KEY 6. SHRUB MAGNOLIOPSIDA
KEY TO SUBKEYS
If you fail to identify the plant as a shrub (woody plant branched at the base or unbranched but <2 m tall), try the key to herbaceous plants if the plant is small and scarcely woody or the key to trees if the plant has a single stem and is woody.
| 1. Leaves compound or so deeply lobed as to appear compound. | SUBKEY 1. COMPOUND LEAVES |
| 1. Leaves simple. | 2 |
2. Leaves opposite or whorled. |
SUBKEY 2. SIMPLE OPPOSITE OR WHORLED LEAVES |
2. Leaves alternate. |
SUBKEY 3. SIMPLE ALTERNATE LEAVES |
| 1. Leaves palmately compound or so deeply palmately lobed as to appear compound. | 2 |
| 1. Leaves pinnately or bipinnately compound. | 4 |
2. Plants with exudate. Ovary 3-locular. |
Euphorbiaceae (Manihot) |
2. Plants without exudate. Ovary not 3-locular. |
3 |
| 3. Leaf blades with pellucid punctations and cavities (domatia) in axils of secondary veins. Flowers not cauline; petals not differentiated into claw and limb. | Rutaceae (Ticorea) |
| 3. Leaf blades without pellucid punctations and without cavities in axils of secondary veins. Flowers cauline; petals differentiated into claw and limb, the limb very long. | Sterculiaceae (Herrania) |
4. Stems armed. Leaves bipinnately compound, the primary leaflets aggregated at end of rachis, the secondary leaflets sensitive to touch. Inflorescences in heads. |
Mimosaceae (some Mimosa) |
4. Stems not armed. Leaves pinnately compound, the primary leaflets not aggregated at end of rachis, the leaflets not sensitive to touch. Inflorescences not in heads. |
5 |
| 5. Leaves with stipules. Flowers zygomorphic. Fruits legumes (developed from one carpel, opening along two sutures) or modified legumes (loments). | 6 |
| 5. Leaves without stipules. Flowers actinomorphic. Fruits not legumes. | 7 |
6. Leaves trifoliolate. Flowers markedly zygomorphic, with pronounced standard and keel, the standard external to lateral petals, the corolla not yellow; 9 filaments fused into distinct column surrounding ovary, one filament free. Fruits loments. |
Fabaceae (Desmodium) |
6. Leaves usually not trifoliolate. Flowers slightly zygomorphic, without pronounced standard and keel, the standard internal to lateral petals, the corolla yellow; filaments not fused into distinct column surrounding ovary. Fruits not loments. |
Caesalpiniaceae (Senna) |
| 7. Slash of bark and crushed leaf blades with strong smell of turpentine. Petiolules with pulvinules. Seeds surrounded by white arilloids. | Burseraceae (Protium pilosum) |
| 7. Slash of bark and crushed leaf blades without strong smell of turpentine. Petiolules without pulvinules. Seeds not surrounded by white arilloids. | 8 |
8. Cut bark not bitter to taste, often with slight spicy smell. Leaves with indeterminate growth, a small bud at apex. Stamen filaments fused into tube; ovary entire, not on gynophore. Fruits dehiscent. |
Meliaceae (Guarea) |
8. Cut bark bitter to taste, without slight spicy smell. Leaves without indeterminate growth, without bud at apex. Stamen filaments not fused into tube; ovary lobed, on gynophore. Fruits indehiscent. |
Simaroubaceae (Simaba) |
KEY 6. SHRUB MAGNOLIOPSIDA
SUBKEY 2. SIMPLE OPPOSITE OR WHORLED LEAVES
| 1. Ovaries inferior. | 2 |
| 1. Ovaries superior. | 5 |
2. Petals fused into tube (gamopetalous). |
3 |
2. Petals not fused into tube (polypetalous). |
4 |
| 3. Leaves without stipules. Flowers aggregated into heads, these subtended by >2 overlapping bracts (phyllaries); calyx modified into bristles or scales (pappus). Fruits cypselas. | Asteraceae |
| 3. Leaves with stipules. Flowers not aggregated into heads nor subtended by >2 overlapping bracts or, if in heads, these subtended by two colorful bracts (some species of Psychotria); calyx not modified. Fruits berries, drupes, or capsules. | Rubiaceae |
4. Leaf blades with pellucid punctations, without arcuate secondary veins, the tertiary veins reticulate. Stamens >20; anthers without appendages or oil glands. Fruits berries. |
Myrtaceae |
4. Leaf blades without pellucid punctations, with arcuate secondary veins, the tertiary veins in ladder-like arrangement between secondary veins. Stamens less than or equal to 10; anthers often with appendages or oil glands. Fruits capsules or berries. |
Melastomataceae |
| 5. Plants with exudate. | 6 |
| 5. Plants without Exudate. | 8 |
6. Exudate yellow. |
Clusiaceae |
6. Exudate white. |
7 |
| 7. Shrubs. Leaves without stipules. Flowers without corona; stamens adnate to corolla; pollen not in pollinia. | Apocynaceae |
| 7. Subshrubs (or herbs). Leaves with stipules. Flowers with corona; stamens adnate to gynoecium; pollen in pollinia. | Asclepiadaceae |
8. Flowers actinomorphic. |
9 |
8. Flowers slightly to markedly zygomorphic. |
14 |
| 9. Crushed leaves often with lemony smell. Flowers inserted within swollen receptacle; anthers valvate. Fruits surrounded by fleshy receptacles to form pseudocarps. | Monimiaceae |
| 9. Crushed leaves without lemony smell. Flowers not inserted within swollen receptacle; anthers not valvate. Fruits not surrounded by fleshy receptacles. | 10 |
10. Petals not fused into tube. |
11 |
10. Petals or tepals fused into tube. |
12 |
| 11. Stamens 5, not inserted within disc, the anthers with connective extended into appendage; stigma undivided, the ovary with parietal placentation. | Violaceae (Rinorea) |
| 11. Stamens 3, inserted within disc, the anthers without connective extended into appendage; stigma divided into 3 lobes, the ovary with axile placentation. | Hippocrateaceae |
12. Perianth uniseriate. |
Nyctaginaceae |
12. Perianth biseriate. |
13 |
| 13. Leaves with interpetiolar stipules. Ovary 2-3-locular; placentation axile. | Loganiaceae |
| 13. Leaves without interpetiolar stipules. Ovary unilocular; placentation usually not axile. | Gentianaceae |
14. Petals not fused into tube (polypetalous). |
15 |
14. Petals fused into tube (gamopetalous). |
16 |
| 15. Flowers perigynous; petals magenta; ovules >1 per locule. Fruits capsules, the seeds released from fruit. | Lythraceae |
| 15. Flowers hypogynous; petals yellow; ovules 1 per locule. Fruits breaking into mericarps, the seeds retained within mericarps. | Malpighiaceae |
16. Crushed leaves often pungent. Ovaries with 1 ovule per locule, the ovary often lobed at summit. |
17 |
16. Crushed leaves not pungent. Ovaries with 2 to numerous ovules per locule, the ovary never lobed at summit. |
18 |
| 17. Flowers in heads or, if not in heads, the calyx with distinct protuberance; corolla markedly zygomorphic; style gynobasic. Fruits of 4 nutlets. | Lamiaceae |
| 17. Flowers not in heads and calyx without protuberance; corolla slightly zygomorphic; style terminal. Fruits not of 4 nutlets. | Verbenaceae |
18. Leaf blades often with cystoliths, appearing as light-colored streaks or protuberances. Flowers often, but not always, subtended by conspicuous bracts. Fruits fiddle- or club-shaped. Seeds without endosperm. |
Acanthaceae |
18. Leaf blades without cystoliths. Flowers not subtended by conspicuous bracts. Fruits not fiddle- or club shaped. Seeds with endosperm. |
19 |
| 19. Flowers <10 mm long; ovary bilocular; placentation axile. | Scrophulariaceae |
| 19. Flowers usually >10 mm long; ovary unilocular; placentation parietal. | Gesneriaceae |
KEY 6. SHRUB MAGNOLIOPSIDA
SUBKEY 3. SIMPLE ALTERNATE LEAVES
| 1. Plants with white Exudate. | 2 |
| 1. Plants without Exudate. | 3 |
2. Leaves with stipules. Inflorescences with male flowers in spikes, female flowers in heads. Flowers actinomorphic, small; perianth uniseriate, not deep pink; ovary superior. |
Moraceae (Clarisia) |
2. Leaves without stipules. Inflorescences solitary, not of separate male or female flowers. Flowers zygomorphic, large; perianth biseriate; corolla deep pink; ovary superior. |
Campanulaceae (Centropogon) |
| 3. Stems with swollen nodes. Flowers and fruits in dense spikes. Flowers without perianth. | Piperaceae |
| 3. Stems without swollen nodes. Flowers and fruits not in dense spikes. Flowers with perianth. | 4 |
4. Flowers with either tepals or petals fused into tube, at least toward base. |
5 |
4. Flowers with neither tepals or petals (choripetalous) fused into tube. |
14 |
| 5. Perianth zygomorphic. | Solanaceae (Brunfelsia) |
| 5. Perianth actinomorphic. | 6 |
6. Flowers congested into dense heads, subtended by a series of overlapping bracts (involucre). Calyx modified into hairs, scales, or bristles (pappus); ovary inferior. Fruits cypselas. |
Asteraceae |
6. Flowers not congested into heads or subtended by overlapping bracts. Calyx not modified as above; ovary superior. Fruits not cypselas. |
7 |
| 7. Perianth uniseriate. | 8 |
| 7. Perianth biseriate. | 9 |
8. Inflorescences terminal, branched. Fruits orange, ca. 1 cm diam., with a single seed. |
Thymelaeaceae |
8. Inflorescences clustered in leaf axils, not branched. Fruits green to light yellow, 3-4 cm diam., with more than one seed. |
Flacourtiaceae (Casearia combaymensis) |
| 9. Inflorescences with flowers from one side of axis (Heliotropium). Style often twice divided into 4 parts (Cordia). | Boraginaceae |
| 9. Inflorescences not from one side of axis. Style not twice divided into 4 parts. | 10 |
10. Flowers arising from petiole. Petals bifid at apex. |
Dichapetalaceae |
10. Flowers not arising from petiole. Petals not bifid at apex. |
11 |
| 11. Leaves, flowers, and fruits with pellucid streaks or punctations (these may be present only on petals and ovary). | Myrsinaceae |
| 11. Leaves, flowers, and fruits without pellucid streaks or or punctations. | 12 |
12. Leaves without pulvinate petioles. Anthers with poricidal dehiscence. Fruits like miniature tomatos, bilocular with axile placentation. |
Solanaceae |
12. Leaves with pulvinate petioles. Anthers with lateral dehiscence. Fruits not like miniature tomatoes, unilocular with free central placentation or of 5 free mericarps. |
13 |
| 13. Pulvinus at base of petiole. Calyx inconspicuous; corolla orange; ovary entire. Fruits indehiscent. | Theophrastaceae |
| 13. Pulvinus in middle or at apex of petiole. Calyx conspicuous, pink-red; corolla white; ovary lobed, nearly apocarpous. Fruits dehiscent. | Rutaceae (Erythrochiton) |
14. Ovary lobed or at least upper part of carpels free. Fruits often of distinct monocarps or separating at maturity. |
15 |
14. Ovary entire. |
20 |
| 15. Flowers unisexual. | 16 |
| 15. Flowers bisexual. | 17 |
16. Leaf blades with secondary veins arching upward from base, the margins entire. Plants dioecious. Fruits of separate monocarps. |
Menispermaceae |
16. Leaf blades with secondary veins pinnate, the margins finely serrate. Plants monoecious. Fruits not of separate monocarps. |
Euphorbiaceae (Acalypha diversifolia) |
| 17. Leaf blades with pellucid punctations. Carpels free except at apex where they join style. | Rutaceae (Almeida) |
| 17. Leaf blades without pellucid punctations. Carpels entirely free or free at least toward apex. | 18 |
18. Bark fibrous, can be peeled off in long strips, often emitting slightly spicy smell. Corolla in two whorls of 3 petals each; stamens >10. |
Annonaceae |
18. Bark not fibrous, can not be peeled off in long strips, not emitting slightly spicy smell. Corolla in single series; stamens less than or equal to 10. |
19 |
| 19. Leaf blades with stellate hairs. Flowers bisexual. Filaments fused into conspicuous tube (monadelphous); style not gynobasic. Fruits not on enlarged, red pedicel. | Malvaceae pro parte |
| 19. Leaf blades without stellate hairs. Flowers unisexual or bisexual. Filaments not fused into tube; style gynobasic from middle of ovary. Fruits on enlarged, red pedicel. | Ochnaceae |
20. Stamens with filaments fused into tube, at least for most of lower half. |
21 |
20. Stamens without filaments fused into tube. |
23 |
| 21. Flowers zygomorphic. | Polygalaceae |
| 21. Flowers actinomorphic. | 22 |
22. Stems often with conspicuous bracts. Leaf blades without stellate hairs. Petals with appendages toward base on adaxial surface; style simple. Fruits with a single seed. |
Erythroxylaceae |
22. Stems without conspicuous bracts. Leaf blades with stellate hairs. Petals without appendages; style divided. Fruits with >1 seed. |
Malvaceae |
| 23. Ovary unilocular; placentation parietal. | 24 |
| 23. Ovary multilocular or, if unilocular, the placentation not parietal. | 26 |
24. Flowers zygomorphic; lower petal gibbous or spurred at base; anthers with connectives prolonged into appendages. |
Violaceae (Hybanthus & Noisettia) |
24. Flowers actinomorphic; lower petal not gibbous or spurred at base; anthers without connectives prolonged into appendages. |
25 |
| 25. Leaf blades oblanceolate, with several glands along petioles and lower part of leaf blades. Inflorescences from petioles. Petals bright yellow. | Turneraceae (Turnera) |
| 25. Leaf blades usually elliptic, without glands. Petals not bright yellow. Inflorescences not from petioles. | Flacourtiaceae |
26. Perianth uniseriate. |
27 |
26. Perianth biseriate. |
28 |
| 27. Leaf blades cordate, with distinctly serrate or lobed margins. Flowers unisexual, <2 mm diam. | Urticaceae (Urera) |
| 27. Leaf blades elliptic, with entire to subentire, unlobed margins. Flowers bisexual, >3 mm diam. | Phytolaccaceae |
28. Corolla yellow; ovary inferior. Fruits dehiscent. |
Onagraceae |
28. Corolla not yellow; ovary superior. Fruits indehiscent. |
29 |
| 29. Calyx not entire nor enlarged and red; anthers with poricidal dehiscence; ovary bilocular, each locule with numerous ovules. Fruits berries. | Solanaceae |
| 29. Calyx entire or enlarged and red; anthers without poricidal dehiscence; ovary not bilocular, each locule with a single ovule. Fruits drupes. | Olacaceae |
Key to Keys | Key 1. Achlorophyllous Magnoliopsida | Key 2. Herbaceous Terrestrial or Aquatic Magnoliopsida | Key 3. Climbing Magnoliopsida | Key 4. Epiphytic Magnoliopsida | Key 5. Tree Magnoliopsida | Key 6. Shrub Magnoliopsida