Brassicaceae (incl. Capparidaceae)

APG has removed Capparidaceae and Cleomaceae from the Brassicaceae clade (we will use this updated description - it also is the most common description)

Habit: Herbs w/ pungent watery juice

Leaves: Alternate, Simple, often dissected, Exstipulate.

Hairs: Pubescence of simple to stellate hairs

Inflorescence: Racemes (rarely solitary)

Flowers (overall): Perfect, Actinomnorphic, Bisexual

Calyx: 4 distinct sepals

Corolla: 4 distinct petals, arranged in a cross, elongate claw

Androecium: 6 stamens total, 4 long, 2 short (tetradynamous)

Gynoecium: 2 connate carpels, 2 stigmas, thick rim (replum) , false septum

Placentation: parietal

Fruit: Silicle, silique, often dehiscent at replum

Pollination regime: Bees, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles - gather nectar

Interesting Species: radish, mustard, horseradish cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi. Canola oil (Brassica napus)

Other comments: Glucosinolates (mustard oil), hard key to species without fruit.

Gestalt: Cross shape, 4 long + 2 short filiments

Brassicaceae

Lobularia maritima, sweet alyssum. Note the typical 4-parted perianth, the androecium of 4 long and 2 short stamens, and the capitate stigma.

Infloresence:Bractless Raceme

Basal rosette, Somewhat dissected leaves

Fl: Perfect, actinomorphic, bisexual

Note the hairs

Malvaceae (incl. Bombacaceae, Sterculiaceae, Tiliaceae)

We will focus mostly on the traditional "Malvaceae" (sub-family Malvoideae) but there are examples of "Bombaceae" (Kapok) and "Sterculiaceae" (Cacao) in the green house (big trees). "Tiliaceae" contains the Basswood tree, Fremontodendron is a distinctive local "Sterculiaceae". The description below is for the sub-family Malvoideae but mostly applies to Fremontodendron as well.

Habit: Herbs, shrubs (mucilaginous sap)

Hairs: Stellate pubsence on leaves

Leaves: Alternate, Simple, Palmately lobed and/or Palmately veined. Stipulate

Inflorescence: Various, often subtended by bracts

Flowers (overall): Perfect, showy

Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic

Calyx: 3 - 5 sepals more or less united

Corolla: 5 free petals, often united at base and to staminal tube.

Androecium: Numerous monodelphous stamens (staminal tube)

Gynoecium: 1 to many carpels (often 5), connate, ovary superior, capitate or lobed stigma

Placentation: axile

Fruit: Schitzocarp (splits into segments) or capsule

Pollination regime: Bees, wasps, ants, flies, , moths, birds, bats - nectar reward.

Interesting Species: Hibiscus, Marshmallow, Okra, Cotton [Cacao, Cola, Kapok,

Gestalt: Monodelphous stamens, Palmate lobed leaves, Stellate pubsence on leaves

“Malvaceae”

Iliamna sp.

Napaea sp.

Cotton

Okra (Hibiscus esculentus)

Primulaceae

Habit: Herbs

Leaves: Simple, Opposite, Alternate, Whorled or Basal

Inflorescence: Various

Flowers (overall): Bisexual, tubular, pinwheel or reflexed

Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic

Calyx: 5 connate sepals

Corolla: 5 connate petals, imbricate (overlaping)

Androecium: 5 epipetalous stamens, opposite petal lobes

Gynoecium: 5 connate carpels, Heterostylous, ovary superior

Placentation: free-central

Fruit: capsule

Pollination regime: Showy flowers insect pollinated

Interesting Species: Dedecatheon, Primula, Trientalis, Anagalis

Gestalt: Showy flowers, 5-5-5-5, Opposite epipetalous stamens, imbricate petals

Primulaceae

Pinwheel flowerEpipetalous oppositestamens

Tubular flowerEpipetalous oppositestamens

Fruit a capsule

Trientalis sp.

Polemoniaceae (Phlox)

Habit: Herbs (shrubs)

Leaves: liner or various

Inflorescence: Various

Flowers (overall): Bisexual

Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic (slight irregularity)

Calyx: 5 united sepals, transparant membrane

Corolla: 5 united petals, pinwheel

Androecium: 5 epipetalous stamens, altenate petal lobes, sometimes exserted, blue pollen common

Gynoecium: 3 united carpels, ovary superior, 3 stigmas (rarely 2)

Placentation: axile

Fruit: Capsule

Pollination regime: Bees, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, birds, bats.

Other comments: Lots of species in the arid SW, 1/2 the species are in CA.

Gestalt: 5-5-5-3 united, 3 stigmas, stamens attached at multiple levels alternate epipetaqlous stamens, colorful corollas

Polemoniaceae (Phlox)

Epipetalous stamens Opposite.Blue pollenPin wheel flower

Exserted stamens, blue pollen

3 sigmas

Pin wheel flowerLinear leaves3 stigmas

Ericaceae

Habit:Trees or shrubs, often in acidic soil

Leaves: Alternate, simple, exstipulate, often evergreen

Roots: often with mycorrhizal fungi

Inflorescence: Solitary, racemes (various others)

Flowers (overall): Bisexual, Urn shaped or showy bell/funnel shape

Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic to slightly zygomorphic

Calyx: 4-5 united sepals

Corolla:4-5 connate petals (sometimes distinct)

Androecium: 8-10 mostly distinct staments, opening by apical pores

Gynoecium: 4-5 connate carpels, superior or inferior ovary

Placentation: Axile

Fruit: Capsule, drupe or berry

Pollination regime: bees, wasps (sometimes birds)

Other comments: Connate petals but stamens more numerouis than corrola lobes, not epipetalous

Interesting Species: Rhododendron, Manzanita, Salal, Madrone, Blueberry, Huckleberry

Gestalt: Woody or shrubby, alternate leaves, Urn shape or showy bell or funnel shape flowers, stamens distinct, terminal pores on anthers ("shotgun")

Ericaceae

Inferior ovarysepals

Ericaceae ("Monotropaceae")Habit: Nongreen saprophytic or parasitic herbs

Leaves: Reduced to scales

Inflorescence: Solitary to capitate

Flowers (overall): Bisexual, Actinomorphic

Calyx: 2-6 sepals

Corolla: 3-6 connate or distinct petals

Androecium: 6-12 distinct stamens

Gynoecium: 4-6 connate carpels, Superior ovary, capitate stigma

Interesting Species: Snow plant (blood red spike), Indian pipe (waxy white)

Gestalt: White, yellow, brown or fleshy herbs lacking chlorophyll, scaley leaves.

Ericaceae ("Pyrolaceae")

Habit: Perennial herbs, N. Temperate forest

Leaves: Alternate to whorled, evergreen

Flowers (overall): Bisexual

Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic

Calyx: 4-5 sepals

Corolla: 4-5 distinct petals (sometimes united at base)

Gynoecium: 4-5 connate carpels, 5 lobed stigma, Superior ovary

Interesting Species: 4 genera Chimaphilla, Moneses, Pyrola, Orthilia

Other comments: White flowers in summer. N. temperate forest floor, Arctic

Gestalt: White flowers in summer. N. temperate forest floor, Arctic, evergreen