The flowers include the often showy petals and sepals as well as the sexual reproductive structures. The two distinct phases of the life cycle are not readily apparent as the gametophytes are microscopic and formed in the stamens and carpels. The pollen grains (microspores) are produced within the anthers and transferred to the stigma of the carpel. This process (pollination) is effected by various vectors Including wind, water, insects and larger animals; many flowers are specialized for a particular agent. After pollination and fertilization in the ovule of the egg cell (formed by the megaspore) by the sperm (formed in the pollen grain) the seed develops.
Seeds are protected by the ovary wall (pericarp) in the fruiting stage and the embryo has one or two cotyledons. After dispersal of the fruit and/or seed and its germination the new sporophyte is formed
| Key to the class MAGNOLIOPSIDA | |
1 | Carnivorous plants: either with glandular hairs on the leaves, or with bladders 1–2 mm long borne on submerged or subterranean leaves (If carnivorous leaves are tubular 'pitchers', as in pitcher plants, see SARRACENIACEAE) | 2 |
| Plants not carnivorous | 4 |
2 | Leaves with glandular hairs, leaves either borne in a rosette, or erect and divided into 2 branches, or on aerial stems; flowers actinomorphic | DROSERACEAE |
| Leaves modified into insect-trapping bladders, borne in water in aquatic species, or on underground leaves; flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic Back to 1 | 3 |
3 | Leaves alternate; flowers actinomorphic | DROSERACEAE |
| Leaves whorled; flowers zygomorphic Back to 2 | LENTIBULARIACEAE |
4 | Waterplants: either plants floating on or in water, or plants totally submerged in water or plants rooted in saline mud or in ± permanent water with the upper leaves and flowers in the air | 5 |
| Plants neither floating on nor growing in water Back to 1 | 104 |
5 | Woody plants – trees or shrubs growing in saline mud (mangroves) or ± permanent water | 6 |
| Plants not woody Back to 4 | 18 |
6 | Mangroves – woody plants growing in saline mud or estuaries | 7 |
| Woody plants growing in ± permanent water, either fresh or brackish but rarely saline Back to 5 | 12 |
7 | Leaves opposite | 8 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 6 | 10 |
8 | Interpetiolar stipules present on the youngest stems, falling as the leaves mature; leaves crowded, internodes mostly <1 cm long; ovary inferior | RHIZOPHORACEAE |
| Stipules absent; leaves not crowded, internodes >2 cm long; ovary superior Back to 7 | 9 |
9 | Pneumatophores present; leaves white-hairy below; a common mangrove | AVICENNIACEAE |
| Pneumatophores absent; leaves glabrous; not common, shrubs on the inland side of mangrove communities Back to 8 | VERBENACEAE |
10 | Shoots with stipules 20–30 mm long; leaves palmately veined, densely white-hairy on lower surface | MALVACEAE |
| Stipules absent or very small; leaves pinnately veined, glabrous Back to 7 | 11 |
11 | Milky latex present in broken twigs and petioles; 2 or 3 small glands present at base of lamina | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Milky latex absent; glands not present on lamina Back to 10 | PRIMULACEAE |
12 | Branchlets photosynthetic; leaves apparently absent – leaves either scale-like, or present only on new growth | 13 |
| Branchlets not photosynthetic; leaves normally developed, persistent or sometimes seasonally deciduous Back to 6 | 14 |
13 | Trees or shrubs, branchlets often drooping; leaves scale-like, whorled | CASUARINACEAE |
| Shrubs with stiff, intertwining branches; leaves absent or present only on new growth, alternate Back to 12 | POLYGONACEAE |
14 | Leaves >1 m long, compound | ARECACEAE |
| Leaves <20 cm long, simple Back to 12 | 15 |
15 | Trees with papery bark; leaves with several longitudinal veins | MYRTACEAE |
| Trees or shrubs, bark not papery; leaves with only one longitudinal vein Back to 14 | 16 |
16 | Trees | SALICACEAE |
| Shrubs Back to 15 | 17 |
17 | Plants hairy; leaves >5 mm wide | ONAGRACEAE |
| Plants glabrous; leaves <5 mm wide Back to 16 | POLYGONACEAE |
18 | Either herbs free-floating and not attached to the substrate, or herbs attached at edge of water with stems floating over the water surface | 19 |
| Herbs rooted in substrate but not attached at edge of water with stems floating over the water surface Back to 5 | 37 |
19 | Plants free-floating, not attached to substrate or margin | 20 |
| Plants attached to substrate near margin of water and stems extending out over surface of water Back to 18 | 30 |
20 | All or most of the vegetative parts of the plant (except for roots or root-like structures) floating on the surface of the water | 21 |
| All or most of the vegetative parts of the plant floating below the surface of the water Back to 19 | 25 |
21 | Plant-body usually <10 mm long, often <5 mm long; roots absent or hair-like; inflorescence minute, flowers unisexual (former Lemnaceae taxa) | ARACEAE |
| Plants always >5 cm long in at least one dimension; roots present, not hair-like; flowers bisexual or unisexual or absent Back to 20 | 22 |
22 | Petioles usually >5 cm long and inflated | PONTEDERIACEAE |
| Petioles absent or not inflated Back to 21 | 23 |
23 | Flowering plants (sometimes reproducing vegetatively); leaves simple | 24 |
| Flowers never produced, reproduction by spores or vegetatively; leaves simple or divided Back to 22 | FILICOPSIDA |
24 | Leaves 6–15 cm long, 4–8 cm wide with 7–15 ridges, closely overlapping | ARACEAE |
| Leaves generally <6 cm long, without conspicuous ridges Back to 23 | AMARANTHACEAE |
25 | Leaves opposite or whorled | 26 |
| Leaves alternate and either leaves 2-lobed from base, or plant body very small Back to 20 | 29 |
26 | Leaves modified into animal traps with basal sensitive bristles | DROSERACEAE |
| Animal traps and sensitive bristles absent Back to 25 | 27 |
27 | Leaves simple and unbranched | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
| Leaves much branched Back to 26 | 28 |
28 | All divisions of leaves dichotomous, ultimate segments toothed | CERATOPHYLLACEAE |
| Initial division of leaves trichotomous or more, subsequent divisions dichotomous, ultimate segments not toothed Back to 27 | CABOMBACEAE |
29 | Animal traps present and obvious; plants >2 cm long | LENTIBULARIACEAE |
| Animal traps absent; plant body usually <1 cm long (former Lemnaceae taxa) Back to 25 | ARACEAE |
30 | Leaves peltate | 31 |
| Leaves not peltate Back to 19 | 32 |
31 | Flowers yellow; no mucilage on leaves | APIACEAE |
| Flowers maroon; mucilage on leaves Back to 30 | CABOMBACEAE |
32 | Leaves opposite | 33 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 30 | 34 |
33 | Leaves 10–20 mm wide, ± sessile | AMARANTHACEAE |
| Leaves >20 mm wide, petiole >10 mm long Back to 32 | ASTERACEAE |
34 | Ocreae (sheaths of fused stipules) present around the petioles and stems | POLYGONACEAE |
| Ocreae absent Back to 32 | 35 |
35 | Leaves with numerous longitudinal veins; base of lamina cordate; flowers blue | PONTEDERIACEAE |
| Leaves pinnately veined; base of lamina sagittate, hastate or attenuate; flowers yellow, pink or white Back to 34 | 36 |
36 | Leaves with lamina ± triangular, base hastate or sagittate, apex acute; flowers pink to ± white | CONVOLVULACEAE |
| Leaves with lamina ± elliptic, base attenuate, apex rounded; flowers yellow Back to 35 | ONAGRACEAE |
37 | Leaves emergent, flowers emergent; sometimes plant ± completely emergent | 38 |
| Leaves submerged or floating on the surface, flowers submerged or emergent Back to 18 | 74 |
38 | Plants with long, narrow leaves, many times longer than wide, often grass-like | 39 |
| Plants with leaves only, at most, a few to several times longer than wide; plants not grass-like Back to 37 | 51 |
39 | Plants ± grass-like and flowers without true perianth and subtended by one or more bracts (glumes, lemmas or paleas) and organized into characteristic spikelets; leaves flat or terete | 40 |
| Plants not grass-like or if grass-like then flowers with true perianth (hard and scarious or petaloid) or flowers arranged in spikelets; leaves various, sometimes reduced to open sheaths on stems Back to 38 | 43 |
40 | Flowers unisexual, in a group surrounded by 4 spreading bracts | HYDATELLACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual or unisexual, each flower or group of fused unisexual flowers subtended and often enclosed by a bract Back to 39 | 41 |
41 | Fruit dehiscent, splitting on one side to release a smooth translucent seed | CENTROLEPIDACEAE |
| Fruit indehiscent Back to 40 | 42 |
42 | Flowers subtended by a single bract (glume) and variously arranged into spikelets; leaves mostly with closed sheath and mostly without ligules | CYPERACEAE |
| Flowers enclosed by a lemma and palea and these variously arranged in characteristic spikelets and mostly subtended by sterile glumes; leaves usually with open sheaths and ligules present although these often much reduced Back to 41 | POACEAE |
43 | Perianth dry and scarious, flowers or flower clusters in open paniculate inflorescences; leaves flat, terete or reduced to sheaths; flowers usually bisexual | JUNCACEAE |
| Perianth of various forms but not dry and scarious, flowers rarely arranged in open paniculate inflorescences and then flowers unisexual Back to 39 | 44 |
44 | Leaves on adult plants reduced to open sheaths which sometimes bear a small ± linear lamina; flowers usually unisexual and plants mostly dioecious | RESTIONACEAE |
| Leaves not reduced to open sheaths; flowers bisexual or unisexual and plants monoecious Back to 43 | 45 |
45 | Flowers unisexual with both sexes aggregated into small dense heads surrounded by 2 awned bracts; leaves all basal, linear, <8 cm long | ERIOCAULACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual or unisexual and male and female flowers separated in same inflorescence; leaves >8 cm long, not all basal, linear Back to 44 | 46 |
46 | Stems and often margins of leaf bases hairy; flowers yellow, conspicuous | PHILYDRACEAE |
| Neither stems nor leaf bases obviously hairy; flowers white, greenish or brown, often inconspicuous Back to 45 | 47 |
47 | Leaves septate-cylindric, constricted slightly at each septum | APIACEAE |
| Leaves not septate-cylindric Back to 46 | 48 |
48 | Leaves inflated and spongy when fresh; flowers bisexual | JUNCAGINACEAE |
| Leaves neither inflated nor spongy; flowers unisexual, plants monoecious Back to 47 | 49 |
49 | Inflorescence open, flowers on clearly visible pedicels, inflorescence axis visible between flowers; flowers >10 mm diam | ALISMATACEAE |
| Flowers arranged in dense elongated or globose heads; individual flower pedicels not visible; inflorescence axis visible between clusters but not between individual flowers; individual flowers <5 mm diam Back to 48 | 50 |
50 | Inflorescence dense, spike-like; male flowers above, female flowers below, ± separated by a portion of stem | TYPHACEAE |
| Inflorescence of dense globose clusters arranged along the axis; upper clusters male, lower clusters female Back to 49 | SPARGANIACEAE |
51 | Leaves compound and/or lobed | 52 |
| Leaves simple, reduced or absent Back to 38 | 55 |
52 | Leaves palmately lobed or divided, rarely pinnate and then usually with only 2 pairs of pinnae; flowers yellow, solitary, distinctly stalked | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Leaves pinnately lobed or divided; flowers white, reddish or greenish, in umbels or racemes or ± solitary and sessile in spike-like inflorescences Back to 51 | 53 |
53 | Flowers in umbels; crushed leaves smelling like carrot leaves; plants only rarely growing in water | APIACEAE |
| Flowers not in umbels; crushed leaves not smelling like carrot leaves; plants mostly growing in water Back to 52 | 54 |
54 | Widest leaves or leaf segments >5 mm wide; flowers white, pedicellate, in racemes | BRASSICACEAE |
| Leaves and leaf segments <3 mm wide; flowers red, white or greenish, ± sessile in axils of leaves forming a spike-like inflorescence Back to 53 | HALORAGACEAE |
55 | Leaves reduced to sheaths on aerial stems | 56 |
| Leaves not reduced to sheaths on stems Back to 51 | 58 |
56 | Sheaths open | 57 |
| Sheaths closed Back to 55 | CYPERACEAE |
57 | Perianth dry and scarious, flowers or flower clusters in open paniculate inflorescences; flowers usually bisexual | JUNCACEAE |
| Perianth of various forms but not dry and scarious, flowers usually unisexual and plants mostly dioecious Back to 56 | RESTIONACEAE |
58 | Leaves all basal | 59 |
| Leaves spread along the stem, basal leaves sometimes also present, or leaves absent Back to 55 | 63 |
59 | Lamina ± circular with a radial slit, petiole attached near centre of lamina | NYMPHAEACEAE |
| Lamina not ± circular and/or petiole attached towards margin Back to 58 | 60 |
60 | Plants without horizontal rhizomes or stolons | ALISMATACEAE |
| Plants with horizontal rhizomes or stolons Back to 59 | 61 |
61 | Lamina <10 cm long; mature plants <30 cm high; flowers white | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
| Lamina >10 cm long; mature plants >50 cm high; flowers white or blue Back to 60 | 62 |
62 | Longitudinal veins usually <10 (always <20) and midrib well defined, cross veins obvious; flowers white | ALISMATACEAE |
| Longitudinal veins numerous, usually >20, midrib not well defined, cross veins obscure; flowers blue Back to 61 | PONTEDERIACEAE |
63 | Leaves with an ocrea (sheathing stipule); leaves alternate or absent | POLYGONACEAE |
| Leaves without an ocrea but leaf bases sometimes winged and half encircling stem; leaves opposite, whorled or alternate Back to 58 | 64 |
64 | Leaves opposite or whorled | 65 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 63 | 70 |
65 | Flowers in heads; leaves >20 mm wide, petiole mostly >10 mm long | ASTERACEAE |
| Flowers solitary or in cymes, spikes or racemes; leaves <20 mm wide, sessile or petiole <10 mm long (sometimes to 15 cm long in Limosella) Back to 64 | 66 |
66 | Flowers in terminal spikes, pink to purple | LYTHRACEAE |
| Flowers solitary or in cymes or racemes, white, blue, red-brown or petals translucent Back to 65 | 67 |
67 | Leaves united at base, sessile and <3 mm wide, lamina linear to oblong; corolla white or red-brown, 4-lobed, lobes ± equal | 68 |
| Leaves not united at base, either petiolate, or lamina >3 mm wide, oblanceolate to ± obovate; corolla white to blue, 5-lobed, or 4-lobed and then lobes unequal Back to 66 | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
68 | Flowers unisexual, plants dioecious; corolla red-brown or translucent; aerial stems to 1 m high | RUBIACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual; corolla white; aerial stems <20 cm high Back to 67 | 69 |
69 | Flowers in few-flowered cymes; corolla tube split to base on one side | PORTULACACEAE |
| Flowers solitary; corolla tube not split on one side Back to 68 | CRASSULACEAE |
70 | Leaves without obvious petioles, leaves either sessile or linear to spathulate; flowers pink, blue, purple or white | 71 |
| Leaves with obvious petioles, neither linear nor spathulate; flowers yellow Back to 64 | 73 |
71 | Leaves sessile, without a winged base; flowers solitary in axils, blue, pink or purple | LYTHRACEAE |
| Leaves linear or spathulate with a winged base half encircling the stem; flowers solitary and/or in heads, blue, pink or white Back to 70 | 72 |
72 | Plants <20 cm high; flowers in 1–few-flowered cymes, white | PORTULACACEAE |
| Plants 40–200 cm high; flowers in heads, white, blue or pink Back to 71 | ASTERACEAE |
73 | Flowers in large panicles; leaves glabrous, without stipules | MENYANTHACEAE |
| Flowers solitary, axillary; leaves either with small stipules and/or stems and leaves hairy Back to 70 | ONAGRACEAE |
74 | At least some leaves always floating on surface of water, flowers (if present) emergent, often some leaves submerged | 75 |
| Most leaves completely submerged, some leaves may be emergent or floating when plant flowering Back to 37 | 82 |
75 | Leaves simple, peltate with petiole attached near centre of lamina; lamina ± circular, often with a radial slit | 76 |
| Leaves compound or simple and not peltate or rarely petiole attached near the margin of the lamina; lamina broad-lanceolate, elliptic, ovate or obovate Back to 74 | 78 |
76 | Leaves without a radial slit, margin entire | CABOMBACEAE |
| Leaves with a radial slit, margin entire to toothed Back to 75 | 77 |
77 | Leaves all basal arising from a corm or buried horizontal rhizome; petals numerous | NYMPHAEACEAE |
| Leaves arising along a floating horizontal stolon; petals 5 Back to 76 | MENYANTHACEAE |
78 | Leaves compound, pinnae 4, sessile, at apex of long petiole, floating on surface of water | FILICOPSIDA |
| Leaves simple Back to 75 | 79 |
79 | Leaves attached along trailing stem; submerged leaves different from floating leaves (that is, leaves dimorphic) | POTAMOGETONACEAE |
| Leaves all basal; leaves either all similar or dimorphic Back to 78 | 80 |
80 | Plants forming deeply buried tubers; inflorescence many-flowered | APONOGETONACEAE |
| Plants not forming deeply buried tubers; flowers solitary Back to 79 | 81 |
81 | Leaves with base ± cordate; lamina >20 mm wide and with 5–7 longitudinal veins | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
| Leaves with base tapering into petiole; lamina <20 mm wide, venation obscure or only midvein visible Back to 80 | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
82 | Submerged leaves compound or deeply lobed | 83 |
| Submerged leaves simple and entire Back to 74 | 85 |
83 | Submerged leaves pinnately divided; emergent leaves pinnately divided or entire | HALORAGACEAE |
| Submerged leaves dichotomously or trichotomously divided Back to 82 | 84 |
84 | Submerged leaves opposite or whorled; floating leaves if present peltate | CABOMBACEAE |
| Submerged leaves alternate; all leaves divided into linear segments Back to 83 | RANUNCULACEAE |
85 | Plants of marine, estuarine or brackish habitats | 86 |
| Plants of freshwater habitats Back to 82 | 91 |
86 | Leaves elliptic to ± oblong | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
| Leaves elongated, filiform to linear, grass-like Back to 85 | 87 |
87 | Leaves >8 mm wide, linear | POSIDONIACEAE |
| Leaves <8 mm wide, filiform to linear Back to 86 | 88 |
88 | Flowers bisexual; flowers in pairs, flowering peduncle >4 cm long | POTAMOGETONACEAE |
| Flowers unisexual; flowers mostly sessile and solitary or in elongated inflorescences ± sessile in axils of leaves Back to 87 | 89 |
89 | Plants marine; pollen grains thread-like | 90 |
| Plants of brackish or ephemeral saline pools (not marine); pollen grains ± globose Back to 88 | ZANNICHELLIACEAE |
90 | Flowers solitary; plants dioecious | CYMODOCEACEAE |
| Flowers in rows in a flattened spadix enclosed in a spathe; plants monoecious Back to 89 | ZOSTERACEAE |
91 | Leaves all basal | 92 |
| Leaves arising along stems Back to 85 | 95 |
92 | Leaves with lamina stiff, ± cylindrical; plants reproducing by spores, flowers never produced | ISOETACEAE |
| Leaves with lamina soft, flattened, grass-like; plants flowering when mature but flowers usually not present in submerged immature growth Back to 91 | 93 |
93 | Stolons present | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
| Stolons never formed Back to 92 | 94 |
94 | Plants producing a well-buried corm, leaves arising from the apex of the corm | APONOGETONACEAE |
| Plants not producing a corm, roots superficial, arising from near leaf bases Back to 93 | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
95 | Plants not producing flattened leaves; branches in whorls, secondary branches ± whorled and ± leaf-like; often encrusted with lime; plants not flowering, reproducing by spores (Chara & Nitella - algae not in this Flora) | CHARACEAE |
| Plants producing leaves with flattened lamina, leaves often flat, narrow, linear and grass-like; rarely lime-encrusted; mature plants producing flowers Back to 91 | 96 |
96 | Leaves alternate | 97 |
| Leaves opposite or whorled Back to 95 | 100 |
97 | Leaves with stipular sheath (or ligule) extending above junction of lamina and basal sheath | 98 |
| Leaves with basal sheath not extending above junction of sheath with lamina, no stipular sheath or ligule above but auricles sometimes present Back to 96 | 99 |
98 | Leaves with lamina mostly >1 mm wide; perennials with rhizomes, often with tough stems; leaves with a stipular sheath or base of lamina stem-clasping | POTAMOGETONACEAE |
| Leaves with lamina mostly <1 mm wide; usually delicate annuals, stems weak; leaves with a stipular sheath Back to 97 | ZANNICHELLIACEAE |
99 | Leaves with 2 short auricles at base | POTAMOGETONACEAE |
| Leaves without auricles Back to 97 | CYPERACEAE |
100 | Leaves opposite and lamina expanded | 101 |
| Leaves usually whorled, lamina filiform or linear Back to 96 | 103 |
101 | Leaves with 3 or more longitudinal veins arising from near the base of lamina and re-uniting below apex; flowers unisexual | CALLITRICHACEAE |
| Leaves with only 1 longitudinal vein visible or venation obscure; flowers bisexual Back to 100 | 102 |
102 | Leaves entire, shortly petiolate with 2 stipules at base, lateral veins ending in minute glands | ELATINACEAE |
| Leaves toothed and stem-clasping or entire with relatively long petioles, stipules absent Back to 101 | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
103 | Leaves opposite or ± whorled, lamina with a short, expanded sheath-like base | NAJADACEAE |
| Leaves whorled, sessile, without an expanded sheath-like base Back to 100 | HYDROCHARITACEAE |
104 | Plants either climbing, or epiphytic on other plants, or ± parasitic on the aerial parts of other plants | 105 |
| Plants neither climbing nor epiphytic nor parasitic on aerial parts of other plants Back to 4 | 206 |
105 | Epiphytes, parasites, or hemiparasites, plants not rooted in the soil | 106 |
| Climbing or twining plants with roots in the soil Back to 104 | 118 |
106 | Rootless parasites or hemiparasites on the aerial parts of other plants | 107 |
| Plants epiphytic but not parasitic on other plants Back to 105 | 110 |
107 | Stems thread-like, leafless or almost so, forming Rtangled masses over the host and attached to the host by haustoria | 108 |
| Stems robust, parasitic on the branches of shrubs and trees, or parasitic on another parasite Back to 106 | 109 |
108 | Stems yellowish or reddish; usually parasitic on herbs; calyx and corolla distinct, with 5 segments in each whorl | CONVOLVULACEAE |
| Stems green, green-red, or blackish, sometimes with brown scale leaves; usually parasitic on shrubs and trees; perianth of 6 similar segments in 2 whorls of 3 Back to 107 | LAURACEAE |
109 | Flowers bisexual, >20 mm long; stems ± terete and leaves either terete to linear, or broad and glabrous to tomentose but hairs not stellate | LORANTHACEAE |
| Flowers unisexual, <2 mm long; either stems angular, or flattened and ± leafless, or stems terete and leaves broad and stellate-tomentose Back to 107 | VISCACEAE |
110 | Leaves opposite or whorled | 111 |
| Leaves alternate, sometimes crowded and appearing whorled Back to 106 | 113 |
111 | Leaves toothed; one leaf at each node generally much smaller than the other; flowers solitary | GESNERIACEAE |
| Leaves entire; leaves at each node of similar size; inflorescence many-flowered Back to 110 | 112 |
112 | Epiphytic herbs; leaves ± fleshy; inflorescence spicate; flowers <2 mm diam. (formerly Peperomiaceae) | PIPERACEAE |
| Climbers; leaves thick and leathery; inflorescence umbellate; flowers >5 mm diam. (formerly Asclepiadaceae) Back to 111 | APOCYNACEAE |
113 | Leaves compound, palmate or pinnate | ARALIACEAE |
| Leaves simple Back to 110 | 114 |
114 | Either leaves with several longitudinal veins, or venation obscure, or leaves terete | 115 |
| Leaves not terete, venation apparent but with only 1 longitudinal vein (lateral veins often present also) Back to 113 | 116 |
115 | Leaves terete or without a constriction above middle of leaf; pseudobulbs with velamen often present | ORCHIDACEAE |
| Leaves flat and with a constriction above the middle; pseudobulbs absent Back to 114 | ARACEAE |
116 | Leaves with midvein and several prominent secondary veins; lamina >10 mm wide and >30 mm long | 117 |
| Leaves with only midvein apparent; lamina <10 mm wide and <30 mm long Back to 114 | PSILOPSIDA |
117 | Milky latex exudes from broken stems; stipules present; usually epiphytic on rainforest trees | MORACEAE |
| Milky latex absent; stipules absent; generally epiphytic on treeferns (formerly Quintiniaceae) Back to 116 | PARACRYPHIACEAE |
118 | Tendrils present | 119 |
| Tendrils absent Back to 105 | 130 |
119 | Leaves with 3 or more longitudinal veins, the main veins sometimes joined by a fine reticulum | 120 |
| Leaves with only one longitudinal vein or venation palmate, the fine venation reticulate Back to 118 | 123 |
120 | Apex of leaves prolonged into a coil | 121 |
| Apex of leaves not prolonged into a coil Back to 119 | 122 |
121 | Leaves with a closed basal sheath; flowers small, inflorescence paniculate | FLAGELLARIACEAE |
| Leaves with a short petiole, sheath absent; flowers large, solitary Back to 120 | COLCHICACEAE |
122 | Tendrils borne on petiole, paired; 3 or 5 longitudinal veins joined by obvious fine reticulum; inflorescence umbel-like; fruit black | SMILACACEAE |
| Tendrils on stem opposite the leaves, solitary; longitudinal veins not conspicuously joined by fine reticulum; inflorescence paniculate; fruit red Back to 120 | PETERMANNIACEAE |
123 | Leaves compound | 124 |
| Leaves simple, often deeply lobed Back to 119 | 128 |
124 | Leaves pinnately compound with an even number of pinnae (2–20) | 125 |
| Leaves compound with an odd number of pinnae (3–9), leaves palmate, biternate, pedate or palmately 3-foliolate Back to 123 | 127 |
125 | Leaves with 4–20 pinnae; stamens 10 or 5; fruit a legume or capsule, seeds not winged | 126 |
| Leaves with 2 pinnae; stamens 4; fruit a 2-valved follicle, seeds winged Back to 124 | BIGNONIACEAE |
126 | Stipules present; flowers in racemes or solitary and <3 cm long; stamens 10; fruit a legume | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
| Stipules absent; flowers solitary and >5 cm long; stamens 5; fruit a capsule Back to 125 | POLEMONIACEAE |
127 | Tendrils opposite leaves; palmate, pedate or 3-foliolate, pinnae usually 3–7; fruit a berry | VITACEAE |
| Tendrils associated with inflorescence; leaves biternate with 9 pinnae; fruit an inflated capsule Back to 124 | SAPINDACEAE |
128 | Tendrils opposite leaves; leaves pinnately veined; domatia regularly present | VITACEAE |
| Tendrils in leaf axils or beside or below the petiole base; leaves palmately veined; domatia usually absent Back to 123 | 129 |
129 | Tendrils strictly axillary, unbranched; petioles usually with raised glands; flowers bisexual, ovary superior | PASSIFLORACEAE |
| Tendrils beside or below the base of the petiole, often branched; petioles without glands; flowers unisexual, ovary inferior Back to 128 | CUCURBITACEAE |
130 | Leaves compound with 2 or more pinnae | 131 |
| Leaves simple or 1-foliolate (sometimes apparently absent) Back to 118 | 142 |
131 | Leaves 2- or 3-pinnate or leaves ternately divided | 132 |
| Leaves pinnate or palmate Back to 130 | 135 |
132 | Prickles present on stems and on rachises of leaves | FABACEAE - CAESALPINIOIDEAE |
| Prickles absent Back to 131 | 133 |
133 | Rachis of leaves twining; leaves trailing and to several metres long; pinnae very numerous | FILICOPSIDA |
| Petioles and petiolules often twining; leaves <30 cm long; pinnae usually 9–45 Back to 132 | 134 |
134 | Leaves opposite, ternately divided | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Leaves alternate, pinnately divided Back to 133 | PAPAVERACEAE |
135 | Leaves opposite or rarely whorled | 136 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 131 | 138 |
136 | Leaves with 2 or 5–17 pinnae, rarely 3 or more than 13 | BIGNONIACEAE |
| Leaves with 3 pinnae Back to 135 | 137 |
137 | Petioles and petiolules elongated and often twining around supports; domatia absent | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Petioles and petiolules short and not twining; domatia often present Back to 136 | OLEACEAE |
138 | Prickles present on stems and leaves | 139 |
| Prickles absent Back to 135 | 140 |
139 | Pinnae with longitudinal veins; prickles ± straight, fine; leaves pinnate, often >50 cm long | ARECACEAE |
| Pinnae pinnately veined; prickles hooked, coarse; leaves palmate or pinnate, <20 cm long Back to 138 | ROSACEAE |
140 | Stipules and stipels usually present, at least visible on young shoots; fruit a legume; pinnae 1–19 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
| Stipules and stipels absent; fruit a berry or drupe; pinnae 3–9 Back to 138 | 141 |
141 | Leaves with pinnae all similar, usually 3, rarely 4 or 5; petiole scabrous with bristly hairs | ARALIACEAE |
| Leaves pinnatifid or pinnate with distinct pinnae on lower rachis and a terminal segment often deeply lobed; petiole smooth Back to 140 | SOLANACEAE |
142 | Leaves alternate | 143 |
| Leaves opposite or occasionally whorled Back to 130 | 186 |
143 | Prickles or spines present | 144 |
| Prickles and spines absent Back to 142 | 149 |
144 | Plants apparently leafless or leaves ± succulent and falling relatively early | 145 |
| Leaves normally developed and ± persistent, not ± succulent Back to 143 | 146 |
145 | Stems either succulent and with groups of small spines at regular intervals over surface of swollen stems or numerous spines clustered on older stems; flowers ± solitary, >3 cm long | CACTACEAE |
| Spines not clustered, stems not succulent but often ending in spines; flowers in globose heads, <1 cm long Back to 144 | FABACEAE - CAESALPINIOIDEAE |
146 | Leaves with 3 or 5 longitudinal veins | RIPOGONACEAE |
| Main veins pinnate Back to 144 | 147 |
147 | Axillary spines present | MORACEAE |
| Prickles present on stem or at base of petiole Back to 146 | 148 |
148 | Leaves 3–5-lobed; stipules present, linear, not spinescent | ROSACEAE |
| Leaves entire; stipules spinescent Back to 147 | CAPPARACEAE |
149 | Either leaves apparently absent (reduced to scales, falling early or very sparse) or plants climbing by adventitious roots | 150 |
| Plants with normally developed ± persistent leaves, not climbing by adventitious roots Back to 143 | 157 |
150 | Leaves scale-like; adventitious roots sometimes present | 151 |
| Leaves not scale-like, either normally-developed, or apparently absent; adventitious roots usually present Back to 149 | 154 |
151 | Stems thread-like, leafless or almost so, forming tangled masses over the host and attached to the host by haustoria (only seedlings rooted in soil) | 152 |
| Stems not thread-like, not forming tangled masses over the host, leaves scale-like or falling early, haustoria absent Back to 150 | 153 |
152 | Stems yellowish or reddish; usually parasitic on herbs; calyx and corolla distinct, with 5 segments in each whorl | CONVOLVULACEAE |
| Stems green, green-red, or blackish, sometimes with brown scale leaves; usually parasitic on shrubs and trees; perianth of 6 similar segments in 2 whorls Back to 151 | LAURACEAE |
153 | Milky latex exudes from broken stems; adventitious roots absent | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Milky latex absent; adventitious roots present Back to 151 | ORCHIDACEAE |
154 | Aerial roots absent, stems twining; leaves either apparently absent, or if present then sparse and lamina linear to elliptic or oblanceolate and margins entire | POLYGALACEAE |
| Aerial roots present, stems sometimes twining; leaves abundant, not lamina linear to elliptic or oblanceolate and margins entire Back to 150 | 155 |
155 | Leaves with a constriction above the middle; leaf base sheathing | ARACEAE |
| Leaves without a constriction above the middle; leaf base not sheathing, petiole present Back to 154 | 156 |
156 | Leaves entire; stipules present on young stems and leaving a scar encircling the stem at each node | PIPERACEAE |
| Leaves palmately 3–5-lobed; stipules absent Back to 155 | ARALIACEAE |
157 | Leaves with 3–many longitudinal veins | 158 |
| Leaves pinnately or palmately veined Back to 149 | 161 |
158 | Leaves with base sheathing stem; margins with small spinescent teeth near base of leaves | PANDANACEAE |
| Leaves without base sheathing stem; margins entire Back to 157 | 159 |
159 | Leaves with many closely spaced ± parallel veins | LUZURIAGACEAE |
| Leaves with 3–7 widely spaced longitudinal veins Back to 158 | 160 |
160 | Petioles stout and rather short; leaves with base of lamina rounded or tapering into petiole; most leaves usually regularly whorled or opposite | RIPOGONACEAE |
| Petioles slender and relatively long; leaves with base of lamina hastate or cordate; leaves always alternate Back to 159 | DIOSCOREACEAE |
161 | Leaves ± triangular and margins regularly toothed to finely crenate, base generally cordate | 162 |
| Leaves not ± triangular, if leaves toothed then base not cordate Back to 157 | 164 |
162 | At least young stems, petioles and lower surface of leaves hairy; ocreae (sheaths of fused stipules) absent | 163 |
| Leaves and stems ± glabrous; ocreae present at nodes Back to 161 | POLYGONACEAE |
163 | Stems and leaves softly and densely hairy; petioles of many leaves twining | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
| Stems and petioles with scattered, bristly, stinging hairs; petioles not twining Back to 162 | EUPHORBIACEAE |
164 | Leaves with petiole more than half as long as lamina; lamina ovate to ± circular, margins entire, lobed or angled and base often cordate; venation palmate or prominently 3-veined from near base | 165 |
| Leaves with petiole less than half as long as lamina; lamina linear to ovate to oblanceolate, rarely base cordate, margins generally entire, occasionally toothed, crenate or lobed; venation pinnate, rarely obscurely 3-veined from base Back to 161 | 170 |
165 | Flowers in heads surrounded by herbaceous involucral bracts; leaves palmately 5–7-angled | ASTERACEAE |
| Flowers not in heads surrounded by bracts; leaves palmately lobed or 2- or 3-angled Back to 164 | 166 |
166 | Flowers bisexual, solitary or a few together, axillary or terminal | 167 |
| Flowers unisexual; inflorescence with many flowers, axillary Back to 165 | 169 |
167 | Leaves peltate; flowers spurred | TROPAEOLACEAE |
| Leaves not peltate; flowers not spurred Back to 166 | 168 |
168 | Corolla tubular; a small amount of milky latex present; either leaves hairy or margins palmately lobed or base sagittate or hastate; base of lamina usually cordate | CONVOLVULACEAE |
| Perianth segments free; milky latex absent; leaves glabrous and margins either entire or with 1 or 2 angles; base of lamina not cordate Back to 167 | BERBERIDOPSIDACEAE |
169 | Ovary inferior; carpels fused, 3; fruit a capsule, deeply 3-angled | DIOSCOREACEAE |
| Ovary superior; carpels free or 1; fruit a drupe, not deeply angled Back to 166 | MENISPERMACEAE |
170 | Margins of leaves toothed, crenate or deeply lobed | 171 |
| Margins of leaves entire Back to 164 | 174 |
171 | Herbaceous climbers, lenticels absent; flowers >15 mm diam | 172 |
| Woody climbers or twiners, lenticels raised and obvious on stem; flowers <5 mm diam Back to 170 | 173 |
172 | Leaves toothed to crenate, ± sessile with base encircling stem; flowers yellow | DILLENIACEAE |
| Leaves deeply lobed, petiolate; flowers white to pale blue Back to 171 | SOLANACEAE |
173 | Leaves scabrous below; teeth coarse and irregular; milky latex sometimes present | MORACEAE |
| Leaves not scabrous; teeth usually regular and fine, margins often ± crenate; latex absent Back to 171 | CELASTRACEAE |
174 | Petioles with a distinct joint or pulvinus-like swelling at the apex or petioles thickened and twisted | 175 |
| Petioles not thickened and twisted, lacking a distinct joint or pulvinus-like swelling at the apex, either absent or very short or if longer then not rigid Back to 170 | 177 |
175 | Flowers bisexual, zygomorphic | 176 |
| Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic Back to 174 | MENISPERMACEAE |
176 | Petioles without stipels and joint near apex; petiole base expanded into a horizontal ridge extending three-quarters of the way around the stem; corolla tubular | ARISTOLOCHIACEAE |
| Petioles with stipels and a joint near apex (leaf 1-foliolate); petiole base not expanded; corolla not tubular Back to 175 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
177 | Leaves oblanceolate and tapering into the base, base sheathing the stem | DILLENIACEAE |
| Leaves usually not oblanceolate, base not sheathing the stem Back to 174 | 178 |
178 | Leaves hairy | 179 |
| Leaves glabrous or almost so (sometimes stellate hairs present on new growth) Back to 177 | 180 |
179 | Mature leaves <5 cm long, sessile or petiole <1 cm long; small twining plants | PITTOSPORACEAE |
| Mature leaves >5 cm long, petiole >1 cm long; woody climbers Back to 178 | AMARANTHACEAE |
180 | Leaves ± fleshy, ± broad-ovate, base cordate; axillary tubers borne at some nodes | BASELLACEAE |
| Leaves not fleshy, linear to ovate, base not cordate; axillary tubers absent Back to 178 | 181 |
181 | Leaves with translucent or opaque dots scattered over lower leaf surface | PRIMULACEAE |
| Leaves lacking such dots Back to 180 | 182 |
182 | Leaves scabrous on lower surface; stellate scales absent | MORACEAE |
| Leaves not scabrous; stellate scales sometimes present Back to 181 | 183 |
183 | Brown stellate scales on young stems; tall climbers in coastal rainforest north from Dorrigo | ANNONACEAE |
| Stellate scales absent; scrambling shrubs or twiners, rarely in rainforest; inland or coastal regions Back to 182 | 184 |
184 | Petioles <10 mm long; widespread, rarely in rainforest | 185 |
| Petioles >10 mm long; coastal species, sometimes in or near rainforest Back to 183 | SOLANACEAE |
185 | Flowers mostly absent, if present actinomorphic, <5 mm diam.; scrambling shrub of inland areas | RHAMNACEAE |
| Flowers mostly present, zygomorphic, >5 mm diam.; twining shrubs, widespread Back to 184 | POLYGALACEAE |
186 | Leaves whorled, scale-like and subtending linear to ovate cladodes in the axils | ASPARAGACEAE |
| Leaves not whorled, scale-like and subtending linear to ovate cladodes in the axils Back to 142 | 187 |
187 | Prickles or spines present | 188 |
| Prickles or spines absent Back to 186 | 191 |
188 | Spines present at many nodes | 189 |
| Prickles scattered on stems Back to 187 | 190 |
189 | Milky latex exudes from broken stems and petioles; spines straight | APOCYNACEAE |
| Milky latex absent; spines often curved Back to 188 | NYCTAGINACEAE |
190 | Stems 4-angled; leaves pinnately veined, margins toothed | VERBENACEAE |
| Stems not angled; leaves with 3 or 5 main longitudinal veins, margins entire Back to 188 | RIPOGONACEAE |
191 | Leaves at each node unequal in size | GESNERIACEAE |
| Leaves at each node similar in size Back to 187 | 192 |
192 | Leaves with numerous minute translucent oil dots, aromatic when crushed | 193 |
| Leaves without translucent oil dots, not aromatic when crushed Back to 191 | 194 |
193 | Rough stellate hairs present on stems and leaves; hypanthium present, perianth in 1 whorl | MONIMIACEAE |
| Rusty hairs present, especially on young stems and leaves; hypanthium not present, perianth in 2 whorls Back to 192 | TRIMENIACEAE |
194 | Margins of adult leaves crenate or toothed | 195 |
| Margins of adult leaves entire, sometimes juvenile leaves lobed or dissected Back to 192 | 198 |
195 | Leaves with 3–5 veins rising from base of lamina, base ± cordate | 196 |
| Leaves with only one main longitudinal vein Back to 194 | 197 |
196 | Leaves glabrous or almost so, shiny above, central area of lamina pale green | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Leaves hairy, dull above, not variegated in colour Back to 195 | ACANTHACEAE |
197 | Leaves slightly glossy above, dull below; stems forming short coils and abrupt knot-like bends around supports | CELASTRACEAE |
| Leaves very glossy above, moderately glossy below; stems twining in loose, elongated spirals Back to 195 | APHANOPETALACEAE |
198 | Interpetiolar stipules present; domatia present on most leaves, sometimes minute | RUBIACEAE |
| Interpetiolar stipules absent or greatly reduced; domatia absent Back to 194 | 199 |
199 | Petioles distinctly jointed a little above the base | OLEACEAE |
| Petioles lacking such a joint Back to 198 | 200 |
200 | Stems 4-angled | VERBENACEAE |
| Stems not angled Back to 199 | 201 |
201 | Milky or clear latex absent; stamens 1–4 or if 5 then flowers strongly zygomorphic | 202 |
| Milky or yellowish latex usually exudes from broken stems or petioles; stamens 5; flowers actinomorphic Back to 200 | 204 |
202 | Leaves not lobed at base, hairy below | 203 |
| Leaves sagittate to hastate, glabrous Back to 201 | CHENOPODIACEAE |
203 | Leaves wrinkled above, whitish with stellate hairs below; flowers mauve or yellow | BUDDLEJACEAE |
| Leaves smooth above, green below, hairs simple or glandular; flowers cream or yellow Back to 202 | CAPRIFOLIACEAE |
204 | Either upper surface of leaves with a cluster of 2–20 minute raised glands at the base of lamina (hand lens needed) or leaves reduced and scale-like; pollen aggregated into pollinia (formerly Asclepiadaceae) | APOCYNACEAE |
| Upper surface of leaves without any raised glands (leaves never reduced and scale-like); pollen either granular or rarely aggregated into pollinia Back to 201 | 205 |
205 | Pollen granular, not aggregated into pollinia | APOCYNACEAE |
| Pollen aggregated into pollinia (formerly Asclepiadaceae) Back to 204 | APOCYNACEAE |
206 | Leaves apparently absent, often reduced to scales | 207 |
| Leaves present, not reduced to scales Back to 104 | 230 |
207 | Saprophytic or parasitic herbs, usually without chlorophyll; the stems yellow or purple | 208 |
| Chlorophyll present, stems sometimes with yellowish tinge if the plants are hemiparasitic on roots of other plants Back to 206 | 210 |
208 | Flowers usually strongly zygomorphic; stamens 4 or 1 | 209 |
| Flowers actinomorphic; stamens 6 or rarely 3 Back to 207 | THISMIACEAE |
209 | Ovary inferior; stamen 1 | ORCHIDACEAE |
| Ovary superior; stamens 4 Back to 208 | OROBANCHACEAE |
210 | Cladodes succulent, often jointed | 211 |
| Cladodes not succulent, either smooth or angular, sometimes flattened or winged Back to 207 | 214 |
211 | Cladodes >10 mm diam., cylindrical, angular or flattened, bearing numerous spines | CACTACEAE |
| Cladodes <8 mm diam., ± cylindrical, spines absent Back to 210 | 212 |
212 | Milky latex absent; cladodes jointed; erect or prostrate shrubs or subshrubs | CHENOPODIACEAE |
| Milky latex present; cladodes sometimes jointed; scrambling shrubs Back to 211 | 213 |
213 | Scale leaves alternate; fruit a capsule c. 4 mm long, seeds 3 | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Leaves opposite; fruit a follicle 5–14 cm long, seeds numerous (formerly Asclepiadaceae) Back to 212 | APOCYNACEAE |
214 | Cladodes winged or leaves reduced to spines | 215 |
| Cladodes or branchlets not winged, either terete or flattened Back to 210 | 216 |
215 | Wings on cladodes firm and brown; leaves reduced to spines | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
| Wings herbaceous to membranous; plants not spinose Back to 214 | ELAEOCARPACEAE |
216 | Scale leaves subtending leaf-like cladodes, cladodes often clustered or whorled | ASPARAGACEAE |
| Leaves not subtending leaf-like cladodes Back to 214 | 217 |
217 | Scale leaves in whorls of 4 or more and fused at the base | CASUARINACEAE |
| Scale leaves (or leaf scars) alternate or opposite Back to 216 | 218 |
218 | Spines regularly present along adult stems | 219 |
| Spines not regularly present on adult stems, but branches sometimes ending in spines or spines present on juvenile growth Back to 217 | 220 |
219 | Spines alternate | RUTACEAE |
| Spines opposite Back to 218 | RHAMNACEAE |
220 | Leaves opposite | 221 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 218 | 224 |
221 | Herbs in swamps; flowers unisexual | RUBIACEAE |
| Shrubs or subshrubs, not in swamps; flowers bisexual Back to 220 | 222 |
222 | Flowers 3–4 mm long; shrubs; fruit brownish, not succulent; at least some leaves normally-developed on plant | LAMIACEAE |
| Flowers either <2 mm long, or >6 mm long; subshrubs, prostrate or erect; fruit red to orange, succulent; no leaves normally developed Back to 221 | 223 |
223 | Erect subshrubs; flowers 8–10 mm long, white; western species | LOGANIACEAE |
| Prostrate subshrubs; flowers 1–2 mm long, greenish; high altitude species Back to 222 | SANTALACEAE |
224 | Flowers unisexual, borne in clusters at almost every node over the whole plant (dead flower parts usually persistent) | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual, borne mainly towards the ends of branches (dead flower parts not usually persistent) Back to 220 | 225 |
225 | Either ovary inferior, or ovary superior and then fruiting pedicel enlarged and often succulent | SANTALACEAE |
| Ovary superior, but fruiting pedicel neither enlarged nor succulent Back to 224 | 226 |
226 | Scale leaves encircling stem and usually a few millimetres apart; flowers small, pink and in large terminal panicles | TAMARICACEAE |
| Leaves not scale leaves encircling stem and usually more than a few millimetres apart; flowers and inflorescences not large terminal panicles Back to 225 | 227 |
227 | Flowers bisexual, strongly zygomorphic | 228 |
| Flowers unisexual, actinomorphic Back to 226 | 229 |
228 | Flowers blue; inner 2 sepals large and petaloid; fruit a capsule | POLYGALACEAE |
| Flowers yellow, orange or rarely purple; sepals not petaloid, shortly tubular and ± equal; fruit a legume Back to 227 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
229 | Shrubs or small trees 1–4 m high; flowers solitary or in short, few-flowered racemes; fruit a berry | CAPPARACEAE |
| Shrubs with tangled branches; flowers in interrupted, spike-like racemes; fruit an indehiscent nut Back to 227 | POLYGONACEAE |
230 | Leaves consistently whorled | 231 |
| Leaves alternate or opposite or leaf solitary Back to 206 | 254 |
231 | Woody plants, trees or erect shrubs | 232 |
| Herbs or prostrate or hemispherical subshrubs Back to 230 | 248 |
232 | Milky latex or coloured resin exudes from cut or broken twigs or petioles | 233 |
| Neither milky latex nor coloured resin exudes from cut or broken twigs or petioles Back to 231 | 234 |
233 | Milky latex exudes from cut stems or petioles | APOCYNACEAE |
| Yellowish to red resin exudes from cut stems or petioles Back to 232 | MYRTACEAE |
234 | Leaves with 5–7 main longitudinal veins | ERICACEAE-STYPHELIOIDEAE |
| Leaves with only 1 main longitudinal vein Back to 232 | 235 |
235 | Leaves either <3 cm long, or if 3–6 cm long then neither rigid nor pungent-pointed | 236 |
| Leaves either >6 cm long or if 3–6 cm long then rigid and pungent-pointed Back to 234 | 243 |
236 | Whorls usually with 3 or 4 leaves | 237 |
| Whorls with 5–7 leaves Back to 235 | 242 |
237 | Leaves 3–6 mm long and ± terete | ERICACEAE |
| Leaves >6 mm long or if less then not ± terete Back to 236 | 238 |
238 | Stems 4-angled | LAMIACEAE |
| Stems not 4-angled Back to 237 | 239 |
239 | Leaves in whorls of 3, rarely more | 240 |
| Leaves in whorls of 4 (rarely 3 or 5) Back to 238 | ELAEOCARPACEAE |
240 | Plants ± white-tomentose; leaves sessile | LAMIACEAE |
| Plants never white-tomentose; leaves mostly petiolate, if sessile then plants glabrous or hairy Back to 239 | 241 |
241 | Fruit a legume; flowers zygomorphic | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
| Fruit a drupe; flowers actinomorphic Back to 240 | PROTEACEAE |
242 | Whorls consistently with 6 `leaves' (actually 2 sessile 3-foliolate leaves); fruit a capsule (formerly Baueraceae) | CUNONIACEAE |
| Whorls with 5–7 leaves (phyllodes); fruit a legume Back to 236 | FABACEAE - MIMOSOIDEAE |
243 | Leaves mesomorphic | 244 |
| Leaves scleromorphic Back to 235 | 246 |
244 | Stipular sheaths present on apex of shoots | RUBIACEAE |
| Stipular sheaths absent Back to 243 | 245 |
245 | Stems terete; terminal buds scaly | PITTOSPORACEAE |
| Stems angular; terminal buds not scaly Back to 244 | VERBENACEAE |
246 | Terminal buds scaly; juvenile leaves whorled, toothed, adult leaves alternate, entire | CORYNOCARPACEAE |
| Terminal buds not scaly; all leaves whorled, entire or toothed Back to 243 | 247 |
247 | Interpetiolar stipules present; leaves glaucous below; flowers in separated, dense, ± globose clusters | CUNONIACEAE |
| Stipules absent; leaves not glaucous below; inflorescence racemose or flowers in heads surrounded by bracts Back to 246 | PROTEACEAE |
248 | Leaves succulent and either terete or about as wide as long; leaves usually in whorls of 4 | 249 |
| Leaves not succulent; leaves opposite or in whorls of 2 to many Back to 231 | 250 |
249 | Leaves terete, 3–7 mm long; calyx and corolla present | FRANKENIACEAE |
| Leaves flat, about as long as wide, 5–15 mm long; flowers naked Back to 248 | PIPERACEAE |
250 | Leaves regularly in whorls of 3 or leaves opposite; flowers purple to blue, c. 8–10 mm long | LYTHRACEAE |
| Leaves in whorls of 4 or more, sometimes some in 3s; flowers usually greenish to white, mostly <5 mm long Back to 248 | 251 |
251 | Leaves fused into a basal tube with only apices free; stems longitudinally grooved | SPHENOPSIDA |
| Leaves not fused into a basal tube with only apices free; stems rarely grooved Back to 250 | 252 |
252 | Stems 4-angled; ovary inferior | RUBIACEAE |
| Stems not 4-angled; ovary superior Back to 251 | 253 |
253 | Perianth in 1 whorl; stipules absent | AIZOACEAE |
| Sepals and petals present; stipules present Back to 252 | CARYOPHYLLACEAE |
254 | Leaves usually with reticulate venation; vascular bundles open, that is, secondary thickening occurs; taproot present, at least in seedlings; flower parts usually in whorls of 4 or 5; embryo mostly with 2 cotyledons (dicots) | 255 |
| Leaves usually with parallel venation; vascular bundles closed, that is, no secondary thickening occurs; root system fibrous; flower parts usually in whorls of 3; embryo mostly with 1 cotyledon (monocots) Back to 230 | 510 |
255 | Leaves compound, with 2 or more distinct pinnae | 256 |
| Leaves 1-foliolate or simple (sometimes lamina deeply lobed but not divided into discrete leaflets) Back to 254 | 314 |
256 | Leaves either 2- or 3-pinnate or biternate | 257 |
| Leaves either 1-pinnate or palmate Back to 255 | 268 |
257 | Herbs | 258 |
| Shrubs or trees Back to 256 | 261 |
258 | Ovary superior; flowers zygomorphic or actinomorphic | 259 |
| Ovary inferior; most flowers actinomorphic, rarely all zygomorphic Back to 257 | 260 |
259 | Flowers zygomorphic; fruit a nut; leaves 2- or 3-pinnate | PAPAVERACEAE |
| Flowers actinomorphic; fruit a follicle; leaves biternate (formerly Malaceae) Back to 258 | ROSACEAE |
260 | Upper part of petioles usually with reduced pinnae or flaps of tissue; flowers in heads | ASTERACEAE |
| Reduced pinnae or flaps of tissue absent (the lowest pinnae largest); flowers in umbels Back to 258 | APIACEAE |
261 | Pinnae with a terminal pinnule or segment | 262 |
| Pinnae without a terminal pinnule or segment Back to 257 | 267 |
262 | Leaves with jointed rachis; ovary inferior or superior | 565 |
| Leaves without jointed rachis; ovary superior Back to 261 | 263 |
263 | Pinnules toothed to subentire | 264 |
| Pinnules entire Back to 262 | 266 |
264 | Leaves regularly 2-pinnate; leaves glabrous except for stellate hairs on petioles; fruit an indehiscent drupe | MELIACEAE |
| Leaves irregularly 2–4-pinnate; lower surface of leaves either hairy (hairs not stellate) or strongly glaucous; fruit dehiscent Back to 263 | 265 |
265 | Fruit a capsule, covered with irritant hairs; leaves irregularly 2-pinnate | SAPINDACEAE |
| Fruit a follicle, glabrous; leaves irregularly 2–4-pinnate Back to 264 | PROTEACEAE |
266 | Leaves without oil dots, lower surface pale, silky; leaves deeply 2- or 3-pinnatifid | PROTEACEAE |
| Leaves with oil dots, lower surface either glabrous or with scattered hairs; leaves regularly or irregularly 2-pinnate Back to 263 | RUTACEAE |
267 | Flowers zygomorphic; spines or prickles present | FABACEAE - CAESALPINIOIDEAE |
| Flowers actinomorphic; spines and prickles present or absent Back to 261 | FABACEAE - MIMOSOIDEAE |
268 | Trees and shrubs | 269 |
| Herbaceous plants Back to 256 | 297 |
269 | Leaves opposite, sometimes apparently whorled | 270 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 268 | 276 |
270 | Oil dots present in leaves, leaves aromatic when crushed | RUTACEAE |
| Oil dots absent, leaves not aromatic when crushed Back to 269 | 271 |
271 | Interpetiolar stipules present | 272 |
| Stipules absent Back to 270 | 273 |
272 | Margins of pinnae toothed; stipules not resinous | CUNONIACEAE |
| Margins of pinnae entire; stipules resinous (formerly Eucryphiaceae) Back to 271 | CUNONIACEAE |
273 | Leaves sessile, 3-foliolate; pinnae <1.5 cm long (formerly Baueraceae) | CUNONIACEAE |
| Leaves petiolate, 3–11-foliolate; pinnae 2–12 cm long Back to 271 | 274 |
274 | Leaves with small stalked glands on rachis between petiolules | ADOXACEAE |
| Leaves without glands on rachis Back to 273 | 275 |
275 | Cultivated trees, sometimes naturalized; fruit dry, winged | ACERACEAE |
| Shrub in rainforest; fruit succulent, not winged Back to 274 | VERBENACEAE |
276 | Stipules present and pinnae regularly toothed | 277 |
| Either stipules absent or if stipules present then pinnae not regularly toothed Back to 269 | 280 |
277 | Prickles absent | 278 |
| Prickles usually present; stipules ± linear; rachis not winged Back to 276 | ROSACEAE |
278 | Stipules >1 cm wide; rachis winged | 279 |
| Stipules not prominent, <3 mm wide; rachis not winged (formerly Malaceae) Back to 277 | ROSACEAE |
279 | Stipules free, ± semicircular, 1–2 cm long; fruit drupaceous (formerly Davidsoniaceae) | CUNONIACEAE |
| Stipules fused and encircling the stem, >5 cm long; fruit capsular Back to 278 | MELIANTHACEAE |
280 | Fruit a legume or samara; stipules mostly present on new growth but often shed early | 281 |
| Fruit variable but neither a legume nor a samara; stipules absent or inconspicuous Back to 276 | 284 |
281 | Fruit a samara | 282 |
| Fruit a legume Back to 280 | 283 |
282 | Leaves pinnately compound | SIMAROUBACEAE |
| Leaves palmately compound with 5 or more pinnae or pinnae 3 and pinnae with silvery scales below Back to 281 | MALVACEAE |
283 | Stamens 10 and free, either unequal or some reduced and sterile | FABACEAE - CAESALPINIOIDEAE |
| Stamens 10, free or variously united, equal in size, all fertile Back to 281 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
284 | Oil dots present in leaves, leaves aromatic when crushed | RUTACEAE |
| Oil dots absent, leaves not aromatic when crushed Back to 280 | 285 |
285 | Domatia present, sometimes small and inconspicuous | 286 |
| Domatia absent Back to 284 | 289 |
286 | Petioles and stems exuding a clear sap when cut; fruit an indehiscent drupe | ANACARDIACEAE |
| Petioles and stems not exuding a clear sap when cut; fruit usually a dehiscent capsule Back to 285 | 287 |
287 | Pinnae regularly toothed | SAPINDACEAE |
| Pinnae entire (rarely a few teeth in juveniles) Back to 286 | 288 |
288 | Either stamens fused into a tube or seeds winged; leaves either with >10 leaflets, or with a terminal pinna present, or pinnae opposite and rachis without a terminal spur | MELIACEAE |
| Stamens not fused into a tube and seeds not winged; leaves mostly <10 leaflets and rachis ending in a terminal spur, true terminal leaflet absent, pinnae often subopposite Back to 287 | SAPINDACEAE |
289 | Leaves with main rachis jointed at the point where the pinnae are attached, the pinnae usually opposite | ARALIACEAE |
| Leaves without jointed rachis Back to 285 | 290 |
290 | Leaves with either a terminal spur at end of rachis (pinnae alternate, subopposite or opposite), or fruit a 2–6-winged capsule | SAPINDACEAE |
| Leaves without terminal spur on rachis (pinnae mostly opposite); fruit variable but not a winged capsule Back to 289 | 291 |
291 | Pinnae toothed, lobed or dissected | 292 |
| Pinnae (or leaves) with entire margins Back to 290 | 295 |
292 | Pinnae with spinose teeth; adult leaves usually >30 cm long | 293 |
| Pinnae with blunt teeth or lobes; adult leaves usually <30 cm long Back to 291 | PROTEACEAE |
293 | Leaves pinnate throughout; rachis not winged | 294 |
| Leaves pinnatisect in upper part; rachis winged Back to 292 | PROTEACEAE |
294 | Leaves with 12–30 pinnae, without a terminal pinna | AKANIACEAE |
| Leaves with 5–13 pinnae, with a terminal pinna Back to 293 | BERBERIDACEAE |
295 | Leaves pinnate and simple on the same shoot; fruit a follicle | PROTEACEAE |
| All leaves pinnate; fruit a drupe or capsule Back to 291 | 296 |
296 | Pinnae with an obvious swelling at junction of petiolule with rachis, terminal pinna always present; fruit a drupe | BURSERACEAE |
| Pinnae without a swelling at junction of petiolule and rachis, terminal pinna usually not present; fruit a capsule Back to 295 | MELIACEAE |
297 | Leaves pinnate without a terminal pinna | 298 |
| Leaves palmate or pinnate with a terminal pinna Back to 268 | 299 |
298 | Leaves opposite; stipules interpetiolar; pinnae 2–24 | ZYGOPHYLLACEAE |
| Leaves alternate; paired stipules usually present at base of each petiole; pinnae >2 Back to 297 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
299 | Leaves dotted with oil glands | RUTACEAE |
| Leaves without oil glands Back to 297 | 300 |
300 | Leaves with 3 pinnae arranged at the apex of a relatively long petiole; pinnae ± obcordate, margins entire; fruit a capsule | OXALIDACEAE |
| Leaves not with 3 pinnae arranged at the apex of a relatively long petiole; pinnae not obcordate, margins not entire; fruit various, rarely a capsule Back to 299 | 301 |
301 | Leaves palmate with 3–11 pinnae, petiolule of terminal pinna ± as long as petiolules of lateral pinnae | 302 |
| Leaves pinnate with 3 or more pinnae, petiolule of terminal pinna longer than those of lateral pinnae Back to 300 | 305 |
302 | Leaves irregularly palmately dissected, pinnae irregularly lobed | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Leaves regularly divided into pinnae, margins entire or regularly toothed Back to 301 | 303 |
303 | Either pinnae entire or stipules spinescent, the pinnae usually with glandular hairs | CAPPARACEAE |
| Pinnae toothed, stipules not spinescent Back to 302 | 304 |
304 | Flowers unisexual, <5 mm diam.; stipules not fused to petiole | CANNABACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual, >10 mm diam.; stipules fused to petiole Back to 303 | ROSACEAE |
305 | Stipules present | 306 |
| Stipules absent, petioles sometimes dilated at the base Back to 301 | 307 |
306 | Pinnae toothed, the teeth >1 mm deep; flowers actinomorphic | ROSACEAE |
| Pinnae entire or with teeth <1 mm deep or pinnae lobed or deeply dissected; flowers zygomorphic Back to 305 | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
307 | Flowers in heads surrounded by involucral bracts (leaves often deeply pinnatisect) | ASTERACEAE |
| Flowers not in heads surrounded by involucral bracts; leaves not deeply pinnatisect Back to 305 | 308 |
308 | Pinnae 3, usually deeply dissected; fruit a cluster of achenes | RANUNCULACEAE |
| Pinnae more than 3; fruit not an achene Back to 307 | 309 |
309 | Flowers in umbels or umbellate clusters | 310 |
| Flowers not in umbels Back to 308 | 311 |
310 | Ovary inferior | APIACEAE |
| Ovary superior Back to 309 | GERANIACEAE |
311 | Leaves succulent or spinose | 312 |
| Leaves neither succulent nor spinose Back to 309 | 313 |
312 | Leaves succulent, opposite | CRASSULACEAE |
| Leaves spinose, alternate Back to 311 | POLEMONIACEAE |
313 | Leaves tasting like mustard; petals mostly yellow or white; stamens usually 6 | BRASSICACEAE |
| Leaves not tasting like mustard; petals blue; stamens 5 Back to 311 | BORAGINACEAE |
314 | Flowers enclosed in an invaginated floral axis; fruit multiple, a syconium or fig | MORACEAE |
| Flowers not enclosed in an invaginated floral axis; fruit not a syconium or fig Back to 255 | 315 |
315 | Flowers unisexual, arranged in a cyathium; white latex present | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Flowers either bisexual, or if unisexual then not arranged in a cyathium; white latex either absent or if rarely present then flowers bisexual Back to 314 | 316 |
316 | Ocreae (sheaths of fused stipules) present around the petiole and stem | POLYGONACEAE |
| Ocreae absent Back to 315 | 317 |
317 | Ovary superior or the flower naked | 318 |
| Ovary inferior or half-inferior Back to 316 | 473 |
318 | Carpels ± free, fruit usually separating into distinct carpels, that is, 2 or more ovaries present (sometimes carpels enclosed in hypanthium and `ovary' apparently solitary) | 319 |
| Carpels fused or the carpel solitary, that is, ovary and fruit solitary Back to 317 | 335 |
319 | Milky or yellowish latex exudes from broken stems | 320 |
| Milky or yellowish latex absent Back to 318 | 321 |
320 | Pollen granular, not aggregated into pollinia; fruit black or more often brightly coloured, mostly drupaceous, sometimes a pair of tardily dehiscent follicles | APOCYNACEAE |
| Pollen aggregated into pollinia; fruit a pair of green or brownish dehiscent follicles (formerly Asclepiadaceae) Back to 319 | APOCYNACEAE |
321 | Herbs, sometimes trailing | 322 |
| Shrubs or trees Back to 319 | 325 |
322 | Petals fused into a tube | 323 |
| Petals free Back to 321 | 324 |
323 | Leaves opposite | LAMIACEAE |
| Leaves alternate Back to 322 | CONVOLVULACEAE |
324 | Carpels equal in number to the petals; leaves opposite, succulent | CRASSULACEAE |
| Carpels much more numerous than the petals; leaves usually alternate, not succulent Back to 322 | RANUNCULACEAE |
325 | Leaves opposite | MONIMIACEAE |
| Leaves alternate, sometimes ± whorled Back to 321 | 326 |
326 | Either stamens 5 and alternate with 5 staminodes or stamens numerous and on an androgynophore | MALVACEAE |
| Stamens >5 but not on an androgynophore Back to 325 | 327 |
327 | Sepals and petals modified into calyptras; carpels immersed in the receptacle | EUPOMATIACEAE |
| Calyptras not formed; carpels not immersed in the receptacle Back to 326 | 328 |
328 | Fruit a cluster of berries; leaves with fine oil dots and aromatic when crushed | 329 |
| Fruit otherwise; leaves without oil dots, not aromatic when crushed Back to 327 | 330 |
329 | Flowers mostly unisexual; fruit blue to blackish; leaves tasting like p:epper | WINTERACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual; fruit orange to red; leaves not tasting like pepper Back to 328 | ANNONACEAE |
330 | Stamens perigynous | 331 |
| Stamens hypogynous Back to 328 | 332 |
331 | Receptacles urn-shaped and almost enclosing carpels; fruit a number of individual achenes enclosed in a false fruit or `hip' | ROSACEAE |
| Receptacles saucer-shaped; fruit a cluster of follicles (formerly Malaceae) Back to 330 | ROSACEAE |
332 | Individual fruit dehiscent, follicles; carpels always completely free | DILLENIACEAE |
| Individual fruit not dehiscent, drupes; carpels often united by their common style Back to 330 | 333 |
333 | Leaves toothed; individual black drupes seated on swollen red receptacle | OCHNACEAE |
| Leaves entire; individual drupes either red, orange or brownish, receptacle neither swollen nor red Back to 332 | 334 |
334 | Leaves usually <5 cm long and with <10 pairs of secondary veins; western species | SURIANACEAE |
| Leaves mostly >5 cm long and with >10 pairs of secondary veins; coastal species Back to 333 | SIMAROUBACEAE |
335 | Fertile stamens more than twice as many as sepals or tepals (tepals as in Proteaceae, Moraceae) | 336 |
| Fertile stamens to twice as many as sepals or tepals Back to 318 | 356 |
336 | Leaves alternate | 337 |
| Leaves opposite Back to 335 | 354 |
337 | Leaves modified to phyllodes, identified by the extrafloral nectary on the upper edge; carpel 1; fruit a legume or a lomentum | FABACEAE - MIMOSOIDEAE |
| Leaves not modified into phyllodes; carpels 1 or more; fruit neither a legume nor lomentum Back to 336 | 338 |
338 | Either all flowers unisexual or unisexual and bisexual flowers occurring together in the same inflorescence | 339 |
| All flowers bisexual Back to 337 | 343 |
339 | Sepals fused and enclosing the bud, splitting into 2 or 3 lobes; carpel 1; leaves tasting like pepper | WINTERACEAE |
| Sepals or perianth otherwise; carpel 1 or 3–indefinite; leaves not tasting like pepper Back to 338 | 340 |
340 | Carpels 3, fused; styles 3 | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Carpels 1, or >3 (rarely 3 and with 1 style) Back to 339 | 341 |
341 | Sepals and petals present; carpels 4 or 5, rarely 3, central column absent | EBENACEAE |
| Either sepals or petals absent; carpels solitary or >3 and then united around a central column Back to 340 | 342 |
342 | Perianth represented by blunt teeth; carpels 4–7 or >20, united around a central column; fruit without spines | GYROSTEMONACEAE |
| Perianth sepaloid, 2–3 mm long; carpel solitary; fruit covered by spines Back to 341 | PHYTOLACCACEAE |
343 | Carpel solitary; fruit a drupe (formerly Amygdalaceae) | ROSACEAE |
| Carpels >2, fused together; fruit variable Back to 338 | 344 |
344 | Carpels incompletely fused, either free at the apex or carpels united only by their gynobasic style | 345 |
| Carpels fused throughout, except sometimes in upper style and stigma Back to 343 | 346 |
345 | Carpels free at the apex, ovules and seeds visible | RESEDACEAE |
| Carpels united only by their gynobasic style Back to 344 | OCHNACEAE |
346 | Filaments of stamens fused, forming a tube around the styles, stigmas protruding above the tube | MALVACEAE |
| Filaments free or almost so, not forming a tube Back to 344 | 347 |
347 | Sepals 2 or 3, sometimes united into a calyptra | 348 |
| Sepals 4 or more Back to 346 | 349 |
348 | Flowers solitary on long scapes; placentation parietal | PAPAVERACEAE |
| Flowers in few- to many-flowered cymes, cymose panicles or heads, rarely solitary in leaf axils; placentation basal or free-central Back to 347 | PORTULACACEAE |
349 | Ovary on a gynophore | CAPPARACEAE |
| Ovary ± sessile Back to 347 | 350 |
350 | Rigid spreading shrubs; leaves <5 mm wide | 351 |
| Erect shrubs; leaves >5 mm wide Back to 349 | 352 |
351 | Leaves deeply and irregularly pinnatisect, glabrous (former Peganaceae) | NITRARIACEAE |
| Leaves entire, covered with appressed hairs Back to 350 | NITRARIACEAE |
352 | Placentation parietal; leaf margins entire or bluntly angular | SALICACEAE |
| Placentation axile; leaf margins usually finely or coarsely toothed Back to 350 | 353 |
353 | Anthers opening by terminal valves or pores | ELAEOCARPACEAE |
| Anthers opening by longitudinal slits Back to 352 | TILIACEAE |
354 | Shrubs or trees | MONIMIACEAE |
| Herbs or small shrubs Back to 336 | 355 |
355 | Leaves gland-dotted, not succulent, bright green | HYPERICACEAE |
| Leaves not gland-dotted, succulent or often greyish and apparently whorled Back to 354 | AIZOACEAE |
356 | Perianth in 1 whorl or the flower naked | 357 |
| Perianth in 2 whorls Back to 335 | 387 |
357 | Flowers naked, perianth absent | 358 |
| Flowers with perianth present Back to 356 | 360 |
358 | Trees with alternate leaves; flowers in catkins | SALICACEAE |
| Herbs with opposite leaves Back to 357 | 359 |
359 | Flowers bisexual, in dense terminal spikes | PIPERACEAE |
| Flowers unisexual, axillary, solitary or in pairs Back to 358 | CALLITRICHACEAE |
360 | Perianth segments scarious | AMARANTHACEAE |
| Perianth segments herbaceous or petaloid Back to 357 | 361 |
361 | Stamens 8–10 | 362 |
| Stamens <8 Back to 360 | 371 |
362 | Leaves opposite | 363 |
| Leaves alternate and/or radical Back to 361 | 365 |
363 | Herbs | CARYOPHYLLACEAE |
| Trees or shrubs Back to 362 | 364 |
364 | Flowers with tubular hypanthium, several times longer than ovary; leaves usually <6 cm long | THYMELAEACEAE |
| Flowers with hypanthium or perianth about as long as the ovary; leaves >6 cm long Back to 363 | CUNONIACEAE |
365 | Flowers unisexual | 366 |
| Flowers bisexual Back to 362 | 368 |
366 | Style simple; fruit a winged capsule | SAPINDACEAE |
| Style branched or styles as many as the carpels; fruit not a winged capsule Back to 365 | 367 |
367 | Carpels 3, fused, styles 3; fruit usually 3-lobed | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Carpels 2 or >3 and united around a central column; styles free, 2–7, or fused and 4–7-branched; fruit 2- or >3-lobed Back to 366 | GYROSTEMONACEAE |
368 | Carpels 8–10 | PHYTOLACCACEAE |
| Carpels usually 3–5 Back to 365 | 369 |
369 | Herbs or subshrubs | AIZOACEAE |
| Shrubs or small trees Back to 368 | 370 |
370 | Plants of coastal areas; seeds without arils | SALICACEAE |
| Plants of inland areas; seeds with a fleshy red aril Back to 369 | SAPINDACEAE |
371 | Styles 2 or more, or the style branched | 372 |
| Style simple, unbranched (stigma sometimes lobed) Back to 361 | 376 |
372 | Ovary usually 3-locular, rarely 2–7-locular | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Ovary 1-locular Back to 371 | 373 |
373 | Herbs with opposite leaves, the leaf bases usually fused; stipules sometimes present; glabrous or with a few simple hairs | CARYOPHYLLACEAE |
| Trees, shrubs or herbs with leaves alternate (rarely opposite, and if so, without stipules, the leaf bases not fused and hairs tubercled) Back to 372 | 374 |
374 | Shrubs or trees; mostly in or near rainforest | 375 |
| Herbs or small shrubs; widespread, rarely in rainforest Back to 373 | CHENOPODIACEAE |
375 | Fruit solitary or paired, drupaceous; leaves usually 3-veined from base | ULMACEAE |
| Fruit crowded and forming a multiple fruit; leaves not 3-veined from base Back to 374 | MORACEAE |
376 | Perianth tubular (at least in bud) or tubular hypanthium present | 377 |
| Perianth not tubular (sometimes fused at the base and forming a shallow cup) Back to 371 | 381 |
377 | Stamens always 6; petals 6; calyx represented by a cup which enlarges in fruit | OLACACEAE |
| Stamens mostly 2–5, sometimes 6–8; calyx not a cup which enlarges in fruit Back to 376 | 378 |
378 | Upper part of perianth tube falling, the lower part persisting and enclosing the fruit | NYCTAGINACEAE |
| Otherwise Back to 377 | 379 |
379 | Stamens 2; inserted on the rim of the tubular hypanthium | THYMELAEACEAE |
| Stamens >3; not inserted on the rim of a tubular hypanthium Back to 378 | 380 |
380 | Trees or shrubs; stamens opposite to and fused with the perianth segments | PROTEACEAE |
| Herbs or subshrubs; stamens alternating with the perianth segments Back to 379 | AIZOACEAE |
381 | Stamens opposite the perianth segments | 382 |
| Stamens alternating with the perianth segments Back to 376 | 383 |
382 | Either trees or tall shrubs with toothed leaves, often with stinging hairs, or herbs sometimes with stinging hairs | URTICACEAE |
| Shrubs with entire leaves (glabrous or hairy but without stinging hairs) Back to 381 | SANTALACEAE |
383 | Leaves opposite; herbs | AIZOACEAE |
| Leaves alternate; small trees, shrubs or subshrubs Back to 381 | 384 |
384 | Leaves with a rusty stellate tomentum | MALVACEAE |
| Leaves glabrous or hairy with simple hairs Back to 383 | 385 |
385 | Flowers unisexual; fruit succulent, not winged | 386 |
| Flowers bisexual; fruit dry, winged Back to 384 | RHAMNACEAE |
386 | Trees; leaves with domatia | PENNANTIACEAE |
| Subshrubs; leaves without domatia Back to 385 | PHYTOLACCACEAE |
387 | Petals free | 388 |
| Petals fused into a tube, rarely split down one side or at base Back to 356 | 430 |
388 | Flowers zygomorphic | 389 |
| Flowers actinomorphic Back to 387 | 397 |
389 | Sepals 2; soft herbs with semisucculent, highly dissected leaves | PAPAVERACEAE |
| Sepals or perianth segments 4 or 5; shrubs or herbs, but not with semisucculent, highly dissected leaves Back to 388 | 390 |
390 | Two lateral sepals large and petaloid | POLYGALACEAE |
| Sepals not with two large and petaloid lateral sepals Back to 389 | 391 |
391 | Shrubs with stout spines and fruit a berry <5 mm long; flowers very slightly zygomorphic | VIOLACEAE |
| Herbs or shrubs, rarely with spines and then fruit a legume; flowers strongly zygomorphic Back to 390 | 392 |
392 | Stamens 5, all fertile, staminodes absent; either sepal or petal spurred | 393 |
| Stamens and staminodes when present totalling 10; uppermost sepal sometimes spurred Back to 391 | 394 |
393 | Lowermost petal spurred at base, sepals not spurred; leaves not succulent; herbs or shrubs | VIOLACEAE |
| Petals not spurred, uppermost sepal spurred; leaves ± succulent; semisucculent shrubs Back to 392 | BALSAMINACEAE |
394 | Carpels 3 or 5; uppermost sepal often spurred | 395 |
| Carpel 1; uppermost sepal not spurred Back to 392 | 396 |
395 | Carpels 3; leaves peltate | TROPAEOLACEAE |
| Carpels 5; leaves not peltate Back to 394 | GERANIACEAE |
396 | Petals dissimilar in size and shape, consisting of one large posterior standard, inserted to the outside of 2 lateral wings and 2 fused segments (keel) that enclose the stamens | FABACEAE - FABOIDEAE |
| Petals ± similar in size and shape, posterior petal innermost, petals usually not fused Back to 394 | FABACEAE - CAESALPINIOIDEAE |
397 | Woody plants | 398 |
| Herbs Back to 388 | 418 |
398 | Leaves with oil dots, leaves aromatic when crushed | 399 |
| Leaves without oil dots, not distinctly aromatic when crushed Back to 397 | 400 |
399 | Fruit a capsule or berry; flowers >3 mm long: disc present between stamens and ovary; oil dots relatively large | RUTACEAE |
| Fruit drupaceous; flowers 1–2 mm long; disc absent; oil dots minute Back to 398 | LAURACEAE |
400 | Disc present between the stamens and the ovary | 401 |
| Disc absent Back to 398 | 402 |
401 | Stamens 8–12 | SIMAROUBACEAE |
| Stamens 4 or 5 Back to 400 | CELASTRACEAE |
402 | All flowers unisexual | 403 |
| Either all flowers bisexual or rarely some unisexual Back to 400 | 404 |
403 | Leaves either entire or toothed to crenate, if teeth spinose then leaves not glossy and fruit a capsule; fruit usually capsular, rarely drupaceous or a berry | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Leaves with spinose teeth and glossy; fruit drupaceous Back to 402 | AQUIFOLIACEAE |
404 | Stamens 2 | OLEACEAE |
| Stamens >2 Back to 402 | 405 |
405 | Stamens hypogynous | 406 |
| Stamens perigynous Back to 404 | 417 |
406 | Anthers dehiscing by terminal pores or valves | 407 |
| Anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits Back to 405 | 409 |
407 | Stems with 3-branched spines | BERBERIDACEAE |
| Stems without spines Back to 406 | 408 |
408 | Small shrubs; leaves <2 cm long | ELAEOCARPACEAE |
| Trees or tall shrubs; leaves >4 cm long Back to 407 | LAURACEAE |
409 | Stamens 4 or 5 | 410 |
| Stamens 8 or 10 Back to 406 | 413 |
410 | Stamens alternating with staminodes | 411 |
| Staminodes absent Back to 409 | 412 |
411 | Leaves stellate-hairy; fruit a capsule | MALVACEAE |
| Leaves glabrous; fruit a drupe Back to 410 | CORYNOCARPACEAE |
412 | Anthers with a terminal appendage; shrubs with stout spines; flowers slightly zygomorphic | VIOLACEAE |
| Appendages absent; trees or spinose shrubs, spines fine; flowers actinomorphic Back to 410 | PITTOSPORACEAE |
413 | Leaves opposite | 414 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 409 | 415 |
414 | Interpetiolar stipules present; leaves not lobed, margins toothed | CUNONIACEAE |
| Stipules absent; leaves palmately lobed, otherwise margins entire Back to 413 | ACERACEAE |
415 | Leaves glabrous; rainforest species | 416 |
| Leaves covered with appressed hairs; western species Back to 413 | NITRARIACEAE |
416 | Leaves usually <3.5 cm long; fruit red, <9 mm long; petals white | ERYTHROXYLACEAE |
| Leaves usually >3.5 cm long; fruit black, >9 mm long; petals yellow Back to 415 | SURIANACEAE |
417 | Stamens alternating with the sepal lobes; stipules present | RHAMNACEAE |
| Stamens alternating with the petals; stipules absent Back to 405 | 567 |
418 | Sepals 2 or 3 | 419 |
| Sepals or outer perianth segments 4 or more Back to 397 | 420 |
419 | Sepals 2 | PORTULACACEAE |
| Sepals 3 Back to 418 | ELATINACEAE |
420 | Flowers with tubular hypanthium bearing 4–6 sepals, 4–6 appendages and 4–6 petals | LYTHRACEAE |
| Flowers without hypanthium Back to 418 | 421 |
421 | Flowers unisexual | EUPHORBIACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual Back to 420 | 422 |
422 | Leaves dotted with oil glands | RUTACEAE |
| Leaves without oil dots Back to 421 | 423 |
423 | Fruit a schizocarp splitting into awned mericarps | GERANIACEAE |
| Fruit a siliqua, silicula or capsule Back to 422 | 424 |
424 | Leaves opposite (sometimes apparently whorled) | 425 |
| Leaves alternate Back to 423 | 427 |
425 | Ovary 2–5-locular; leaves Y-shaped | ZYGOPHYLLACEAE |
| Ovary 1-locular; leaves not Y-shaped Back to 424 | 426 |
426 | Placentation free-central; mostly herbs, rarely dwarf shrubs; leaves generally green, or if greyish then not salt encrusted | CARYOPHYLLACEAE |
| Placentation parietal; dwarf shrubs; leaves generally greyish because of salt encrusted on surface Back to 425 | FRANKENIACEAE |
427 | Ovary 1-locular; leaves and stems with mixed glandular and non-glandular hairs | CAPPARACEAE |
| Ovary with 2 or more loculi; plants either glabrous or hairy but hairs not glandular Back to 424 | 428 |
428 | Sepals 4 and petals 4, stamens usually 6; fruit a siliqua or silicula | BRASSICACEAE |
| Sepals and petals 5 or perianth in whorls of 5, stamens 5 or 8; fruit capsular Back to 427 | 429 |
429 | Ovary 5-locular; flowers blue or yellow; leaves mostly cauline | LINACEAE |
| Ovary 3-locular; flowers white or pinkish; leaves mostly basal Back to 428 | AIZOACEAE |
430 | Leaves alternate or all basal | 431 |
| Leaves opposite Back to 387 | 457 |
431 | Stamens epipetalous | 432 |
| Stamens not epipetalous Back to 430 | 449 |
432 | Stylar cup around the stigma; anthers fused to each other around style | GOODENIACEAE |
| Cup absent; anthers not fused to each other Back to 431 | 433 |
433 | Flowers unisexual | EBENACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual Back to 432 | 434 |
434 | Milky latex exudes from broken stems or petioles | APOCYNACEAE |
| Milky latex absent Back to 433 | 435 |
435 | Shrubs with leaves longitudinally veined; leaves scleromorphic | ERICACEAE-STYPHELIOIDEAE |
| Either leaves not longitudinally veined, or if leaves with >1 longitudinal vein then leaves herbaceous Back to 434 | 436 |
436 | Style more or less gynobasic, the ovary lobed; either hairs tubercular, or plants glabrous and succulent; inflorescence cymose | BORAGINACEAE |
| Style terminal; tubercular hairs absent and plants not succulent; inflorescence not cymose Back to 435 | 437 |
437 | Fertile stamens 5, opposite the corolla lobes; 5 staminodes sometimes present also | 438 |
| Stamens 5 or fewer, alternating with the corolla lobes Back to 436 | 440 |
438 | Staminodes 5, alternating with 5 stamens | SAPOTACEAE |
| Staminodes absent Back to 437 | 439 |
439 | Herbs or scandent shrubs, if the latter then calyx glandular and flowers >10 mm long | PLUMBAGINACEAE |
| Trees or shrubs, if shrubs then glandular hairs absent and flowers <10 mm long Back to 438 | PRIMULACEAE |
440 | Ovary 1-locular; ± semi-aquatic herbs either with radical leaves with long petiole and cordate to sagittate lamina, or underground dissected leaves with insect-trapping bladders | 441 |
| Ovary with 2 or more loculi; leaves not dissected or underground leaves with insect-trapping bladders, plants not aquatic Back to 437 | 442 |
441 | Flowers actinomorphic; stamens 5; bladders absent | MENYANTHACEAE |
| Corolla 2-lipped; stamens 2; leaves with bladders Back to 440 | LENTIBULARIACEAE |
442 | Flowers in compact spikes | 443 |
| Inflorescence otherwise Back to 440 | 444 |
443 | Herbs with leaves in basal rosettes; dense inflorescence solitary on long leafless scapes | PLANTAGINACEAE |
| Subshrubs with alternate leaves on branches; inflorescences often clustered near ends of branches Back to 442 | SELAGINACEAE |
444 | Ovary (placenta) oblique in the flower; flowers usually actinomorphic or almost so | SOLANACEAE |
| Ovary and placenta straight; flowers actinomorphic or zygomorphic Back to 442 | 445 |
445 | Herbs, sometimes woody at base | 446 |
| Shrubs or trees Back to 444 | 448 |
446 | Stamens 4; flowers zygomorphic, corolla usually 2-lipped (stamens 5 in Verbascum and the corolla yellow and the lobes slightly unequal) | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
| Stamens 5; flowers actinomorphic Back to 445 | 447 |
447 | Flowers <15 mm long, solitary or in small axillary clusters | CONVOLVULACEAE |
| Flowers >20 mm long, in many-flowered terminal inflorescences Back to 446 | POLEMONIACEAE |
448 | Stamens 4, sometimes with 1 staminode; corolla 2-lipped or flower ± actinomorphic | PLANTAGINACEAE |
| Stamens 5; flowers actinomorphic Back to 445 | BORAGINACEAE |
449 | Herbs | 450 |
| Woody plants Back to 431 | 453 |
450 | Flowers zygomorphic | 451 |
| Flowers actinomorphic Back to 449 | 452 |
451 | Stamens 5; stylar cup present; fruit a small capsule, <2 cm long, not horned | GOODENIACEAE |
| Fertile stamens 2 or 4; stylar cup absent; fruit a horned capsule, >2 cm long Back to 450 | MARTYNIACEAE |
452 | Petals shortly united into a basal tube; cymes few-flowered; prostrate plants | PORTULACACEAE |
| Petals free at the base, fused above; either flowers in many-flowered spikes or racemes, or rarely flowers solitary and then plant prostrate; plants usually erect Back to 450 | STACKHOUSIACEAE |
453 | Flowers unisexual | EBENACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual or polygamous Back to 449 | 454 |
454 | Stamens 10, anthers dehiscing by terminal pores; calyx enlarging in fruit | ERICACEAE |
| Stamens 5 or 10, anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits; calyx not enlarging in fruit Back to 453 | 455 |
455 | Ovary 1- or 2-locular; stamens 5 | 456 |
| Ovary usually 5-locular; stamens 10; stems and leaves covered with peltate scales Back to 454 | RUTACEAE |
456 | Ovary 1-locular, ovules 2; fruit an indehiscent drupe | 568 |
| Ovary incompletely 2-locular, ovules several; fruit dehiscing by 2 valves Back to 455 | PITTOSPORACEAE |
457 | Style gynobasic or at least style arising between the 4 lobes of the ovary; fruit consisting of 4 nutlets | LAMIACEAE |
| Style terminal on the ovary; fruit variable, rarely of 4 nutlets Back to 430 | 458 |
458 | Corolla tube split to base on one side | PORTULACACEAE |
| Corolla tube not split to base Back to 457 | 459 |
459 | Stamens fewer than the corolla lobes | 460 |
| Stamens equal in number to the corolla lobes or more numerous Back to 458 | 466 |
460 | Stamens 2 and the flowers actinomorphic | OLEACEAE |
| Stamens more than 2 or if 2 the flowers zygomorphic Back to 459 | 461 |
461 | Ovary with 1 or 2 basal ovules per loculus; fruit either of 4 nutlets each with or without a succulent layer, or drupaceous | 462 |
| Ovules numerous in each loculus; fruit dry Back to 460 | 463 |
462 | Plants either glabrous or hairy and then hairs simple or T-shaped | VERBENACEAE |
| Plants usually densely hairy; hairs much-branched Back to 461 | LAMIACEAE |
463 | Leaves with glandular hairs; fruit prominently hardened | 464 |
| Leaves without glandular hairs; fruit not hardened Back to 461 | 465 |
464 | Fruit indehiscent, without horns, <2 cm long | PEDALIACEAE |
| Fruit dehiscent, horned, >2 cm long Back to 463 | MARTYNIACEAE |
465 | Seeds attached to placentas by hooked processes | ACANTHACEAE |
| Seeds not attached by hooked processes Back to 463 | SCROPHULARIACEAE |
466 | Milky or yellowish latex exudes from cut or broken stems or petioles | 467 |
| Milky or yellowish latex usually absent Back to 459 | 468 |
467 | Pollen aggregated into 2–4 pollinia; fruit always a pair of dehiscent, green to brownish follicles (sometimes only 1 develops) (formerly Asclepiadaceae) | APOCYNACEAE |
| Pollen granular, not aggregated into pollinia; fruit a black or brightly coloured capsule, berry or drupe, rarely a pair of tardily dehiscent follicles Back to 466 | APOCYNACEAE |
468 | Stamens free, 8 | RUTACEAE |
| Stamens epipetalous, 4–6 Back to 466 | 469 |
469 | Stamens opposite the corolla lobes | PRIMULACEAE |
| Stamens alternating with the corolla lobes Back to 468 | 470 |
470 | Corolla zygomorphic (sometimes only slightly so); stems often angular | 471 |
| Corolla actinomorphic; stems rarely angular Back to 469 | 472 |
471 | Stamens 4, in pairs, filaments of unequal length; plants either glabrous or hairy and then hairs simple or T-shaped | VERBENACEAE |
| Stamens 4–6, all similar; plants usually densely hairy; hairs much-branched Back to 470 | LAMIACEAE |
472 | Petiole bases connected by a raised line or flap of tissue | LOGANIACEAE |
| Connection between petiole bases absent Back to 470 | GENTIANACEAE |
473 | Style terminated by a cup that surrounds the stigma; petals usually with a thickened strip on the back | GOODENIACEAE |
| Stylar cup absent; petals without a thickened strip Back to 317 | 474 |
474 | Tendrils present on stems | CUCURBITACEAE |
| Tendrils absent Back to 473 | 475 |
475 | Either anthers fused around the style, or the anthers sessile and fused to the style | 476 |
| Anthers free from one another and free from the style Back to 474 | 478 |
476 | Stamens 3–5, the anthers fused around the style | 477 |
| Anthers 2, sessile, fused to the style Back to 475 | STYLIDIACEAE |
477 | Flowers in heads and surrounded by an involucre of bracts, bracts sometimes fused and then forming a burr in fruit | ASTERACEAE |
| Flowers neither in heads nor surrounded by involucral bracts; burrs not formed Back to 476 | CAMPANULACEAE |
478 | Leaves opposite and with interpetiolar stipules | 479 |
| Either leaves alternate or if leaves opposite then stipules absent or not interpetiolar Back to 475 | 480 |
479 | Petals fused into a tube; margins of leaves entire | RUBIACEAE |
| Petals free; margins of leaves toothed Back to 478 | CUNONIACEAE |
480 | Flowers aggregated in either heads or head-like umbels with an involucre of bracts | 481 |
| Flowers neither in heads nor in head-like umbels with an involucre of bracts Back to 478 | 483 |
481 | Leaves not succulent | 482 |
| Leaves succulent Back to 480 | PORTULACACEAE |
482 | Leaves opposite or ± whorled | DIPSACACEAE |
| Leaves alternate Back to 481 | APIACEAE |
483 | Leaves succulent or semisucculent; herbs or shrubs | 484 |
| Leaves non-succulent; herbs, shrubs or trees Back to 480 | 486 |
484 | Corolla present, 4–6-lobed | 485 |
| Corolla not differentiated, perianth present in 1 or 2 whorls, staminodes absent or more often numerous and petaloid Back to 483 | AIZOACEAE |
485 | Staminodes 5, not petaloid; flowers in terminal racemes | PRIMULACEAE |
| Staminodes absent; flowers in few-flowered terminal or axillary cymes Back to 484 | PORTULACACEAE |
486 | Either stamens >5 or if 5 then oil dots prominent in leaves (leaves usually aromatic when crushed) | 487 |
| Stamens 5 or fewer and oil dots absent from leaves Back to 483 | 497 |
487 | Leaves dotted with oil glands; sepals and/or petals sometimes formed into a calyptra | 488 |
| Leaves without obvious oil glands; calyptra usually not formed (except in some Myrtaceae) Back to 486 | 489 |
488 | Stamens 5–numerous, all similar, staminodes absent | MYRTACEAE |
| Stamens numerous, inner stamens sterile, petaloid, outer stamens fertile Back to 487 | EUPOMATIACEAE |
489 | Flowers unisexual; vegetative buds scaly, sharply pointed; stipules present | NOTHOFAGACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual; vegetative buds generally not scaly; stipules absent Back to 487 | 490 |
490 | Styles free, 2 or more | 491 |
| Style simple Back to 489 | 492 |
491 | Styles usually 5; leaves alternate; fruit usually fleshy (formerly Malaceae) | ROSACEAE |
| Styles 2; leaves opposite or apparently whorled; fruit dry (formerly Baueraceae) Back to 490 | CUNONIACEAE |
492 | Stamens >10; shrubs or trees, various habitats | 493 |
| Stamens 10 or fewer; herbs or trees, not in rainforest Back to 490 | 495 |
493 | Fruit ± succulent, drupaceous or a berry; shrubs or trees in rainforest | 494 |
| Fruit dry, capsular; trees, rarely in rainforest Back to 492 | MYRTACEAE |
494 | Leaves alternate, toothed | SYMPLOCACEAE |
| Leaves opposite, entire Back to 493 | MYRTACEAE |
495 | Stamens all similar, filaments not jointed | 496 |
| Stamens not all similar, 5 larger, filaments articulated Back to 492 | MELASTOMATACEAE |
496 | Herbs; calyx and corolla present; fruit a capsule | ONAGRACEAE |
| Shrubs; perianth in 1 whorl; fruit a berry Back to 495 | LORANTHACEAE |
497 | Flowers in umbels (sometimes 2-flowered in Xanthosia); carpels usually 2 | 498 |
| Flowers not in umbels; carpels variable Back to 486 | 499 |
498 | Epigynous disc usually swelling at the base of the styles on the fruit; mostly herbs, occasionally small shrubs; glabrous, or if pubescent not stellate-pubescent | APIACEAE |
| Epigynous disc not swelling; shrubs or trees, stellate-pubescent Back to 497 | ARALIACEAE |
499 | Flowers minute (1–2 mm long), in leaf axils | HALORAGACEAE |
| Flowers larger and in expanded inflorescences or solitary and terminal Back to 497 | 500 |
500 | Herbs or subshrubs; corolla blue to purple or red | 501 |
| Shrubs or trees; corolla neither blue to purple nor red Back to 499 | 502 |
501 | Flowers ± solitary, blue, calyx not pappus-like; widespread, native species | CAMPANULACEAE |
| Flowers in dense terminal clusters, calyx pappus-like, flowers red or white; cultivated plants, rarely naturalized Back to 500 | VALERIANACEAE |
502 | Leaves palmately lobed; stout, curved spines present at most nodes | GROSSULARIACEAE |
| Leaves not palmately lobed; spines absent Back to 500 | 503 |
503 | Stamens alternating with the sepals (or perianth segments if only 1 whorl present) | 504 |
| Stamens opposite the sepals Back to 502 | 505 |
504 | Stipules present (sometimes minute); leaves alternate, hairy, hairs often stellate; fruit a capsule | RHAMNACEAE |
| Stipules absent; leaves opposite or subopposite, glabrous or almost so; fruit a drupe Back to 503 | SANTALACEAE |
505 | Domatia numerous; ovary 1-locular | CORNACEAE |
| Domatia absent; ovary mostly 2–5-locular, rarely 1-locular Back to 503 | 506 |
506 | Shrubs (sometimes single-stemmed) with stellate hairs; ovary usually 2-locular | ARALIACEAE |
| Shrubs or trees, glabrous or pubescent with simple or T-shaped hairs; ovary 1–5-locular Back to 505 | 507 |
507 | Native rainforest species; leaves alternate or opposite with toothed margins; flowers <5 mm long | 508 |
| Garden escapes, not in rainforest; leaves opposite with margins entire or toothed; flowers >8 mm long Back to 506 | 509 |
508 | Leaves opposite or alternate, glabrous or silvery-hairy on lower surface; fruit blackish, 2–5-locular and many-seeded or if 1-locular and 1-seeded then leaves opposite | 566 |
| Leaves alternate, sparsely hairy on lower surface; fruit red, 1-locular and 1-seeded Back to 507 | ARGOPHYLLACEAE |
509 | Fruit 2–5-locular, many-seeded; leaves either entire or lobed, or if toothed then flowers enclosed by coloured bracts >10 mm long | CAPRIFOLIACEAE |
| Fruit 1-locular, 1-seeded; leaves toothed but flowers not enclosed by bracts Back to 507 | ADOXACEAE |
510 | Leaves usually with an open sheath that surrounds the stem and a ligule usually present at the top of the sheath although often much reduced; flowers enclosed by a palea and lemma and variously arranged into spikelets | POACEAE |
| Leaves lacking a sheath and ligule; flowers not enclosed by a palea and lemma and arranged into spikelets Back to 254 | 511 |
511 | Leaves on adult plants reduced to open sheaths on the aerial stems (sheath sometimes bears a small ± linear lamina) | RESTIONACEAE |
| Leaves on adult plants not reduced to open sheaths on the aerial stems Back to 510 | 512 |
512 | Plants arborescent | 513 |
| Plants herbaceous Back to 511 | 519 |
513 | Leaves compound | ARECACEAE |
| Leaves simple Back to 512 | 514 |
514 | Stems branched several times; plants with stilt roots | PANDANACEAE |
| Stems unbranched, or if branched then stilt roots absent Back to 513 | 515 |
515 | Leaf bases persistent on the stem | XANTHORRHOEACEAE |
| Leaf bases not persistent on the stem Back to 514 | 516 |
516 | Perianth segments <2 cm long; ovary superior; leaves not succulent and spinescent | ASTELIACEAE |
| Perianth segments >2 cm long; ovary inferior or rarely superior; leaves often succulent and/or spinescent Back to 515 | 517 |
517 | Inflorescence paniculate, spreading; perianth white to yellowish or rarely red; leaves with margins toothed, often spinose and apex spinose | 518 |
| Inflorescence capitate or racemose; perianth red or bright pink; leaves entire, apex not spinose but with a drip tip Back to 516 | DORYANTHACEAE |
518 | Scape usually >1.5 m high; flowers white to yellowish | AGAVACEAE |
| Scape <1 m high; flowers red Back to 517 | ASPHODELACEAE |
519 | Leaves with reticulate venation; main veins often longitudinal | 520 |
| Leaves with parallel venation Back to 512 | 522 |
520 | Leaves with petiole as long as or longer than the lamina | 521 |
| Leaves with petiole shorter than the lamina Back to 519 | ORCHIDACEAE |
521 | Flowers in dense cylindrical spikes surrounded by a spathe | ARACEAE |
| Flowers in loose panicles or racemes Back to 520 | ALISMATACEAE |
522 | Leaves 4–10 cm wide | 523 |
| Leaves <4 cm wide Back to 519 | 527 |
523 | Inflorescence borne among, or slightly exceeding, the leaves; leaves cauline, differentiated into a circular open sheath that surrounds the stem and the lamina, midrib present; stamen 1 | 524 |
| Inflorescence borne on a scape much longer than the leaves, often 1–3 m high; leaves radical, without a circular sheath, dilated at the base; stamens 6 Back to 522 | 525 |
524 | Leaves 2-ranked and with a ligule at junction of sheath and lamina, lateral veins almost parallel to the midrib; anthers with 2 fertile loculi | ZINGIBERACEAE |
| Leaves not 2-ranked, ligule absent, lateral veins pinnate; anthers with 1 fertile loculus Back to 523 | CANNACEAE |
525 | Inflorescence paniculate, spreading; leaves with margins and apex spinose | AGAVACEAE |
| Inflorescence capitate or racemose; leaves entire, not spinose Back to 523 | 526 |
526 | Flowers actinomorphic, perianth red or bright pink | DORYANTHACEAE |
| Flowers zygomorphic, perianth white to yellowish, sometimes with darker markings Back to 525 | ORCHIDACEAE |
527 | Leaves well developed, green and scattered along the aerial stem and branches; flowers usually axillary or in small terminal inflorescences; underground stems generally not well developed | 528 |
| Leaves all or mostly basal or reduced and bract-like along the aerial stems; flowers commonly borne on a ± leafless scape; underground stems well developed, usually modified into bulbs, corms, tubers or rhizomes Back to 522 | 537 |
528 | Mat-forming perennials of damp alpine flats | ANTHERICACEAE |
| Plants not forming mats in alpine areas Back to 527 | 529 |
529 | Stamen 1, fused to the style and stigma to form the column; staminodes sometimes present; one petal (labellum) different from, and more conspicuous than the others | ORCHIDACEAE |
| Stamens 3–6; stamens not fused to the style and stigma to form the column; and flowers not modified with one petal different from others Back to 528 | 530 |
530 | Leaves with a closed basal sheath that encircles the stem; lamina herbaceous, semi-succulent or scleromorphic; ovary superior | 531 |
| Closed sheath absent; leaves scleromorphic or herbaceous; ovary superior or inferior Back to 529 | 532 |
531 | Fruit usually a capsule, sometimes a nut but then not suspended by filaments; petals coloured; leaves herbaceous or semisucculent, ligule absent | COMMELINACEAE |
| Fruit a nut, may be suspended by persistent anther filaments; petals not differentiated; leaves scleromorphic, scabrous and often ligulate Back to 530 | CYPERACEAE |
532 | Leaves with petiole twisted 180°, >10 mm long; ovary inferior | ALSTROEMERIACEAE |
| Leaves with petiole <10 mm long or lamina sessile, petiole not conspicuously twisted; ovary superior Back to 530 | 533 |
533 | Flowers unisexual; leaves scleromorphic | LOMANDRACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual (rarely unisexual and then the leaves herbaceous); leaves usually herbaceous, rarely scleromorphic Back to 532 | 534 |
534 | Filaments densely bearded or with a conspicuous swelling below the anthers; perianth commonly blue, rarely cream; plants >30 cm high | PHORMIACEAE |
| Filaments neither bearded nor with a conspicuous swelling below the anthers; perianth usually cream or lilac; plants usually <30 cm high Back to 533 | 535 |
535 | Fruit a capsule; flowers in few-flowered cymes or umbels or if solitary then flowers sessile or terminal, rarely axillary and stalked | 536 |
| Fruit a berry; flowers solitary, axillary, stalked Back to 534 | LUZURIAGACEAE |
536 | Plants with a corm; leaves either with apex tendril-like or with a tubular sheath encircling the stem and broadening of the basal part of the lamina | COLCHICACEAE |
| Plants rhizomatous; leaves not with apex tendril-like or with a tubular sheath Back to 535 | UVULARIACEAE |
537 | Either flowers unisexual and in dense spikes (male above, female below), or flowers covered by glume-like bracts | 538 |
| Flowers not unisexual and in dense spikes (male above, female below), or flowers not covered by glume-like bracts Back to 527 | 544 |
538 | Flowers unisexual and in dense elongated or globose heads; individual flower pedicels not visible; inflorescence axis visible between clusters but not between individual flowers; individual flowers <5 mm diam | 539 |
| Flowers not unisexual and in dense elongated or globose heads; individual flower pedicels visible; inflorescence axis visible between individual flowers; individual flowers >5 mm diam Back to 537 | 540 |
539 | Inflorescence dense spike-like; male flowers above, female flowers below, ± separated by a portion of stem | TYPHACEAE |
| Inflorescence of dense globose clusters arranged along the axis; upper clusters male, lower clusters female Back to 538 | SPARGANIACEAE |
540 | Petals 3, yellow, conspicuous when expanded but short-lived; sepals 3; flowers subtended by wide imbricate bracts, massed into a globose head; leaf bases dilated and mostly dark red-brown or blackish | XYRIDACEAE |
| Perianth segments all similar; inflorescence and leaf bases not as above Back to 538 | 541 |
541 | Perianth segments >4 mm long; fruit a berry; at least bases of leaves silvery-hairy | ASTELIACEAE |
| Perianth segments <3 mm long, membranous or chaffy or perianth lacking; fruit a capsule or a nut; leaf bases green Back to 540 | 542 |
542 | Perianth members 4 or 6; flowers arranged in dense, convex, button-like heads 6–8 mm diam. on a scape; fruit a capsule | ERIOCAULACEAE |
| Perianth lacking or represented by hairs or scales; inflorescence not as above; fruit a capsule or nut Back to 541 | 543 |
543 | Fruit a dehiscent capsule; tufted annuals with filiform leaves dilated at the base | CENTROLEPIDACEAE |
| Fruit an indehiscent nut; habit rarely as above, if similar, then the leaves with closed sheaths encircling the stem Back to 542 | CYPERACEAE |
544 | Ovary superior | 545 |
| Ovary inferior or half-inferior Back to 537 | 560 |
545 | Perianth of 4 segments; inflorescence spicate | 546 |
| Perianth of 6 segments in 2 whorls, fused or free; inflorescence variable Back to 544 | 547 |
546 | Stamen 1; flowers zygomorphic, yellow or white, >1 cm long; inflorescence > 20 cm long, flowers spread along axis | PHILYDRACEAE |
| Stamens 4; flowers actinomorphic, greenish, <3 mm long; inflorescence c. 15 cm long, flowers crowded at end of peduncle c. 1–2 m long Back to 545 | ARACEAE |
547 | Bulbs present | 548 |
| Bulbs absent, rootstock often a rhizome, tuber or corm Back to 545 | 550 |
548 | Either plants smelling like onions, or inflorescence umbellate | ALLIACEAE |
| Plants not smelling like onions, inflorescence racemose Back to 547 | 549 |
549 | Scape with one or more leaves; perianth >9 cm long; bulb >5 cm diam | LILIACEAE |
| Scape leafless or only leafy at the base; perianth <6 cm long; bulbs <3 cm diam Back to 548 | HYACINTHACEAE |
550 | All flowers unisexual, arranged in branched cymes, spikes or semi-globose heads | XANTHORRHOEACEAE |
| Flowers bisexual, rarely some unisexual flowers present Back to 547 | 551 |
551 | Carpel solitary | LILAEACEAE |
| Carpels 3, fused Back to 550 | 552 |
552 | Perianth greenish to dark red-brown, usually 1–2 mm long; flowers generally in compound cymes or heads; leaves cylindrical, flat or reduced to sheaths | JUNCACEAE |
| Perianth white or brightly coloured, >2 mm long; inflorescences and leaves not as above Back to 551 | 553 |
553 | Style divided into 3 or 6 distinct segments | 554 |
| Style simple, sometimes the stigma shallowly lobed Back to 552 | 555 |
554 | Style divided into 3 segments; inflorescence umbellate on a scape above the basal leaves; leaves <30 cm long; fruit a 3-lobed capsule | COLCHICACEAE |
| Style divided into 6 segments; inflorescence racemose, ± among the leaves; leaves >40 cm long; fruit a 6-lobed berry Back to 553 | ASTELIACEAE |
555 | Perianth segments fused to form a tube longer than the lobes; flowers usually >2.5 cm long | BLANDFORDIACEAE |
| Perianth segments ± free; flowers generally <2.5 cm long Back to 553 | 556 |
556 | Flowers terminal, solitary and sessile; plants forming mats in damp alpine flats | ANTHERICACEAE |
| Flowers axillary or if terminal then not solitary and sessile; plants not alpine Back to 555 | 557 |
557 | Flowers either pedicellate in terminal umbels, or in dense clusters on scapes, or in ± sessile heads (perianth often spirally twisted after flowering) | ANTHERICACEAE |
| Inflorescence racemose, commonly unbranched, flowers, or at least some of them separated, at nodes along the inflorescence axes Back to 556 | 558 |
558 | Filaments dorsifixed, anthers versatile; either leaves fleshy and with spinose teeth, or leaves ± terete, sometimes channelled above | ASPHODELACEAE |
| Filaments attached at or near the base of the anthers, anthers not versatile; leaves flat Back to 557 | 559 |
559 | Anthers dehiscing by apical pores | PHORMIACEAE |
| Anthers dehiscing by longitudinal slits Back to 558 | ANTHERICACEAE |
560 | Stamens 6 | 561 |
| Stamens 3 or fewer Back to 544 | 562 |
561 | Inflorescence umbellate, rarely flowers solitary on leafless scape; bulbs present | AMARYLLIDACEAE |
| Inflorescence shortly racemose, spicate or the flowers solitary; corms or rhizomes present Back to 560 | HYPOXIDACEAE |
562 | Stamens 3, free from the style; perianth variable, but not as below | 563 |
| Stamen 1, fused to the style and stigma to form the column; staminodes sometimes present; one petal (labellum) usually different from, and more conspicuous than the others Back to 560 | ORCHIDACEAE |
563 | Ovary half-inferior; perianth not petaloid, purple-black; underground parts of the plant usually orange or reddish | HAEMODORACEAE |
| Ovary inferior; perianth petaloid, generally not purple-black; underground parts of the plant not conspicuously orange or reddish Back to 562 | 564 |
564 | Ovary and fruit winged; flowers on one side of a once-forked cyme; flowers actinomorphic, perianth blue; leaves often <5 cm long | BURMANNIACEAE |
| Ovary and fruit not winged; inflorescence spicate or racemose, rarely cymose or flowers solitary; flowers zygomorphic or actinomorphic, perianth variously coloured, occasionally blue; leaves >5 cm long Back to 563 | IRIDACEAE |
565 | Ovary inferior | ARALIACEAE |
| Ovary superior Back to 262 | BERBERIDACEAE |
566 | Leaves silvery-hairy on lower surface | ARGOPHYLLACEAE |
| Leaves opposite or alternate, glabrous on lower surface Back to 508 | ESCALLONIACEAE |
567 | Ovary 1–2-locular | ESCALLONIACEAE |
| Ovary 4–5-locular Back to 417 | ROUSSEACEAE |
568 | Domatia pit-like, mostly in forks of secondary veins; inflorescences corymbose panicles; anthers versatile; seed not grooved | PENNANTIACEAE |
| Domatia pocket-like, usually confined to axils along primary veins; inflorescences thyrsoid; anthers not versatile; seed grooved Back to 456 | CARDIOPTERIDACEAE |