Colors

Data mode

Account

Login
Sign up

Click the number at the start of a key lead to highlight both that lead and its corresponding lead. Click again to show only the two highlighted leads. Click a third time to return to the full key with the selected leads still highlighted.

Key to Anacardiaceae

Copy permalink to share

1 Leaves simple
  2 Leaves oblong-lanceolate, > 4× as long as wide; leaf apices acuminate
  2 Leaves suborbicular, 1-1.5× as long as wide; leaf apices broadly rounded
1 Leaves compound.
    3 Leaves 3-foliolate.
      4 Terminal leaflet sessile; fruit red, glandular-pubescent; foliage and stems lacking contact poisons
      4 Terminal leaflet distinctly petiolulate; fruit white or greenish, glabrous or with scattered trichomes; foliage and stems containing contact poisons
    3 Leaves pinnately compound, with (3-) 5-41 leaflets (at least the larger and better-developed on a plant with 5 or more leaflets).
        5 Leaf rachis winged (with a flange of leaf tissue, often irregular in width and terminating at each leaflet attachment).
          6 Fruits glandular-pubescent; stamens 5; inflorescence a terminal panicle, the central axis upright as a continuation of the stem
          6 Fruits glabrous; stamens 10; inflorescence of axillary panicles, the central axis angled from the main stem
             7 Inflorescence either a terminal panicle (the central axis stiff and upright) or of axillary or terminal clusters of short spikes
             7 Inflorescence of axillary or cauliflorous panicles, the central axis lax and often dangling.
               8 Leaves all or mostly even-pinnate (sometimes some leaves with an apparently terminal or obliquely subterminal leaflet)
                 9 Leaflets 19-41 per leaf, 2-5 cm long, 0.4-1 cm wide, averaging 5× as long as wide; leaflet margins often strongly serrate (to entire); [rare non-native in FL peninsula and s. TX]
                 9 Leaflets 3-25 per leaf, 2.5-20 cm long, 1.5-8 cm wide, averaging 1.2-3× as long as wide; leaflet margins entire or shallowly crenate.
                   10 Leaflet margin with obvious marginal vein; fruits 25-40 mm long; [rare non-native in s. FL]
                   10 Leaflet margin lacking marginal vein (though sometimes thickened and translucent); fruits 4-20 mm long; [collectively widespread].
                     11 Upper surface of leaflets dull, matte; inflorescences from the trunk (cauliflorous) or axillary; fruits 2-3 mm long; foliage and stems lacking contact poisons; [rare non-native in s. FL]
                     11 Upper surface of leaflets shiny, as if lacquered; inflorescences axillary near the summit of the stem; fruits 4-14 mm long; foliage and stems containing contact poisons.
                       12 Leaves 3-5 (-7)-foliolate; leaflet base rounded, subcordate, or cordate; leaflets 1.2-1.7× as long as wide; fruits orange or brown; [FL, Martin County southwards]
                       12 Leaves 7-13 (-15)-foliolate; leaflet base cuneate to rounded; leaflets 2-2.5× as long as wide; fruits white or yellowish; [widespread (though irregular) in our region, in FL south to Highlands County]
Cite as...