1 Flowers (all, or at least many) solitary on
scapes
5 Petals 6-30 mm long, clawed
5 Petals 2-4 mm long, not clawed
6 Stems angular distally; blooming Apr to early Jun
6 Stems not angular distally; blooming Apr to Oct
3 Leaves not
clasping at
base .
7 Petals with contrasting dark yellow, brown, maroon, or purple veins; [tribe
Brassiceae ]
8 Petals yellow;
basal leaves with 3-10
lobes per
margin ; stems usually sparsely to densely
hispid basally;
cauline leaf
blades usually
lobed (but fewer than
basal leaves)
8 Petals yellow or creamy white;
basal leaves with 1-4
lobes per
margin ; stems sparsely to densely
pubescent ;
cauline leaf
blades often undivided
7 Petals mostly uniform in color.
9 Ovaries and young fruits 2-segmented;
petals 5-30 mm long; [tribe
Brassiceae ]
10 Stem leaves
pinnatifid
10 Stem leaves
entire ,
serrate , or
sinuate
11 Valves of the fruit 1-veined;
sepals erect or
ascending (rarely spreading); terminal
segment of fruit
conic , usually seedless
11 Valves of the fruit 3-7-veined (1-veined in
Rhamphospermum nigrum );
sepals spreading to
reflexed ; terminal
segment of fruit
either linear or ensiform (flattened and 2-
edged ).
12 Terminal
segment of fruit
linear 0.1-1.6 cm long, seedless or 1-seeded.
12 Terminal
segment of fruit
ensiform (flattened and 2-
edged ), (1-) 1.5-2.5 (-3) cm long, seedless
9 Ovaries and young fruits unsegmented;
petals 1-8 mm long.
13 Inflorescence leafy
bracteate (most of the
pedicels subtended by
bracts )
13 Inflorescence not
bracteate (occasionally with some lower
pedicels bearing
bracts ).
14 Stigmas distinctly 2-
lobed ; [tribe
Sisymbrieae ]
14 Stigmas entire , rarely indistinctly 2-
lobed ; [tribe
Cardamineae ]
2 Flowers white, cream, pinkish, purple, lavender, or blue.
15 Leaves strictly
basal ,
or both
basal and
cauline and also
auriculate .
16 Plants with only
basal leaves or
cauline leaves much reduced.
17 Plants annual; flowers
zygomorphic ;
petals 0.5-2.5 mm long; [tribe
Iberideae ]
16 Plants with some well-developed
cauline leaves.
18 Ovaries and young fruits
ovate ,
orbicular or
cordate .
19 Ovules 1 per
ovary ; [tribe
Calepineae ]
20 Ovules 2 (rarely 4) per
ovary ; [tribe
Lepidieae ]
20 Ovules 6-16 per
ovary .
21 Leaves mostly
entire ; plants not
fetid ; [tribe
Noccaeeae ]
21 Leaves often
toothed ; plants
fetid ; [tribe
Thlaspideae ]
18 Ovaries and young fruits
linear .
22 Plants aquatic or
semi- aquatic; rooting at
nodes ; [tribe
Cardamineae ]
22 Plants terrestrial, though sometimes growing partially submerged; not rooting at
nodes .
23 Flowers blue, rarely pink or white;
petals 12-32 mm long; [tribe
Brassiceae ]
23 Flowers white, sometimes pink or purple;
petals <16 mm long.
24 Petals larger, conspicuous, 7-16 mm long.
25 Cauline leaves simple or
pinnately to
palmately compound , typically not
auriculate ; if simple
and auriculate , then plants usually with a mix of compound and simple
cauline leaves and the
simple leaves ovate or
oblong and never deeply
pinnatifid (as in
C. clematitis )
25 Cauline leaves conspicuously or slightly
auriculate , always simple;
blades elliptic ,
lanceolate ,
ovate , or
oblong , deeply
pinnatifid to
entire
26 Basal leaves
oblanceolate ,
unlobed ;
petals white to cream
26 Basal leaves
incised or
lyrate -
lobed ;
petals white to pinkish-purple
24 Petals smaller, inconspicuous, < 7 mm long.
27 Cauline leaves
sessile ; [tribe Boechereae]
27 Cauline leaves usually
petiolate ; [tribe Cardamineae]
15 Leaves
basal and
cauline but not
auriculate (
basal leaves sometimes withering upon flowering, thus only appearing
alternate ).
28 Plants aquatic, rooting at
nodes ; [tribe Cardamineae].
28 Plants terrestrial, though sometimes growing partially
submersed ; not rooting at
nodes .
30 Stamens 2 or 4 (per individual flower).
31 Ovaries and young fruits
linear ; [tribe Cardamineae]
31 Ovaries and young fruits
ovate ,
orbicular or
cordate .
32 Flowers
zygomorphic ;
filaments appendaged; [tribe Iberideae]
32 Flowers
actinomorphic ;
filaments not appendaged; [tribe Lepidieae]
30 Stamens 6 (per individual flower).
33 Petals 15-30 mm long; fruit conspicuously coin-like,
oblong to suborbicular and latiseptate (flattened parallel to
septum ); [tribe Lunarieae]
33 Petals rarely to 20 mm long; fruit
ovate to
linear (if rounded not strongly flattened like a coin, or if flattened the fruit long and slender as in
Warea ).
34 Inflorescence corymbose ;
claws (of the
petals ) strongly differentiated from
blades ; fruit latiseptate and
stipitate ,
linear in shape; [natives of
sandhills and coastal plain, NC to s. MS]
34 Inflorescence elongate or
corymbose (if so, not also collectively as above);
claws differentiated or not from
blades ; fruit
terete , latiseptate, or augustiseptate (flattened perpindicular to
septum ), stipate or not,
linear to
ovate in shape; [widespread natives and non-natives]
35 Ovaries and young fruits 2-segmented; [tribe Brassiceae]
35 Ovaries and young fruits unsegmented.
36 Ovaries and young fruits
ovate ,
orbicular or
cordate ; [tribe Lepidieae]
37 Ovules 2 (-4) per
ovary
36 Ovaries and young fruits
linear .
38 Petals with contrasting dark veins; [tribe Brassiceae]
38 Petals mostly uniform in color.
39 Leaves smelling of garlic when crushed,
reniform or
cordate ,
dentate ; [tribe Thlaspideae]
39 Leaves not smelling of garlic, rarely
reniform or
cordate , with
margins various.
40 Cauline leaves
sessile ; [tribe Boechereae]
40 Cauline leaves usually
petiolate ; [tribe
Cardamineae ].
41 Base of plant usually
glabrous ; seeds not
winged
41 Base of plant
pubescent ; seeds
winged
1 Fruits
silicles (< 3× as long as wide).
3 Plants
succulent , leaves usually fleshy
3 Plants
herbaceous , not
succulent , leaves not fleshy
4 Fruits 2 cm or more wide
5 Fruits with 20 or more seeds
5 Fruits with 16 or fewer seeds.
6 Fruits with 2-16 seeds.
8 Fruits with more than 2 seeds.
10 Stems 5-12 (-20) dm tall; leaf
blades of
basal leaves (3-) 5-12 (-17) cm long
10 Stems 0.5-1.5 (-2) dm tall; leaf
blades of
basal leaves 0.3-1.5 (-2) cm long
11 Plants not
fetid ; seeds usually smooth, yellowish to medium brown
11 Plants
fetid ; seeds
striate or
alveolate , dark gray to dark brown or black
1 Fruits
siliques (> 3× as long as wide).
12 Fruits
indehiscent or breaking into 1-seeded
segments .
13 Fruits not segmented, 1-seeded
13 Fruits segmented, usually more than 1-seeded.
14 Styles obsolete ; plants
glabrous ; [coastal]
14 Styles 1-5 mm; plants
pubescent ; [inland]
12 Fruits
dehiscent , more than 1-seeded.
16 Cauline leaf
blade bases auriculate (except
B. juncea ); terminal
silique segment seedless (rarely 1-2-seeded),
conic
16 Cauline leaf
blade bases not
auriculate ; terminal
silique segment 1-5-seeded (sometimes 0).
17 Fruit
valves 3-7-veined.
18 Valves of the fruit 3 (-5) veined
18 Valves of the fruit 3-5 (-7) veined.
19 Terminal
segment of fruit
linear 0.1-1.6 cm long, seedless or 1-seeded.
19 Terminal
segment of fruit
ensiform (flattened and 2-
edged ), (1-) 1.5-2.5 (-3) cm long, seedless
20 Fruits (all, or at least some) solitary, borne on
scapes
20 Fruits in
racemes (or
corymbose clusters).
21 Fruits latiseptate (flattened parallel to the
septum ).
22 Replums strongly flattened; fruit
valves dehiscing elastically, coiled
22 Replums terete or rounded; fruit
valves not dehiscing elastically or coiled.
24 Fruit
stipitate ;
cauline leaves
entire , not
auriculate ; flowers pink to purple (or white in
W. carteri ), [natives of
sandhills and coastal plain, NC to s. MS]
24 Fruit
sessile or short-
stipitate ;
cauline leaves usually
lobed or at least
dentate , the
bases auriculate or somewhat
clasping ; flowers yellow; [non-natives, widespread]
23 Seeds
winged at least distally.
21 Fruits
terete or 4-angled.
26 Plants aquatic or
semi- aquatic; rooting at
nodes
26 Plants terrestrial, though rarely growing partially
submersed ; not rooting at
nodes .
27 Fresh leaves smelling of garlic when crushed,
reniform or
cordate ,
dentate
27 Fresh leaves not smelling of garlic when crush, rarely
reniform or
cordate ,
dentate or not.
29 Stigma lobes sometimes distinct but not
decurrent .
30 Lower
cauline leaves
entire or
dentate .
31 Cauline leaves spaced, not concealing stem, spreading to slightly
ascending ;
petals 7-12 mm long
31 Cauline leaves usually ascendant and concealing stems (at least basally);
petals 2-5 mm long (except for 5-10 mm long in
B. missouriensis )
33 Terminal
leaflet lobes sharply
toothed or cut
34 Basal leaves usually withered by flowering;
cauline leaf
lobes entire to
lyrately lobed ; usually
petals white to pink; [native of
riparian habitats]
34 Basal leaves usually present at flowering or after;
cauline leaves with
linear ,
filiform ,
lyrate , or
runcinate lobes (occasionally
unlobed , but if so then leaves usually
linear or otherwise thin);
petals yellow; [non-natives of various habitats]
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 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 }]
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]
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 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 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.
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
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.
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
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 >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.
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
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 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 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.
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.
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