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Key to Crassulaceae

Crassulaceae

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1 Leaves connate at the base, opposite; flowers solitary in the axils of leaves; flowers 3-4-merous; [subfamily Crassuloideae]
1 Leaves distinct, whorled or alternate; flowers in terminal cymose inflorescences; flowers 4-5 (-8)-merous.
(c) Catto, Caleb - CC-BY
(c) Copeland, Lachlan - CC-BY-SA
  2 Petals connate as a tube; leaves serrate, bearing plantlets in the serrations; [subfamily Kalanchoideae]
  2 Petals distinct or at most basally connate; leaves entire, crenate, or serrate, but not bearing plantlets along the margin; [subfamily Sempervivoideae].
(c) Arbault, Thierry - CC-BY
    3 Plants with spheroidal basal rosettes consisting of dozens or more spirally arranged leaves, the leaves flattened and the tips conspicuously apiculate; flowers 8-16-merous
    3 Plants with or without basal rosettes (if rosettes present, these not as above), leaves obtuse to acute, rarely apiculate (if so, the leaves not distinctly flattened and not in spheroidal rosettes); flowers 4-7 (-9)-merous
      4 Flowers (5-) 6-7 (-9)-merous, yellow; inflorescence bracteate.
      4 Flowers 4-5-merous, variously colored (including yellow); inflorescence bracteate OR ebracteate.
          6 Perennials without rosettes, the stems 0.5-10 dm tall (dying back in winter to the rootstock); leaves large, relatively thin in texture, usually 5-25 times as wide as thick, often crenate; flowers pink, purple, white, or greenish.
             7 Flowers 5-merous, bisexual; flowering stems 2-10 dm tall, from an underground, tuberous base; average leaves 3-11 cm long, 1-5 cm wide; ovaries attenuate at the base; [tribe Telephieae]
             7 Flowers 4 -(5)-merous, usually unisexual and then the plants dioecious; flowering stems 0.5-4 dm tall, from axils of brown scale-leaves clothing a stout rootstock at least in part exposed aboveground; average leaves 1-5 cm long, 0.4-1.5 cm wide; ovaries not attenuate at the base; [tribe Umbiliceae]
          6 Perennials or annuals with or without rosettes, the stems < 2 dm tall (the perennials with stems persistent through the winter); leaves smaller, flat or terete, relatively thicker, entire; flowers white or yellow; [tribe Sedeae].
                   10 Carpels united basally (to about 1/3 their length); petals cucullate, initially partly enclosing 4 of the 8 stamens; follicles dehiscing by a tear-shaped valve on the lower surface; stem and leaves normally red; [of granitic flatrocks of the Piedmont of GA, NC, SC, and VA, and sandstone glades in TN, nw. GA, and AL]
                   10 Carpels free; petals flat, never enclosing any of the 8 anthers; follicle dehiscing by a longitudinal slit along the adaxial (upper) suture; stem and leaves normally green, sometimes somewhat pink or reddish; [collectively of various habitats, including similar habitats as Diamorpha]