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Key to Abutilon

Malvaceae

Abutilon

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1 Seeds 1 per mericarp; stems viscid; [s. TX southward]
1 Seeds 3-6 per mericarp; stems viscid (in A. hirtum and A. trisculcatum) or not; [collectively widespread].
  2 Styles 6-25-branched.
    3 Stems viscid; corollas with dark red center; styles 20-25-branched
    3 Stems not viscid; corollas lacking red center; styles 6-12-branched.
      4 Seeds 4-6 per mericarp; inflorescences composed of solitary flowers; [TX, LA, and peninsular FL]
      4 Seeds 3 per mericarp; inflorescences solitary flowers to cymose, racemose, or paniculate; [collectively widespread].
        5 Mericarp apices aristate with spinose tips, the tips 3-6 mm long and widely divergent; [widespread and introduced in our region]
        5 Mericarp apices not aristate or with spinose tips, the apices varying from obtuse to rounded, acute, acuminate, or apiculate; [native or introduced species west of the Mississippi River or in peninsular FL].
          6 Plants procumbent, decumbent, or ascending, to 0.5 m tall; leaves approx. as long as wide; seeds muriculate; [e. and s. TX westward and southward]
          6 Plants erect, > 0.5 m tall, leaves typically longer than wide; seeds scabridulous, puberulent, or papillate; [collectively widespread].
             7 Styles 13-15 branched; calyx lobes 8-20 mm wide, accrescent in fruit; stems with or without simple hairs to 2 mm long in addition to stellate hairs; [of palm groves and similar lowland habitats in s. TX southward]
             7 Styles 6-12 branched; calyx lobes to 8 mm wide; weakly to not at all accrescent; stems lacking simple hairs in addition to stellate hairs; [widespread, of various habitats].
               8 Calyces 3-5 mm long, the calyx lobes reflexed in fruit and not overlapping; [AR, OK, TX westward and southward]
               8 Calyces 8-20 mm, the calyx lobes erect in fruit and overlapping at their bases; [s. TX and c. to s. FL].
                 9 Leaves softly tomentose to the touch; styles 10-12 branched; stems lacking glandular hairs; stipules lanceolate; mericarps with acute apices; seeds papillate; [s. FL]
                 9 Leaves roughly pubescent to the touch; styles 8-10 branched; stems with or without glandular hairs in addition to stellate hairs; stipules subulate; mericarps with acuminate apices; seeds puberulent or scabridulous; [s. TX].