1 Herb, < 1.0 m tall; stems and leaves without latex; [tribe Dorstenieae]

  2 Leaves basal; leaf blades usually pinnately lobed; inflorescence scapose

  2 Leaves on the stem; leaf blades cordate, not lobed; inflorescences axillary

1 Shrub or tree, at maturity over 1 m tall, or woody vine growing appressed to masonry; stems and leaves bearing translucent to milky-white latex.

    3 Stipules connate, the stipule scar encircling the twig; inflorescence a syconium (the flowers borne on the inner walls of the fleshy receptacle); [tribe Ficeae]

    3 Stipules free, the stipule scar not encircling the twig; inflorescence a spike, head, or catkin (the flowers borne exposed on a contracted or elongated axis or receptacle).

      4 Leaves entire, unlobed or shallowly 3 (-5)-lobed; stems with axillary spines [tribe Chlorophoreae]

      4 Leaves serrate, often also 3-15-lobed (the lobes sometimes deep); stems not armed.

        5 Stems and leaves glabrous to pubescent; leaves alternate; [tribe Moreae]

1 Leaves tiny, bract-like, triangular, 6-14 (-17) per node

1 Leaves either needle-like, scale-like, or flattened and large, (2-) 3-4 (-6) per node.

  2 Leaves needle-like or scale-like, terete, angled, or flat in ×-section, < 2 cm long; leaves (2-) 3-4 (-6) per node

  2 Leaves flat, > 3 cm long; leaves (2-) 3 per node; [Eudicots].

    3 Plant a subshrub, < 3 dm tall, with < 10 leaves per stem.

      4 Leaves entire, broadly elliptic; flowers numerous, in a hemispherical head, subtended by 4 large white bracts

      4 Leaves serrate, narrowly ovate or narrowly obovate; flowers (1-) 2-8 in a long-peduncled umbel or corymb, not subtended by bracts

    3 Plant a shrub or tree, > 3 dm tall, with many > 10 leaves per stem.

        5 Leaves entire, not lobed.

          6 Leaves cordate at base, about as long as wide; medium to large tree.

             7 Flowers white to yellow; capsules linear, >10× as long as wide; leaf undersurface with curly simple hairs; nectar glands present in the main vein axils on the undersurface of the leaf (visible from the underside or the upperside in fresh leaves and herbarium specimens as a triangle 1-4 mm on a side)

             7 Flowers lavender; capsules ellipsoid, < 2× as long as wide; leaf undersurface with branched (dendritic or stellate) hairs; nectar glands absent

          6 Leaves cuneate to rounded at base; leaves > 1.5× as long as wide; shrub to small tree.

               8 Leaves rounded or retuse at the tip (at least some obviously rounded in Pittosporum).

                 9 Fruit a large, globose berry (2-8 cm in diameter), pale brown in color when mature, the surface roughened in texture; petioles with a decurrent, adaxial wing forming a groove; sepals rusty tomentose

                 9 Fruit a capsule, dehiscing alonge 1 or 5 sutures; petioles lacking a decurrent, adaxial wing forming a groove; sepals variously glabrous to pubescent, but not rusty tomentose.

                   10 Ovaries 5-10-carpellate; capsules dehiscing along 5 sutures.

                   10 Ovaries 2-carpellate; capsules dehiscing along one major adaxial suture, appearing berry-like before dehiscence, the seeds often surrounded by a glutinous material

               8 Leaves acute to acuminate at the tip.

                     11 Leaves lanceolate or oblong-elliptic to narrowly ovate (> 2.5× as long as wide), the secondary venation not prominent nor arching-parallel (except Decodon); inflorescences axillary or terminal; flowers pink or white.

                       12 Inflorescences axillary; flowers pink; leaves thin and herbaceous, with prominent secondary veins arching parallel with the margin, also with branching hairs on the abaxial leaf midvein; plants with arching stems, these often tip-rooting; [native plants of wetlands]

                       12 Inflorescences terminal or axillary; flowers pink or white; leaves thick and leathery, lacking prominent secondary veins; plants not tip-rooting nor with branching hairs on the midvein; [exotics of uplands or wetlands, persistent or weakly naturalized]

                          13 Fruit berry-like with 2-locular ovaries; flowers white-colored, smaller; inflorescence axillary or pseudo-terminal.

                          13 Fruit follicles; flowers variously colored (including white), showy and salverform; inflorescence terminal.

                            14 Plants trees, 2-60 m tall, with a single or multiple stem(s); latex milky; flowers white or cream colored, the anthers not connivent and not adhering to stigmas; [uncommon non-natives, s. FL]

                            14 Plants shrubs, 10-40 dm tall, much branched from the base; latex clear; flowers white, pink, or red, the anthers connivent and adhering to the stigmas; [commonly cultivated in our area (and sometimes persistent), particularly near the coast; NC s. to FL, w. to TX]

                     11 Leaves ovate (< 2× as long as wide), the secondary venation prominent and arching-parallel; inflorescences terminal; flowers white, greenish-yellow, red, or orange.

                              15 Flowers in a spherical or hemispherical head; corollas white or greenish-yellow; fruit a globose cluster of nutlets (dry)

                              15 Flowers in a monochasial helicoid cyme; corollas red to orange; fruit a red to black berry (fleshy)

1 Leaves pinnately lobed.

  2 Leaves glabrous or glabrescent on the upper surface; leaves strictly opposite

1 Leaves palmately lobed.

    3 Plants climbing by twining; stems with retrorse prickles; foliage scabrous

    3 Plants erect trees or shrubs; stems not prickly; foliage smooth or pubescent, but not scabrous.

      4 Leaves 3-9-lobed, the margins generally serrate or sublobed; fruit either a drupe or a schizocarp of 2 samaroid mericarps (maple “keys”).

        5 Fruit a schizocarp of 2 samaroid mericarps (maple “keys”); stamens (4-) 8 (-12); small to large trees; petioles >1× as long as the leaf blade

        5 Fruit a drupe; stamens 5; shrubs; petioles < ¾× as long as the leaf blade

      4 Leaves 3-lobed, the margins entire; fruit a capsule.

          6 Flowers white to yellow; capsules linear, >10× as long as wide; leaf undersurface with curly simple hairs; nectar glands present in the main vein axils on the undersurface of the leaf (visible from the underside or the upperside in fresh leaves and herbarium specimens)

          6 Flowers lavender; pods ellipsoid, < 2× as long as wide; leaf undersurface with branched (dendritic) stellate hairs; nectar glands absent