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Sarracenia: Key to Sarracenia

Sarraceniaceae

Sarracenia

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1 Pitchers mostly decumbent; lateral wing of the pitcher very prominent; petals maroon to pink.
  2 Pitchers prominently marked with white on the hood; hood of the pitcher globose; orifice formed by the fusion of the hood margins
  2 Pitchers not marked with white on the hood; hood of the pitcher expanded and erect; orifice not involving the hood margins; [S. purpurea complex].
    3 Petals pale pink; lip of pitcher 2.6-7.5 mm thick at thickest point; scape 16.3-35.1 cm high; style arm 2.6-4.1 cm long; [of the Gulf Coastal Plain, from sw. GA westward]
    3 Petals red to deep maroon; lip of pitcher 0.7-3.1 mm thick at thickest point; scape 22-79 cm high; style arm 1.7-2.9 (-3.8) cm long; [of e. GA northward].
      4 Pitchers > 3× as long as broad; pitchers glabrous on the outer surface; petals dark maroon (occasionally red); rhizomes generally vertical, and with relatively many pitchers per crown (often 6-10); [of e. VA northward]
      4 Pitchers < 3× as long as broad; pitchers bristly-pubescent on the outer surface; petals bright red; rhizomes generally horizontal, and with relatively few pitchers per crown (often 4-5); [of the Coastal Plain of se. VA southward, and in the Mountains and Piedmont of w. NC, nw. SC, and ne. GA].
        5 Hood lobes closely incurved, touching each other or nearly so, obscuring the hood opening; hairs lining the hood averaging 0.8-1.0 mm long; [of the Mountains and upper Piedmont of sw. NC, nw. SC, and ne. GA]
        5 Hood lobes not closely incurved and touching; hairs lining the inner surface of the hood (1.0-) 1.5-3.0 mm long; [of the Atlantic Coastal Plain and rarely also the adjacent (lower) Piedmont of VA, NC, and SC south to e. GA]
1 Pitchers erect; lateral wing of the pitcher generally not prominent; petals maroon, red, or yellow.
          6 Pitchers with white (or whitish and translucent) patches toward the summit of the pitcher and behind the orifice and/or on the hood.
             7 Areas of white tissue all around the summit of the pitcher and throughout the hood, the areas of bright white tissue surrounded by a conspicuous network of reddish venation; hood erect or ascending; petals maroon
             7 Areas of whitish, translucent tissue toward the summit of the pitcher and on the lower portion of the hood, behind the orifice, the areas of translucent white tissue not enclosed within a conspicuous network of reddish venation; hood arching horizontally over the orifice; petals pale lemon yellow
               8 Pitchers and scapes < 35 cm tall; unwinged petiolar base of pitchers (3-) avg. 6 (-11) cm long, abruptly widened into the pitcher; [of pine savannas]; [widespread from se. NC southward]
               8 Pitchers and scapes 40-120 cm tall; unwinged petiolar base of pitchers (12-) avg. 17 (-21) cm long, gradually widened into the pitcher; [of floating peat mats and other very wet sites]; [endemic to the Okeefenokee Swamp and vicinity, se. GA]
          6 Pitchers without white or translucent patches toward the summit of the pitcher.
                   10 Phyllodia (nonpitcher leaves) many per plant and forming a rosette, 5-18 cm long, strongly curved, usually curving 45-90 degrees; scapes taller than the pitchers; [inland, from sw. NC and e. TN south and west to n. and wc. GA and c. AL]
                   10 Phyllodia (nonpitcher leaves) rare, only a few per plant (if present at all), 12-30 cm long, straight to slightly curved; scapes shorter than the pitchers; [of the Coastal Plain and rarely Piedmont, from se. VA southward to n. FL and west to e. TX].
                     11 Narrowed base of the hood not purple-spotted, its sides revolute but not rolled backward and nearly touching; blade of the hood ovate, slightly cordate basally; [of the Coastal Plain, from s. AL west to e. TX]
                     11 Narrowed base of the hood usually purple-spotted, its sides strongly rolled backward (away from the orifice) such that they nearly touch; blade of the hood broadly reniform to orbicular-reniform, broadly cordate basally; [of the Coastal Plain and rarely Piedmont, from se. VA southward to n. FL and west to se. MS]
                 9 Petals maroon; pitcher hood < 4 cm wide (except S. alabamensis ssp. alabamensis, which can be up to 8.8 cm wide).
                       12 Orifice rim loosely rolled, with a pronounced “spout” over the wing; summer pitchers ca. 10× as long as the width of the pitcher mouth; orifice yellow-green; [of the Coastal Plain of c. and s. AL and s. MS]
                          13 Pitcher background color yellow, the upper pitcher weakly or not veined on the outer surface; [of c. AL (Autauga, Chilton, and Elmore counties)]
                          13 Pitchers background color tan, the upper pitcher strongly reticulately veined on the outer surface; [of s. AL, s. MS, and w. FL]
                       12 Orifice rim tightly rolled, with a very slight “spout” over the wing; summer pitchers narrow and elongate, ca. 20× as long as the width of the pitcher mouth; [of the Coastal Plain of NC, SC, GA, and Panhandle FL, and the Mountains of sw. NC and nw. SC].
                            14 Pitchers (25-) avg. 40-50 (-75) cm tall; scapes about the same height as the pitchers; hood ascending, leaving the orifice exposed, 1.5-6.5 cm long, 2.0-5.4 cm wide; orifice 2.8-4.2 cm wide; [of the Mountains of NC and SC]
                            14 Pitchers (7-) avg. 15-60 cm tall (-80) cm tall; scapes 1.5-2× the height of the leaves (pitchers); hood horizontal, held closely over the orifice, 0.7-4.5 cm long, 0.7-3.9 cm wide; orifice 1.5-3.5 cm wide; [of the Coastal Plain of NC, SC, and GA].
                              15 Pitcher tube cylindrical over most of its length, typically up to 30 (-43) cm tall; orifice 1.5-2.3 cm wide; pitcher lid narrowly cordate to straplike, 1.5-2 (2+)× as long as wide; pitcher lid usually positioned closely over the pitcher opening; [Coastal Plain of sc. And se. NC, e. SC, and e. GA]
                              15 Pitcher tube slowly increasing in diameter over most of its length, typically up to 60 (-80) cm tall; orifice 2.4-3.5 cm wide; pitcher lid broadly cordate, < 1.5× as long as wide; pitcher lid not closely positioned closely over the pitcher opening; [fall-line SC south to wc. GA, and also w. Panhandle FL].
                                16 Pitcher usually up to 60-80 cm tall; pitchers externally glabrous or weakly puberulent; pitcher lid nearly horizontal or rising gently over the pitcher opening; [w. Panhandle FL (Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton Counties)]
                                16 Pitcher usually up to 45 cm tall; pitchers externally densely pubescent; pitcher lid gaping high above the pitcher mouth, often tilted upwards by 45° or more; [seepages in the fall line sandhills of GA to s. SC]