandent vine or erect or sprawling herb
                                                          28 Perianth radially symmetrical, of 1-5 whorls of separate perianth parts; plant an erect herb.
                                                            29 Perianth of 4-5 whorls of 3 parts each (some of the whorls modified into nectaries); pistil 1, 1-carpellate; fruit a drupelike, blue, naked seed; largest leaflets > 6 cm long, obviously longer than wide
                                                            29 Perianth of 1 whorl; of 4-5 parts; pistils many, each 1-carpellate; fruit an aggregate of achenes or an aggregate of follicles; largest leaflets either < 6 cm long, or if longer than 6 cm, also about as wide as long

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 cuneate at the base; flowers in a diffuse inflorescence
                                                                                           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 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 P3: herbaceous dicots with alternate, simple, and pinnately 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 Perianth uniseriate, with only undifferentiated tepals; flowers many and small, greenish or brownish, inconspicuous individually; inflorescence of glomerules that are usually further aggregated into racemes or panicles; fruit an achene or utricle
  2 Perianth biseriate, both sepals and petals present and differentiated (except uniseriate and of 2 white to cream-colored sepals 5-10 mm long in Macleaya in PAPAVERACEAE); flowers larger, usually with the petals prominently colored; inflorescence various, but not as above; fruit a capsule, silique/silicle, or a schizocarp of 2 mericarps.
    3 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical and the petals connate into a tube (or the corolla 2-lipped but the corolla lobes twisted so as to make the flower asymmetrical); stamens 4; fruit a 2-locular and loculicidal capsule opening by 2 valves
    3 Corolla radially symmetrical and either connate into a tube or distinct (except Reseda in RESEDACEAE, with bilateral symmetry but separate petals); stamens 5 or more; fruit a silique/silicle, a schizocarp of 4 mericarps, or a 1-, 3-, or 4-locular capsule (2-locular in Ipomoea in CONVOLVULACEAE and Glaucium in PAPAVERACEAE), opening variously.
      4 Ovary inferior; fruit either a schizocarp of 2 mericarps or a 4-locular capsule.
        5 Flowers 5-merous, aggregated into a head; fruit a schizocarp of 2 mericarps
        5 Flowers 4-merous, in a diffuse inflorescence; fruit a 4-locular capsule
      4 Ovary superior; fruit either a silique/silicle, or a 1-, 2-, or 3-locular capsule, or a berry.
          6 Sepals and petals of different numbers, the sepals 2-3, the petals 0, 4, or 6; stamens many
          6 Sepals and petals the same number, 4-8 each; stamens 5 or 6 (10-25 in Reseda in RESEDACEAE).
             7 Corolla bilaterally symmetrical; stamens 10-25
             7 Corolla radially symmetrical; stamens 5 or 6.
               8 Petals 4, distinct; stamens 6; fruit a silique/silicle
               8 Petals 5, connate into a tube; stamens 5; fruit either a capsule or a berry.
                 9 Plant a twining vine.
                   10 Corolla with a long tube, much longer than the lobes, scarlet, white, pink, or blue; leaves shallowly to deeply pinnately parted into 3-many lobes
                   10 Corolla with a short tube, the lobes longer than the tube, purplish; leaves with a single large terminal l lobe, and 2 small basal lobes (these almost separate as leaflets)
                 9 Plant an erect or sprawling herb.
                     11 Fruit a capsule, 1-locular; corolla white, pink, lavender, or blue, the tube short (< 4 mm long), the lobes flaring, the corolla < 15 mm long or wide
                     11 Fruit either a capsule, 2- or-3 locular, or a berry; corolla scarlet, blue, white, yellow, greenish-yellow, or purple, the tube long (>10 mm long) and cylindrical, the corolla > 10 mm long or wide.
                       12 Stigmas 3; fruit a capsule with 3 valves; leaf lobes 0.5-5 mm wide, often themselves lobed, the sinuses very deep, often nearly to the leaf midvein
                       12 Stigmas 2; fruit either a capsule with 2 valves or a berry; leaf lobes > 5 mm wide, not lobed themselves, the sinuses shallow, often < 1/2 way to the midvein