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Key M2: monocots with broad leaves

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1 Leaves compound.
..2 Plants herbaceous; leaves palmately 3-foliolate or pedately compound
..2 Plants woody; leaves either palmately divided or pinnately compound into > 20 segments
1 Leaves simple.
....3 Leaves opposite or whorled, cauline.
......4 Leaves opposite; flowers bilaterally symmetrical
......4 Leaves whorled; flowers radially or bilaterally symmetrical.
........5 Plant with 2 or more leaf-bearing nodes (all nodes whorled or some alternate).
..........6 Leaves broad, < 2× as long as wide, cordate at the base; flowers unisexual and plants dioecious
..........6 Leaves lanceolate, oblanceolate or narrowly elliptic, > 4× as long as wide, cuneate at the base; flowers bisexual and plants hermaphroditic
........5 Plant with a single leaf-bearing node.
............ 7 Leaves in whorls of 3 leaves
............ 7 Leaves in whorls of 5 or more leaves.
............ ..8 Stem floccose, wiry (and at maturity with a second smaller whorl with usually 3 leaves subtending the flowers); flowers radially symmetrical
............ ..8 Stem glabrous, fleshy, never with a second whorl; flowers bilaterally symmetrical
....3 Leaves alternate, either cauline or basal.
............ ....9 Inflorescence a spadix (a dense spike of hundreds of flowers, the rachis thickened and somewhat fleshy) subtended by a spathe (a green, white, orange, yellowish-green, or maroon bract) (spathe missing in Orontium)
............ ....9 Inflorescence otherwise, a raceme, panicle, cyme, umbel, spike, etc., the flowers arrayed in a more diffuse manner, the central rachis not thickened, the inflorescence subtended or not by green or scarious spathes.
............ ......10 Flowers bilaterally symmetrical or asymmetrical; fertile stamens 1 or 2 (or 5 in MUSACEAE), often with several staminodes present as well; tepals 6.
............ ........11 Leaf venation parallel; leaves various in size and shape, if > 3 dm long, then < 1 dm wide; perianth often differentiated into a lip and 5 petaloid tepals
............ ........11 Leaf venation prominently penni-parallel; leaves large, at least some on a plant with blade > 2 dm long.
............ ..........12 Fertile stamens 5-6; leaf blades 6-30 dm long
............ ..........12 Fertile stamen 1; leaf blades 0.5-7 dm long.
............ ............ 13 Leaves spirally arranged.
............ ............ ..14 Leaves lacking ligules; ovary and fruit with warty excrescences
............ ............ ..14 Leaves with 2 stipule-like ligules; ovary and fruit smooth
............ ............ ....15 Leaves jointed and swollen at the summit of the petiole
............ ............ ....15 Leaves neither jointed not swollen at the summit of the petiole
............ ......10 Flowers radially symmetrical (weakly to strongly bilaterally symmetrical in PONTEDERIACEAE); stamens 6 (rarely 3, 4, 5, 9, 12, 15, or 18); tepals usually 6 (rarely 3 or 4), when 6, either undifferentiated (6 or 4 tepals) or differentiated into 3 petals and 3 sepals.
............ ............ ......16 Inflorescence subtended by spathes (well-developed green or scarious bracts).
............ ............ ........17 Perianth not differentiated, consisting of 6 similarly colored and shaped tepals; flowers strongly to slightly bilaterally symmetrical; inflorescence lacking well-developed spathaceous bracts
............ ............ ........17 Perianth differentiated into green sepals and more brightly colored petals; flowers radially symmetrical (or weakly bilaterally symmetrical, as in some Commelina).
............ ............ ..........18 Ovary superior; fruit a capsule; stamens 6; [plants mainly of uplands (Murdannia and sometimes Commelina of wetlands)]
............ ............ ..........18 Ovary inferior; fruit a berry; stamens 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, or 18; [plants of wetlands]
............ ............ ......16 Inflorescence not subtended by spathes, though individual small green bracts sometimes subtending individual flowers.
............ ............ ............ 19 Gynoecium of 2 or more pistils (6 in Butomus); fruit achenes or follicles; inflorescence a raceme or panicle with branching in whorls of 3 OR a bracteate umbel; [wetland plants].
............ ............ ............ ..20 Flowers consisting of white petals and green sepals, with 1-many stamens and 3-many carpels (but not consistently with 9 stamens and 6 carpels); inflorescence a raceme or panicle in whorls of 3, branched; leaf blades flat or terete
............ ............ ............ ..20 Flowers consisting of pink petals and green-pink sepals, usually with 9 stamens and 6 carpels; inflorescence an umbel; leaf blades triquetrous in cross-section
............ ............ ............ 19 Gynoecium of 1 pistil; fruit simple, a capsule or berry; inflorescence various, terminal or axillary, but if a raceme or panicle, not with branching in whorls of 3; [upland (or very rarely wetland) plants].
............ ............ ............ ....21 Leaves basal or basally disposed.
............ ............ ............ ......22 Leaves 2 (rarely 3 in Convallaria in RUSCACEAE).
............ ............ ............ ........23 Inflorescence a raceme; fruit a berry; tepals united, the perianth urceolate
............ ............ ............ ........23 Inflorescence an umbel or a solitary flower; fruit a capsule; tepals separate or basally fused.
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Flowers in an umbel, white; fresh plants with oniony odor
............ ............ ............ ..........24 Flowers solitary, white or yellow; fresh plants without strong odor
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Inflorescence a terminal umbel; fruit a blue or black berry; tepals white or yellow; flowers bisexual
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Inflorescence a terminal raceme or panicle; fruit a capsule; tepals white, green, yellowish, or pink; flowers either bisexual (Helonias in HELONIADACEAE), or unisexual and primarily on different plants (dioecious) (Chamaelirium in CHIONOGRAPHIDACEAE), or a mix of bisexual and unisexual staminate flowers (Veratrum in MELANTHIACEAE)
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Inflorescences bracteate, with bracts subtending individual pedicels and (if they are present) branches of the inflorescence; tepals white, greenish-white, or cream
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Inflorescence ebracteate, lacking bracts subtending pedicels; flowers bisexual (Helonias) or predominantly unisexual and on different plants (dioecious) (Chamaelirium); tepals pink (Helonias) or white to cream (Chamaelirium).
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Flowers white to cream; plants dioecious (individual plants either male or female, with all male flowers or all female flowers)
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Flowers pink; plants hermaphroditic (individual flowers bisexual)
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Leaves both cordate/subcordate (rarely merely rounded at the base) and obviously petiolate.
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Inflorescence an axillary many-flowered umbel; fruit a berry; axillary tendrils often present (absent in some species)
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Inflorescence an axillary solitary flower, a few-flowered cyme, or a panicle; fruit a capsule (winged in Dioscorea, unwinged in Croomia); axillary tendrils never present (plant not climbing, or climbing by twining).
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Tepals 6; stamens 6; flowers unisexual (and generally on separate plants, therefore dioecious); inflorescence of a solitary flowers or a panicle; ovary inferior; [widespread in our area]
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Tepals 4 (-5); stamens 4 (-5); flowers bisexual; ovary superior; [AL and adjacent GA, FL, and perhaps LA]
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Leaves not both cordate/subcordate and petiolate (some with cordate clasping or perfoliate leaf bases). {add [Smilax] SMILACACEAE below}
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Leaves alternate and in whorls at some nodes; flowers orange; tepals > 5 cm long; inflorescence a terminal umbel or single flower
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Leaves strictly alternate; flowers yellow, white, pink, greenish, or maroon; tepals < 5 cm long; inflorescence either a terminal cluster, raceme, panicle or umbel, or an axillary raceme, cluster or solitary flower.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Inflorescence a terminal umbel; flowers slightly zygomorphic, reddish, the tepals 3.5-4.5 cm long
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Inflorescence either a terminal cluster, raceme, or panicle, or an axillary raceme, cluster or solitary flower; flowers actinomorphic, variously colored (most white or yellow), the tepals < 3.5 cm long (except Uvularia grandiflora).
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Leaves arrayed spirally around an erect, unbranched stem; fruit a septicidal capsule; flowers a mixture of bisexual and unisexual (staminate) on a plant; perianth white, greenish white, or maroon.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves basally disposed; leaves not at all to slightly plicate, 1-14 cm wide; tepals glabrous, 4-9 mm long, 1-3 mm wide (3-5 mm wide in M. hybridum), with either conspicuous (M. hybridum) or diffuse (M. parviflorum and M. woodii) glands; filaments fused to the basal claw of the tepal
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves cauline; leaves strongly plicate, 6-15 cm wide; tepals pubescent, 8-13 mm long, 3-5 mm wide, with a conspicuous pair of glands near the base of the tepal blade (these sometimes more or less fused); filaments free from the tepals
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Leaves arrayed distichously (2 ranked) along an arching, unbranched or dichotomously (Y-forking) branched stem; fruit a berry or loculicidal capsule; flowers all bisexual; perianth white, pink, or yellow.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Stems of fertile and sterile individuals simple (never branched); inflorescence a terminal raceme or panicle (Maianthemum) or axillary racemes or clusters of 1-9 flowers (Polygonatum); fruit a berry.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Inflorescence terminal, a raceme or panicle; tepals separate; leaves with 3 main parallel veins, acute to acuminate at the apex; foliage green, not glaucous
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Inflorescence of 1-several axillary flowers; tepals fused; leaves with > 7 main parallel veins, obtuse to acute at the apex; foliage blue-green, glaucous
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Stems of fertile individuals branched (always at least bifurcate), but sterile individuals in some genera characteristically unbranched; inflorescence either of 1 (-2) flower(s) borne in a leaf axil (Uvularia, Streptopus), or of (1) 2 (-3) flowers borne terminally opposite the last leaf (Prosartes); fruit a berry or capsule.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Leaves sessile (though sometimes slightly to strongly clasping); fruit a berry or capsule.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Stem brown, wiry, puberulent; last 2 leaves (near stem tip) on each branch approximate to one another (sometimes subopposite) and with noticeably oblique bases; flowers and fruits terminal on the branches
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Stem green, not wiry, glabrous; last 2 leaves (near stem tip) on each branch no closer together than other leaves, with symmetrical bases; flowers (and fruits) either terminal on the branches or solitary and axillary to most leaves.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Flowers and fruits in single terminal clusters (sometimes appearing axillary, but still only one cluster per branch of the stem); tepals pale to rich yellow
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Flowers and fruits 1 (-2) in the axils of many leaves; tepals white to pink

Key to terrestrial orchids: Key to Orchidaceae

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1 Leaves absent at flowering, or with a solitary leaf with a purplish undersurface withering at about the time of flowering.
..2 Flowers with a spur.
....3 Spur shortly obtuse, lip partially tubular; [s. FL]
....3 Spur long and slender, lip not partially tubular; widespread in our region, south in FL to ne. FL]
..2 Flowers without a spur.
......4 Flowers white, the lip, sepals, and petals all predominantly white.
........5 Lip white with a single central green stripe; leaves often fugacious
........5 Lip white, centrally yellow to greenish-white, occasionally with multiple green veins (as in S. praecox and S. sylvatica); leaves present, absent, or withering (fugacious) at flowering
......4 Flowers pink, greenish, yellowish, or purplish, the lip sometimes white or marked with white, the sepals and petals colored.
..........6 Lip strongly bearded.
............ 7 Flower solitary; [Mountains of SC, NC, and VA northwards]
............ 7 Flowers not solitary (inflorescence a raceme); [Coastal Plain of SC southwards]
..........6 Lip not bearded.
............ ..8 Lip with 2 fleshy keels near the base; pollinia 4; plants holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves
............ ..8 Lip with 3-7 keels near the base or extending most of the length of the lip; pollinia 4 or 8; plants either holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll) and never with leaves, or with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering.
............ ....9 Plants with a plicate winter leaf withering shortly before flowering (the withered remnant usually detectable); veins of the petals and sepals not strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 3 ridges; pollinia 4
............ ....9 Plants never with leaves, holomycotrophic (without chlorophyll); veins of the petals and sepals strikingly different in color than the intervein areas; lip with 5-7 ridges; pollinia 8
1 Leaves present at flowering (Cleistesiopsis with a foliaceous bract at the summit of the stem).
............ ......10 Plants with evident, above-ground pseudobulbs, sometimes enclosed by sheaths.
............ ........11 Leaf bases tightly sheathing the stems, often petiolate.
............ ..........12 Lip broadest near its base; inflorescence typically a spicate raceme (prematurely umbellate in M. spicata); leaves to 10 cm long
............ ..........12 Lip broadest near its apex; inflorescence typically a more open or lax raceme; leaves to 30 cm long.
............ ............ 13 Leaves 3-7, membranaceous, plicate; anthers green
............ ............ 13 Leaves 2, thickish, conduplicate; anthers yellow
............ ........11 Leaf bases not conspicuously clasping the stems (or if clasping, loosely so).
............ ............ ..14 Flowers predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs > 8 (-100) cm long.
............ ............ ....15 Flowers without brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 10-30 (-100) cm long
............ ............ ....15 Flowers with brown spots; pseudobulbs typically 8-15 cm long
............ ............ ..14 Flowers not predominantly yellow, pseudobulbs < 8 cm long.
............ ............ ......16 Leaves not plicate, with conspicuous dark green mottling
............ ............ ......16 Leaves plicate, without conspicuous dark green mottling.
............ ............ ........17 Lip conspicuously bearded (or if not bearded, conspicuously keeled and with brownish-maroon veins extending to margins of lip)
............ ............ ........17 Lip not conspicuously bearded.
............ ............ ..........18 Perianth brown (white on lower surface); lip tubular
............ ............ ..........18 Perianth pink or purple; lip not tubular.
............ ............ ............ 19 Lip with 5-7 conspicuous yellow-white keels
............ ............ ............ 19 Lip without 5-7 conspicuous yellow-white keels
............ ......10 Plants without above-ground pseudobulbs (either absent or subterranean).
............ ............ ............ ........23 Leaf long petiolate, lanceolate-elliptic; lateral sepals conspicuously spreading with long acuminate apices; [s. FL]
............ ............ ............ ........23 Leaf not long petiolate, orbicular; lateral sepals reflexed or slightly spreading without long acuminate apices, rather, typically blunt or rounded; [widespread; NC and TN northward]
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Flowers relatively large, primarily pink, purple, or white; flowers arranged in loosely arranged racemes
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Lip below (resupinate); flowers white, often cleistogamous; lip white with purple margins, with keels
............ ............ ............ ............ ..26 Lip above (not resupinate); flowers purple or pink (rarely white), chasmogomous; lip with yellow fringes (beard)
............ ............ ............ ............ 25 Flowers relatively small, whitish; flowers arranged in densely (and sometimes also spirally) arranged spikes.
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Dorsal sepal connivent with petals forming hood over column; lip sagittate-auriculate
............ ............ ............ ............ ....27 Dorsal sepals not forming connivent hood with petals, or if rarely so, then lip pandurate (as in S. romanzoffianum)
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Flowers in spikes or racemes, 5-many, reddish, yellowish, or greenish.
............ ............ ............ ............ ......28 Flower solitary (-4), pink (rarely nearly white); [subfamily Vanilloideae; tribe Pogonieae].
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Sepals brown to purple, linear or narrowly oblanceolate, 3-6.5 cm long, about 5 mm wide; leaf coriaceous
............ ............ ............ ............ ........29 Sepals pink (rarely white), elliptic or oblanceolate, 1.3-2.7 cm long, 3-11 mm wide; leaf herbaceous
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Lip inflated, pouch-like or slipper-like, 2-6 cm long
............ ............ ............ ............ ..........30 Lip not inflated, or if so, then 0.3-1.1 cm long.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Lip arcuate, with purple-brown marginal speckles; leaf sheaths inflated-tubular
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....33 Lip saccate, without purple-brown marginal spots; leaf sheaths tight and not inflated-tubular.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves typically many (3-14); 4-20 cm long; lip variously colored without conspicuous yellow disc; [widespread]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......34 Leaves typically fewer (2-5); 4-4.5 cm long; lip primarily white with conspicuous yellow disc; [s. FL]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..32 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate; lip not saccate.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Leaves whorled, terminating the stem; [subfamily Vanilloideae; tribe Pogonieae]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........35 Leaves alternate or opposite, not terminating the stem.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........36 Leaves (2-) 3-many, alternate, variously distributed on the stem.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Plant with aerial roots throughout stem; lip orange-red, deeply 3 to 4 lobed and marginally fimbriate; [subfamily Epidendroideae]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 37 Plant without aerial roots throughout stem; lip variously colored, if orange then not deeply 3 to 4 lobed.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Distal portion of lip not uniformly yellow; leaves ovate, 0.4-2.0 cm long
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....39 Distal portion of lip uniformly yellow; leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate, 1-8 cm long
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..38 Lip with a spur; leaves linear, lanceolate, or narrowly elliptic, 5-40 cm long (at least the larger > 5 cm long, except in Aspidogyne, with lanceolate to ovate leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long).
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Leaves 1.5-6.5 cm long, with inflated tubular sheaths; plants from creeping rhizomes
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......40 Leaves 5-40 cm long, sessile; plants from fleshy or fusiform roots.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Lip divided into 3 linear divisions, the divisions not further divided, fringed, or eroded
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........41 Lip not divided into 3 divisions, or divided into 3 divisions but the divisions not linear.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 31 Leaves basal (sometimes with bladeless sheaths upward on the stem).
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..44 Lip oriented downward (resupinate); flowers greenish, purplish-brown, maroon or yellowish.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 43 Leaves smooth, often creased at the midrib, but not plicate.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Leaves long petiolate, not basally sheathing stems; sepals longer (to 30 mm), narrowly lanceolate
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........47 Leaves not long petiolate, basally sheathing stems; sepals shorter, variously shaped
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........48 Flowers not bicolored, the lip, petals, and sepals similarly colored; leaves 2-5
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Inflorescence a raceme; lip with pink-purple coloration along margin; flowers larger, not tightly spiraling
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ....51 Inflorescence a spike; lip without pink/purple coloration along margin; flowers smaller, often spiraling or tightly assembled
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..50 Leaf blades more-or-less horizontally oriented, flat against the ground or 1-2 cm above it.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Flowers orange-red (except rarely light green as in S. lanceolata forma albidaviridis)
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......52 Flowers never strongly orange-red, instead white, yellowish, greenish, or brown (including coppery).
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........54 Lip without green spots (sometimes with green coloration but not green-spotted).
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ 55 Large flowers distinctly pedicellate on racemes; lip short-caudate, 4.5-7 mm long; petals obliquely triangular
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..56 Leaves with prominent white or pale green variegation on midrib and/or veins; [subtribe Goodyerinae]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......58 Lip and perianth segments each with a single central green stripe; leaves more or less fugacious
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ......58 Lip and perianth without a central green stripe; occasionally with multiple green veins on the lip; leaf often persistent.
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ........59 Flowers white, often also marked or veined with yellow or green; [widespread in our region]
............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ............ ..........60 Lip canaliculate (grooved longitudinally), without conspicuous yellow throat; flowers greenish-brown or coppery
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