Download monocots in the intermountain region

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MONOCOTS IN THE INTERMOUNTAIN REGION
A COMPACT GUIDE
Mary E. Barkworth
Intermountain Herbarium, Department of Biology
Utah State University
2
PREFACE
This treatment is a derivative work. Its purpose is to provide identification keys that reflect current
taxonomic treatment for the monocots found in the Intermountain Region – plus those grown in the
greenhouses on the Logan campus of Utah State University. The family concepts are those presented by
the Angiosperm Phylogeny Working Group. The generic limits reflect a combination of the treatments in
volumes 22-26 of the Flora of North America north of Mexico (FNA) and volume 6 of the Intermountain
Flora. Species level treatments are not available as yet.
I used the above two references and A Utah Flora, ed. 4 in making the initial determination of the
species to be included. In addition, I have incorporated many species that are grown in the Biology
Department’s greenhouse on USU’s Logan campus and others that are available in local stores sale
during spring semester because the reason for preparing the keys is the need to have identification keys
that are consistent with the family concepts being presented in current textbooks.
Apart from the above three references, the web, particularly Wikipedia, has been an invaluable source
of information. I thank those who take the time to contribute to Wikipedia.
Mary E. Barkworth
March 3, 2011
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MONOCOTS
Plants usually herbaceous, even if arborescent without a secondary cambium. Stems with multiple
vascular bundles, these apparently scattered across the stem or in two or more rings. Leaves usually
with parallel, curved and approximately parallel, or penni-parallel venation. Flowers usually with
perianth parts in multiples of 3. Seeds with a single cotyledon.
Monocots, unlike dicots, have consistently been found to be monophyletic. There is considerable, but
not conclusive, evidence suggesting that they originated from aquatic ancestors. Grasses, members of
the Poaceae, constitute the largest family of monocots but monocots are also notable for the many
attractive, showy flowered-species that bloom in the spring as well as for many attractively leaved
species that are often grown as houseplants.
The family boundaries of the flashy monocots have undergone a major upheaval. Part of the reason for
this is that scientific taxonomy started in Europe but monocots are most diverse in the southern
hemisphere. One result is that the Lily family or Liliaceae has gone from a family of nearly 4000 species
to one of 610 species. The 2400 exiles are found in many different families, many of which are in a
different order, the Asparagales.
1a. Perianth not evident, either absent, concealed by bracts, of hairs, or highly modified, with
no tepal-like structures ......................................................................................................................... 2
2a. Plants floating on the surface of water, without subsurface leaves..................................................... 3
3a. Plants consisting of oval to elliptic green blades up to 10 mm long, sometimes narrowed to
a stipe, floating on or just below the surface of water, without stems, developing 1-2 simple
roots from the lower surface, without stems ..................................................... Araceae (Lemnoideae)
3b. Plants with well-developed leaves having bulbous petioles, more than 5 cm long,
developing multiple, densely hairy roots ....................................................................... Pontederiaceae
2b. Plants larger, usually rooted in soil, often with well developed stems, if aquatic with at least
some leaves below the surface of the water ........................................................................................ 4
4a. Inflorescences densely spicate, often surrounded by a large, colorful bract; ovaries
somewhat embedded in the rachis [central axis] ................................................................................. 5
5a. Inflorescences consisting of a spathe and spadix (spathe = a large leaflike bract that
subtends and partially surrounds a dense spike, the spadix); leaves not linear; plants usually
more than 20 cm tall ................................................................................................ Araceae (Aroideae)
5b. Inflorescence not surrounded by a leaflike bract; leaves linear; plants less than 60 cm tall Acoraceae
4b. Inflorescences not densely spicate or, if so, the flowers not appearing embedded in the
rachis [central axis] ............................................................................................................................... 6
6a. Plants treelike; leaves plicate when young, often appearing compound .............................. Arecaceae
6b. Plants herbaceous; leaves usually not plicate, never appearing compound ........................................ 7
7a. Plants aquatic, all or most of their body submerged ............................................................................ 8
8a. Leaves all serrate to serrulate (use hand lens), cauline, bases not or scarcely sheathing
.....................................................................................................................................Hydrocharitaceae
8b. Leaves entire, cauline, with conspicuously sheathing bases ............................................... Ruppiaceae
7b. Plants terrestrial or emergent, most of their body located above the surface of the water ............... 9
9a. Individual flowers without a subtending bract, in spikes, racemes, or globose clusters ................... 10
10a. All flowers unisexual, staminate flowers located above the carpellate flowers; leaves flattish
................................................................................................................................................ Typhaceae
10b. Flowers carpellate or bisexual; leaves more or less round in cross-section ....................Juncaginaceae
9b. Flowers subtended by a bract or concealed between two bracts ...................................................... 11
4
11a. Flowers bisexual; perianth radially symmetric, composed of six brownish tepals; fruits
capsules ...................................................................................................................................Juncaceae
11b. Flowers unisexual or bisexual; perianth absent or highly modified, never radially symmetric
and of 6 tepals ..................................................................................................................................... 12
12a. Leaves 3-ranked; leaf sheaths closed; flowers usually spirally arranged, sometimes
distichous ............................................................................................................................. Cyperaceae
12b. Leaves and floral units 2-ranked; leaf sheaths usually open .....................................................Poaceae
1b. Perianth evident, with at least some flattish tepals, usually colorful, sometimes drab .................... 13
13a. Perianth brownish or greenish to scarious, less than 7.5 mm long .................................................... 14
14a. Plant submerged aquatics; leaves cauline and serrate or serrulate or all basal................................. 15
15a. Flowers usually unisexual; perianth trimerous, clearly differentiated into sepals and petals;
ovary inferior ...............................................................................................................Hydrocharitaceae
15b. Flowers bisexual; perianth tetramerous, all four tepals alike; ovary superior .......Potamogetonaceae
14b. Plants terrestrial, sometimes emergent ............................................................................................. 16
16a. Inflorescences panicles of clusters of flowers; flowers subtended by 1-2 brownish to hyaline
bracts, these shorter than the tepals ......................................................................................Juncaceae
16b. Inflorescences spicate or racemose; flowers without subtending bracts .......................Juncaginaceae
13b. Perianth colorful, evident, usually more than 7.5 mm long ............................................................... 17
17a. Ovary inferior ...................................................................................................................................... 18
18a. Perianth radially symmetric ................................................................................................................ 19
19a. Plants submerged aquatics; leaves cauline, opposite or whorled ..............................Hydrocharitaceae
19b. Plants terrestrial, sometimes in marshy place or epiphytic; leaves alternate .................................... 20
20a. Leaves usually thick and stiff throughout, their bases often strongly curved and for holding
water; greenhouse plants in the IMR ............................................................................... Bromeliaceae
20b. Leaves usually not particularly thick, usually flexible, at least distally, their bases vaied but
never strongly curved and holding water ........................................................................................... 21
21a. Leaves differentiated into petiole and blade, blades elliptic, more than 50 cm long, more
than 10 cm wide; style branches not divided; greenhouse plants in the IMR........................Musaceae
21b. Leaves not differentiated in petiole and blade, often the whole leaf less than 50 cm long,
always less than 10 cm wide; native, cultivated, or greenhouse plants in the IMR ........................... 22
22a. Style branches divided at the tip; inflorescence not umbellate; leaf bases often equitant;
flowers usually purple, blue, yellow or white .......................................................................... Iridaceae
22b. Style branches not divided at the tip; inflorescence umbellate; leaf bases not equitant;
flowers of many colors but not often blue ................................................................... Amaryllidaceae
18b. Perianth bilaterally symmetric or asymmetric.................................................................................... 23
23a. Fertile stamens 3 or more; cut flowers or indoor plants in the Intermountain Region ..................... 24
24a. Inflorescence simple, without large, colorful bracts; individual flowers highly visible; leaves
often twisted ............................................................................................................... Alstroemeriaceae
24b. Inflorescence compound, the secondary (most visible) inflorescence with large, colorful,
boat-shaped bracts enclosing the primary inflorescences ................................................................. 25
25a. Bracts strongly distichous; stamens 3; ovules solitary in each locule .............................. Heliconiaceae
25b. Bracts not distichous; stamens 5 or 6; ovules many per locule .........................................Strelitziaceae
23b. Fertile stamens 1 or 2; both outdoor and greenhouse plants ............................................................ 26
26a. Perianth bilaterally symmetric; fertile stamens 1 or 2; anther sacs usually adnate to the top
of the gynoecium, usually terminal and sessile; both outdoor and greenhouse plants..... Orchidaceae
26b. Perianth asymmetric or bilaterally symmetric; fertile stamen 1, usually with a welldeveloped, often wide, filament that is sometimes fused with the style; greenhouse plants .......... 27
27a. Leaves spirally arranged; flowers not paired; ovules many per locule ................................. Cannaceae
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27b. Leaves more or less distichous; ovule 1 or 1 per locule.................................................... Marantaceae
17b. Ovary superior..................................................................................................................................... 28
28a. Perianth differentiated, outer tepals green, inner tepals various colors but not spotted and
not with a large glandular area at the base ........................................................................................ 29
29a. Carpels united; flowers in clusters subtended by two boat-shaped green bracts ....... Commelinaceae
29b. Carpels not united; flowers solitary or in paniculate inflorescences .................................................. 30
30a. Flowers bilaterally symmetric, mostly violet, upper petal lobe with a patch of blue having a
yellow spot in the center ............................................................................................... Pontederiaceae
30a. Plants rhizomatous, to 1 m tall; leaves not differentiated into a petiole and blade; fruits
with many seeds ................................................................................................................. Butomaceae
27b. Plants not rhizomatous, to 65 cm tall; leaves differentiated into a petiole and blade; fruits
with 1 seed ........................................................................................................................ Alismataceae
28b. Perianth not or only weakly differentiated or, if outer tepals green, inner tepals with a large
basal gland .......................................................................................................................................... 31
31a. Plants scapose, growing from bulbs or corms; inflorescences with 1-4 papery bracts at the
base and all flowers terminal, often in umbellate clusters, sometimes solitary of few
together ............................................................................................................................................. 32
32a. Plants bulbous, not cormous; bulb coats scarious; inflorescence usually with 4+ bracts at
the base, often umbellate but sometimes with 1 to few flowers terminal on the
inflorescence .................................................................................................................. Amaryllidaceae
32b. Plants cormous; coats fibrous; inflorescence usually with 3 bracts at the base
.......................................................................................................................................... Asparagaceae
31b. Plants usually with leafy stems but sometimes scapose, often from rhizomes but sometimes
from bulbs or corms; inflorescences not umbellate, without papery bracts at the base,
often with bracts subtending individual flowers ................................................................................ 33
33a. Pedicels with 3, often united, scarious bracts just below the flowers; flowers small, to 6.5
mm long; inflorescences densely racemose, 1-3 cm long in flower, elongating to 7 cm in
fruit; plants to 80 cm tall, with linear leaves ..................................................................... Tofieldiaceae
33b. Pedicels without bracts or with a single bract at the base; flowers usually more than 6.5
mm long; inflorescences varied, sometimes racemose but more than 3 cm long in flower;
plants often taller than 8 cm; leaves from linear to ovate ................................................................. 34
34a. Flowers to 17 mm long, white, creamy, or greenish; tepals distinct or their bases fused to
the ovary; inflorescences elongate, usually paniculate, sometimes racemose.............. Melanthiaceae
34b. Plants never with the above combination of characters; tepals often longer, often
differently colored, often fused at the base; inflorescences varying from solitary to many
flowered, axillary or terminal .............................................................................................................. 35
35a. Leaves usually elliptic; tepals usually with one of more colored spots; nectaries often
present at the base of the tepals or the stamens ..................................................................... Liliaceae
35b. Leaves usually lanceolate to linear; tepals usually not spotted; nectaries in the septa of the
ovary, not at the base of the tepals or the stamens ........................................................ Asparagaceae
ACORALES MART.
Plants to 60 cm tall, emergent aquatics or growing in marshes. Perianth of whorls; tepals 6, yellowish,
yellowish green or whitish, to 2 mm long; stamens 6; gynoecium of 2-3 fused carpels.
There is only one family and one genus and two species in the Acorales. It is of interest primarily
because it is now considered sister to all the other monocots.
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Acoraceae Martinov [Wikipedia]
See description of the order.
Acorus L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Acorus may be represented in the Intermountain Region by cultivated specimens of one of the two
following species. Acorus gramineus is grown in the greenhouse of the Logan campus of Utah State
University.
For description, see the order Acorales.
Acorus L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are no native species of Acorus in the IMR but two species may be present in cultivation. The
following key is modified from that by Chang Pu Shu in the Flora of China
1a. Leaves with a distinct midrib, 60-150 cm long; rhizome stout, 0.8-3 cm in diameter; spadix
4.5-8 cm long, 0.6-1. 5 cm in diameter; seeds without long bristles .....................................A. calamus
1.b Leaves without distinct midrib, 15-55 cm long; rhizome slender, 0.4-0.8 cm in diameter;
spadix 3-14 cm long, 0.3-0.8 cm in diameter; seeds with long bristles ............................ A. gramineus.
Acorus calamus L. [Global distribution Map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
This species is a sterile triploid hybrid that is now found through much of Eurasia. It is also cultivated.
The North American records on the global map are probably based on Acorus americanus (Raf.) Raf.
Acorus gramineus Sol. ex Aiton [Global distribution Map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
This species is grown in the greenhouse of the Logan Campus of USU. It is native to the Himalayas and
southeast Asia.
ALISMATALES R. BR. EX BERCHT. & J. PRESL
Almost all the families in this order are aquatic. Many have small flowers.
Alismataceae Vent. [Wikipedia]
Plants floating to emergent, aquatic or marsh herbs, often scapose. Stems forming corms or rhizomes.
Leaves basal, simple, petiolate, sheathing at the base and often dimorphic. Inflorescence a racemes or
panicles with solitary or whorled branches. Flowers bracteates, radially symmetric, hypogynous. Fruit
follicles or achenes. C3;P3;A6,9, or many;G3-many, apocarpous.
1a.
1b.
2a.
2b.
Leaf bases rounded to elongate; flowers bisexual....................................................................... Alisma
Leaf bases sagittate or cordate; flowers unisexual or bisexual ............................................................ 2
Leaf bases sagittate; flowers unisexual................................................................................... Sagittaria
Leaf bases cordate; flowers bisexual .................................................................................. Echinodorus
Alisma L. [Water-plantain; IMF 6:7-9] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Scapose aquatic plants. Two species in the region.
1a. Blades submersed and ribbonlike or, if emergent, blades linear-lanceolate to narrowly
elliptic; achenes with 2 abaxial grooves........................................................................... A. gramineum
1b. Blades emergent, rarely submersed or floating, blades ovate to elliptic; achenes with 1
abaxial groove .......................................................................................................................... A. triviale
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Alisma gramineum Lej. [Grass-leaved Water-plantain; IMF 6:8-9][Global distribution map; Encyclopedia
of Life: Intermountain Biota]
Shallow water. Flowers summer to fall.
Alisma triviale Pursh [Northern Water-plantain; IMF 6:6-8 as A. plantago-aquatica] [Global distribution
Map; Encyclopedia of Life: Intermountain Biota]
Shallow muddy points, stream margins, marshes, and ditches. Flowers spring to fall.
Echinodorus Rich. & Engelm. ex A. Gray [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Echinodorus berteroi (Spreng.) Fassett [Global Map; Encyclopedia of Life: Intermountain Biota]
Sagittaria L. [Arrowhead; Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Sagittaria cuneata E. Sheld. [Northern Arrowhead] [IMF 6:12-14; FNA 22:21; UF 781] [Global distribution
Map; Encyclopedia of Life: Intermountain Biota]
Sagittaria latifolia Willd. [Wapato, Common Arrowhead, Duck Potato; IMF 6-12-13; FNA22:23] [Global
distribution Map; Encyclopedia of Life: Intermountain Biota]
This species is reported for SE Oregon and SE Idaho in IMF but not by FNA.
Araceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants often aquatic or of damp, usually tropical, locations, scapose. Stems usually tuberous or plants
climbing. Leaves usually with a distinct pseudopetiole and blade, base of pseudopetiole usually with
distinct flanges, blade often with evident dross-venation. Inflorescence densely spicate, with a welldeveloped and often colored subtending bract. Perianth absent; anthers extrorse; carpels fused at the
base, with a short style. Fruits berries.
There are three genera of Araceae native to the IMR; all used to be included in the Lemnaceae,
members of which are often called Duckweed. They are so reduced that many of the family characters
do not apply. The other genera in the key are often grown as ornamental plants. The remaining genera
tend to be tropical or sub-tropical in their distribution. Several are sold as ornamentals.
The combination of a densely spicate inflorescence with a large subtending bract is common enough
that the two structures have been given special names. The inflorescence is called a spadix, the bract a
spathe.
1a.
2a.
2b.
3a.
3b.
4a.
4b.
1b.
5a.
5b.
6a.
7a.
Plants aquatic, free floating; some surviving outdoors in the IMR ....................................................... 2
Distinct leaves present, 2-20 cm long ............................................................................................ Pistia
Thalloid, without leaves, the thallus oval, 1.5-10 mm long .................................................................. 3
Leaves without roots; leaves without veins ................................................................................ Wolffia
Leaves with 1-21 roots, with veins ........................................................................................................ 4
Roots 1 per leaf, point of attachment to leaf not surrounded by a scale .................................... Lemna
(1)2-21 per leaf, point of attachment surrounded by a scale .................................................. Spirodela
Plants terrestrial or epiphytic; leaves variously shaped, usually some longer than 20 cm;
plants unable to survive outside in the IMR ......................................................................................... 5
Leaves pinnately compound with 6-8 pairs of leaflets 7-15 cm long; spadix 5-7 cm long,
located near the base of the plant ...................................................................................... Zamioculcas
Leaves simple; spadix often located above the base ............................................................................ 6
Secondary veins of leaves not evidently connected by transverse vein; leaves usually with a
well-developed midrib ......................................................................................................................... 7
Stems subterranean; leaves arising from a basal crown ................................................... Zantedeschia
8
7b.
8a.
8b.
9a.
9b.
Stems above ground, leafy .................................................................................................................... 8
Plants climbing ................................................................................................................... Philodendron
Plants erect ........................................................................................................................................... 9
Leaves with 3-10 pairs of lateral veins; pistillate flowers without staminodes .................... Aglaonema
Leaves with 9-20 pairs of lateral veins; pistillate flowers separated by interspersed
staminodia......................................................................................................................... Dieffenbachia
6b. Secondary veins of leaves evidently connected; leaves without a midrib ........................................... 9
9a. Plants not producing a milky sap ........................................................................................................ 10
10a. leaves pinnately cut or perforated.......................................................................................... Monstera
10b. Leaves not cut or divided; spathe often brightly colored ................................................................... 11
11a. Stems elongated; plants clambering or vinelike ................................................................... Scindapsus
11b. Stems short, forming a basal crown.................................................................................................... 12
12a. Spathe flat, usually white or greenish; leaf blades not lobed, their bases obtuse or tapering;
stigmatic region 3-4-lobed ............................................................................................... Spathiphyllum
12b. Spathe recurved, reflexd or spreading, varying in color from white to dar red, infrequenly
green; leaf bases lobed or tapering; stigmatic region inconspicuously 2-lobed ................... Anthurium
9b. Plants with milky sap when fresh........................................................................................................ 13
13a. Leaf balades not arrow-shaped, their bases tapering to the petiole; spadix not terminating
in a sterile appendage ..................................................................................................................... Calla
13b. Leaf blades arrow shaped, their bases cordate or hastate; spadix terminating in a narrow
sterile appendage................................................................................................................................ 14
14a. Leaf blades to 12-26 cm long; spathe often reflexed, withering at maturity ................................ Arum
14b, Leaf blades 30-100 cm long; spathe convolute, surrounding the spadix .................................. Alocasia
Aglaonema Schott [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Plants 20-150 cm tall. Leaves alternate, 10-45 cm long, 4-16 cm wide, lanceolate to narrowly ovate, dark
to medium green. Flowers relatively inconspicuous, white or greenish-white. Fruits red, fleshy. Native to
tropical southeastern Asia from northeastern India through New Guinea.
Aglaonema commutatum Schott [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Alocasia (Schott) G. Don [Taro; Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Anthurium Schott. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are 600-800, or perhaps even 1000 species of Anthurium. One feature that they all have is a
geniculum which enables them to turn their leaves towards the sun. Cultivated species tend to have a
strongly divergent, colorful spathe.
Arum L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Arum includes about 25 species which are native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. They are
20-60 cm tall and have sagittate leaves. All part s of the plant are poisonous. According to Welsh et al.
(2008), Arum italicum Miller is winter hardy in Utah. It has a yellow spadix and whitish green spather
with some purple spots.
Calla L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There is only on species of Calla, Calla palustris L. It is circumboreal in its distribution but not known
from the IMR. It is NOT the genus of Calla lilies; they belong to Zantedeschia.
Dieffenbachia Schott [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
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Houseplant. Prefers shade; often grown for patterned leaves but the species are toxic.
Lemna L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are nine species of Lemna n the world, five of which grow in the IMR.
Monstera Adans. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are about 60 species of Monstera. They are noteworthy for having holes in their leaves. They are
epiphytic, growing be means of aerial roots.
Philodendron Schott.
Estimates of the number of species in Philodendron range from 350 to 700+. This makes generalizing
about its members difficult Cultivated species tend to have cordate to sagittate leaves. There is variation
in leaf shape between young and old plants, with no abrupt transition between the two.
Pistia L. [FNA 22:141-142] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Pistia stratiotes L. [Water lettuce] [Global Distribution Map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Scindapsus Schott [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Spathiphyllum Schott [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
This is a greenhouse plant in the IMR.
Spirodela Schleid. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are 3 species of Spirodela,. Only one, Sp. Polyrrhiza (L.) Schleid., is known from the IMR.
Wolfia Horkel ex Schleid. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are 11 species of Wolffia, , one of which has been found in the IMR.
Zamioculcas Schott [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Lodd.) Engl. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Zantedeschia Spreng. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
The Calla lilies sold in stores belong to this genus. It is native to Africa. There are eight species. The
spathe is white, pink, or yellow and encloses the base of the spadix.
Butomaceae Mirb. [Wikipedia]
Butomaceae includes one genus with one or two species (opinions differ). Both are native to Eurasia.
Whether treated as having one species or two, the species that has been found in IMR is Butomus
umbellatus.
Butomus L. [Flowering rush] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Butomus is an Eurasian genus that is now established in eastern North America.
Butomus umbellatus L. [Flowering rush. IMF 6:6] {Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
Plants perennial from an elongated rhizome. Leaves basal, linear, flat, often floating in deep water.
Flowers radially symmetric,white. Fruits follicles with numerous seeds. Loran Anderson along the banks
10
of the Snake River in the 1950s and 1960s. He has looked for it more recently but it appears to have
disappeared. It was growing at the river’s edge, rather like Typha. It may have fallen victim to neatening
and tidying of the landscape.
Hydrocharitaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants rooted in soil, submersed to emergent, rhizomatous. Leaves linear, sessile, opposite, whorled. or
basal. Inflorescences subtended by 2, often connate bracts. Flowers unisexual or bisexual. Perianth
radially symmetric, of 4 tepals. Androecium of 9-12(18) stemens. Gynoecium inferior of 3-9 united
carpels; ovary with 1 locule and 1 to many seeds; styles 3-9, often branched.
Hydrocharitaceae, as it is now interpreted includes about 18 genera and 150 species. Some of the
species grow in marine waters.
1a. Plants with all leaves basal; inflorescences long-pedunculate; tepals transparent .............. Vallisneria
1b. Plants with leafy stems; leaves opposite or whorled; inflorescences sessile or on short
peduncles that may elongate at flowering; perianth absent or white ................................................. 2
2a. Stems not or little branched; leaf bases not sheathing; flowers with a long petals white, 3-5
mm long; pistillate flowers with a threadlike floral tube ............................................................. Elodea
2b. Stems much branched; leaves sheathing at the base; flowers inconspicuous .............................. Najas
Elodea Michx. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
This genus is frequently grown in aquaria. Haynes (FNA 6: 32-34) recognized three species as growing in
the United States. Cronquist (IMF 6:14-17) recognized three species but one of the three, E. nevadensis,
is not mentioned in the FNA account. Cronquist stated that it might be extinct, not having been found at
the only location where it has been collected. It is known only from pistillate plants.
1a.
2a.
2b.
1b.
3a.
3b.
Leaves 0.3-2(2.4) mm wide ................................................................................................................... 2
Styles 1.2-2 mm long; leaves 0.9-1.7(2.4) mm wide, not flaccid; anthers 1-1.4 mm long...... E. nuttallii
Styles 3-3.3 mm long; leaves 1-2 mm long, flaccid; anthers not known ...........................E. nevadensis
Leaves (1)1.5-2.5(3) mm wide ............................................................................................................... 3
Styles 2.6-4 mm long; anthers 1.7-3 mm long .................................................................. E. canadensis
Styles 3-4.5 mm long; anthers -4.5 mm long ......................................................................... E. bifoliata
Elodea bifoliata H. St. John [IMF 6:15-17 as E. longivaginata H. St. John; FNA 22: 34] [Global distribution
map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
According to IMF, E. bifoliata grows in Idaho and both northern Nevada and northern Utah buit FNA
shows it as restricted to Idaho and Utah so far as the IMR is concerned.
Elodea canadensis Rich. [IMF 6: 5, 37; FNA 22: 33-34]. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
Elodea canadensis has been collected in western Nevada and southwestern Utah of the IMR.
Elodea nevadensis H. St. John [IMF 6:16-17] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
This species, if indeed it was a distinct species, is probably now extinct.
Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St. John [FNA 22: 33] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
Elodea nuttallii is in or close to the IMR in southeastern Oregon.
Najas L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
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Plants aquatic, submerged. Stems much branched. Leaves with sheathing bases. Gynoecium with 1
locule, a single basal ovules, and a 2-4-branched style. There are four species in the IMR.
1a. Plants unisexual; leaves coarsely toothed; seed coat pitted .................................................. N. marina
1b. Staminate and pistillate flowers on the same plant; seed coat smooth or shallowly pitted;
leaves shallowly toothed....................................................................................................................... 2
2a. Plants less than 5 cm long; seed coats smooth, glossy; anthers with 1 locule ......................... N. flexilis
2b. Plants longer than 5 cm; seed coats pitted, dull; anthers with 1 or 4 locules ...................................... 3
3a. Leaf sheaths deeply auriculate at the top; known, in North America, only from California ..................
............................................................................................................................................. N. graminea
3b. Leaf sheaths rounded to slightly auriculate at the top; widespread in North America..........................
..................................................................................................................................... N. guadalupensis
Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & W.L.E. Schmidt [IMF 6:22-23 as N. caespitosa (Maguire) Reveal; FNA
22:79-80] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Najas graminea Delile [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Najas guadalupensis (Spreng.) Magnus [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain
Biota]
Najas marina L. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Vallisneria L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Plants perennial, rooted in the mud, with basal linear leaves. There is only one species in North America.
Vallisneria americana Michx. FNA 22:29-30; not included in IMF because it was collected in southern
Nevada, an area not included in IMF]. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain
Biota]
Juncaginaceae Rich. [Wikipedia]
Plants rhizomatous, without evident stems. Leaves basal, linear, sessile, ligulate, auriculate with scarious
lobes. Inflorescences spikelike racemes or spikes. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, if unisexual, both sexes
on individual plants.
1a. Inflorescences with both bisexual and unisexual flowers; carpels 1 per flower ........................... Lilaea
1b. Inflorescences only with bisexual flowers; carpels 3 or 6 ....................................................... Triglochin
Liliaea Bonpl. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Lilaea scilloides (Poir.) Hauman [FNA 6:20-22; IMF 22: 44] [Global distribution map;
Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Triglochin L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
1a. Fertile carpels 6; ligule top 2-lobed ..................................................................................... T. maritima
1b. Fertile carpels 3; ligule top rouned, not lobed .......................................................................T. palustris
12
Triglochin maritima L. [IMF 6: 20-21; FNA 22:46. IMF recognizes T. concinna Burtt Davy as a separate
species; FNA 22:46 cites field research supporting its inclusion in T. maritima]. [Global distribution map;
Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Triglochin palustris L. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Potamogetonaceae Bercht. & J. Presl [Wikipedia]
Plants aquatic. Leaves spiral or opposite, involute, pseudopetiole, midrib and cross veins common,
primary veins merge with each other, without aurucles. Inflorescence spicate. Flowers bisexual or
unisexual; perianth absent or 4-merous, if present, the stamens attached to the perianth segments;
gynoecium of (1)2-8(9) carpels.
As currently interpreted, there are two genera of Potamogetonaceae in the IMR.
1a. Infloresences axillary, developing in the leaf sheaths, the peduncle extending at maturity;
flowers without lacking tepals, flowers unisexual ............................................................... Zannichellia
1b. Infloresences terminal, developing at or above the water; flowers with 4 tepals, usually
bisexual ................................................................................................................................................. 2
2a. Leaves often dimorphic, submersed leaves linear, floating leaves with a distinct blade and
petiole; usually stipules of all leaves free from the leaf sheath and the sheath not enclosing
the stem, if doing so, the leaves with 20-60 veins ............................................................ Potamogeton
2b. Leaves all alike, linear, not differentiated into a blade and petiole; stipules fused to the base
of the petiole, the combined structure forming a cylinder around the stem; leaves with 1-3
veins .........................................................................................................................................Stuckenia
Potamogeton L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
The leaves are often dimorphic, but this varies within a species. The base of the petioles form a small
leaf sheath but they are not fused to the stipules and do not form a closed cylinder around the stem.
The inflorescences are white to pink and often grow above water level. There are about 15 species in
the IMR.
Stuckenia Börner [Encyclopedia of Life]
Stuckenia only has submersed, linear leaves. Their bases differ from those of the submersed leaves of
Potamogeton in in forming, together with the stipules that are fused to the base of the petiole, a closed
cylindrical sheath around the stem.
Zannichellia L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are two species of Zannichellia, one of which grows in the IMR.
Zannichellia palustris L. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Ruppiaceae Horan [Wikipedia]
There is only one genus and one species in the Ruppiaceae.
Ruppia L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Ruppia maritima L. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
13
Tofieldiaceae Takht. [Wikipedia]
Plants shortly rhizomatous, scapose, Leaves linear, almost all basal. Flowers bisexual, radially symmetric,
with 6 tepals, tepals up to 6.5 mm long. Stamens 6; gynoecium of 3 separate carpels. Fruits capsules.
This family was first recognized as distinct in 1995, primarily on the basis of morphology. Molecular data
support its recognition. There is one genus and one species in the IMR.
Tofieldia Huds. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Triantha occidentalis (S. Watson) R.R. Gates [IMF 6: 479-480 as Tofieldia glutinosa (Michx) Pers. [Global
distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
ARECALES BROMHEAD
This order includes only one family, Arecaceae or Palmae. There are no genera native to the IMR but
Washingtonia is reported to be established in southern Nevada and a date palm is grown in the
greenhouse of USU’s Logan campus.
Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl [Wikipedia]
Plant trees, shrubs, or lianas. Stems woody. Leaves spirally arranged, petiolate, reduplicate-plicate,
pinnately or palmately pseudocompound or deeply divided. Inflorescences usually paniculate. Flowers
radially symmetric; perianth of 1-2 whorls, each with (2)3(4) tepals, tepals distinct to connate. Carpels 1
or 3, with 1 ovule or each or 1 in all 3. Fruit a drupe of berry.
There are around 190 genera and 2500 species of palms in the world. Accordding to Welsh et al., six
species have become established around St. George although a very cold winter would kill most of them.
The key is taken from Welsh et al.
1a.
2a.
2b.
1b.
3a.
4a.
4b.
3b.
5a.
5b.
Leaves pinnately compound ................................................................................................................. 2
Leaves folded up along the midrib ............................................................................................. Phoenix
Leaves folded down along the midrib ............................................................................................ Butea
Leaves palmately compound ................................................................................................................ 4
Petiole of leaves not extending into the blade ..................................................................................... 4
Margins of petiole with large, coarse, widely spaced teeth; plants with many stems ....... Chamaerops
Margins of Petiole smooth; plants with a single stem .......................................................Trachycarpus
Petiole extending into the blade ........................................................................................................... 5
leaves with fine threads between the segments ..............................................................Washingtonia
Leaves without fine threads between the segments ...................................................................Brahea
Brahea [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Butea [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life ?—is Arecacae the correct family?]
Chamaerops [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Phoenix [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Trachycarpus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Washingtonia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
14
ASPARAGALES LINK
Amaryllidaceae [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous, scapose. Inflorescence umbellate, subtended by 2 or more scarious bracts. Perianth
3-merous; tepals not spotted; stamens connate basally; ovary superior or inferior, of 3 carpels; style
long.
1a. Ovary superior....................................................................................................................................... 2
2a. Inflorescence umbellate; tepals distinct or almost so; plants smelling of onions ........................ Allium
2b. Inflorescence racemose or paniculate; tepals united only at the base or almost their whole
length; plants not smelling of onions ............................................................................................... Aloë
1b. Ovary inferior ....................................................................................................................................... 3
3a. Flowers with a corona, this sometimes conspicuous, sometimes reduced to a small crown
at the throat of the perianth tube ........................................................................................................ 4
4a. Corona funnel-shaped or rotate; inflorescences with 2-3 bracts ...................................... Hymenocallis
4b. Corona cup- or trumpet-shaped; inflorescences with 1-2 bracts ......................................................... 5
5a. Tepals yellow or white, united only at the base; corona evident, funnel-shaped................... Narcissus
5b. Tepals reddish to salmon colored, outer tepals with a whitish stripe down the middle of
the inner surface, united more of their length; corona a low crown ............................... Hippeastrum
3b. Flowers without a corona ..................................................................................................................... 6
6a. Flowers to 2.5 cm long; tepals unequal ..................................................................................Galanthus
6b. Flowers 3-15 cm long; tepals more or less equal.................................................................................. 7
7a. Umbels subtended by 2- several scarious bracts; leaves basal ............................................................ 8
8a. Leaves distichous; tepals without a white central stripe; peduncle solid ......................................Clivia
8b. Leaves not distichous; tepals often with a white or pale central stripe; peduncle hollow
............................................................................................................................................ Hippeastrum
7b. Umbels subtended by 1-2 scarious bracts; leaves basal and cauline ................................................... 9
9a. Tepals united for about ½ their length; leaves spirally arranged, appearing before or with
the flowers ...................................................................................................................................Crinum
9b. Tepals united for less than half their length; leaves basal, appearing after the flowers......... Amaryllis
Allium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Aloë [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life] {now in family Xanthorrhoeacae}
Amaryllis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Clivia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Crinum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Galanthus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hippeastrum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hymenocallis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Narcissus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
15
Asparagaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous, perennial, often rhizomatous or bulbous, often with fleshy leaves. Perianth 3merous, tepals usually distinct. androecium of 6 stamens; gynoecium with 3 carpels, ovary 3-loculed,
usually superior, sometimes inferior. Fruit usually a capsule, sometimes a berry.
This is rather a large family. Over the last couple of decades there has been discussion as to whether to
break it up into several smaller but poorly defined families or leave it large. The consensus was to leave
it large. This makes it difficult to characterize. Most of the genera used to be included in the Liliaceae,
others in the old Agavaceae. Several of the genera treated here can only be grown indoors in the IMR.
1a. Flowers formed on what appear to be leaves, true leaves minute scales subtending the leaflike bracts (cladodes) bearing the flowers ................................................................................... Ruscus
1b. Flowers formed in normal inflorescences; true leaves present ........................................................... 2
2a. Leaves stiff and thick; usually basal, often sharply pointed; tepals often longer than 2 cm ................ 3
3a. Leaves basal, erect, often variegated, not sharply pointed; plants without stem; ovaries
with 1-3 seeds; indoor plants in the IMR ............................................................................... Sanseviera
3b. Leaves basal or alternate to whorled on the stems, strongly divergent, usually sharply
pointed; plants often with stems; ovaries with many seeds; plants native and/or cultivated
in the Intermountain Region ................................................................................................................. 4
4a. Ovary inferior; flowers funnelform to tubular; leaves in basal rosettes ...................................... Agave
4b. Ovary superior; flowers campanulate or globose; leaves basal or on the stems ................................. 5
5a. Flowers 3-13 cm long; plants native in the IMR .................................................................................... 6
6a. Flowering stems usually less than 2.5 cm thick; bracts on the stems usually ascending;
stigmatic region 3-lobed ................................................................................................................ Yucca
6b. Flowering stems usually more than 2.5 cm thick; bracts on the stems reflexed; stigmatic
region capitate .................................................................................................................. Hesperoyucca
5b. Flowers 0.6-2.6 cm long; greenhouse plants in theIMR ....................................................................... 7
7a. Flowers in clusters; pedicels without bracts at the base; ovules/seeds solitary in the locules
of the ovary ..............................................................................................................................Dracaena
7b. Flowers solitary; pedicels with 3 bracts as the base; ovules/seeds many in the locules of the
ovary......................................................................................................................................... Cordyline
2b. Leaves usually flexible and not particularly thick, often cauline as well as basal, sometimes
only basal; tepals usually shorter than 2 cm, sometimes longer .......................................................... 8
8a. Inflorescence umbellate, terminal on an evident peduncle; leaves basal............................................ 9
9a. Tepals united less than 1/4th their length; anthers versatile ....................................................... Muilla
9b. Tepals united ½ their length or more; anthers basifixed .................................................................... 10
10a. Corona not present; style 2-3(4) mm long ................................................................................. Triteleia
10b. Corona present, formed by dilated filaments; style 4-6 mm long ...................................................... 11
11a. Anthers in two series, differing in length; plants (10)-30-90 cm tall ............................. Dichelostemma
11b. Anthers in one series, all similar in length; plants 10-30 cm tall ................................... Androstephium
8b. Inflorescence racemose or paniculate or flowers solitary or basal; leaves basal or cauline .............. 12
12a. Flowers and leaves basal, plants without an evident stem or peduncle ............................ Leucocrinum
12b. Flowers borne on a stem or peduncle; leaves basal or cauline .......................................................... 13
13a. Leaves more than 30 cm long, all basal ........................................................................................ Nolina
13b. Leaves less than 30 cm long, basal and/or cauline ............................................................................. 14
14a. Leaves 2-4 mm long, scalelike in shape and size, often with longer photosynthetic
cladophylls in their axils; inflorescences axillary.................................................................... Asparagus
14b. Leaves longer, not scalelike, not subtending cladophylls; inflorescences terminal or axillary .......... 15
16
15a. Tepals united at the base for more than 1/10th their length ............................................................. 16
16a. Plants rhizomatous; leaves with ovate blades ............................................................................... Hosta
16b. Plants from bulbs; leaves linear or absent .......................................................................................... 17
17a. Plants without leaves; bulbs above-ground; stems branching and climbing; greenhouse
plant in the IMR........................................................................................................................... Bowiea
17b. Plants with leaves; bulbs below ground; stems neither branching nor twining................................. 18
18a. Perianth 4.5-6 cm long, funnelform ................................................................................... Hesperocallis
18b. Perianth no more than 2 cm long ....................................................................................................... 19
19a. Inflorescences with 1 – 5 flowers, open .............................................................................. Chionodoxa
19b. Inflorescences with many more than 5 flowers, dense ...................................................................... 20
20a. Flowers up to 5 mm long; tepals united almost completely...................................................... Muscari
20b. Flowers more than 10 mm long; tepals united about half their length ............................... Hyacinthus
15b. Tepals free or united for no more than 1/10th their length............................................................... 21
21a. Plants not bulbous, growing from rhizomes or stolons or fleshy or fibrous roots ............................. 22
22a. Leaves all basal, sometimes growing from an elongated stolon ........................................................ 23
23a. Plants solitary or clustered, without stolons; native in the IMR........................................Eremocrinum
23b. Plants producing stolons; houseplants in the IMR........................................................... Chlorophytum
22b Leaves all cauline............................................................................................................. Maianthemum
21b. Plants from bulbs or corms ................................................................................................................. 24
24a. Perianth white with a green abaxial stripe .......................................................................Ornithogalum
24b. Perianth variously colored, not both white and with a green abaxial stripe ...................................... 25
25a. Ovules 2 per locule; tepals 3-12 mmlong.......................................................................... Schoenolirion
25b Ovules 1-12 per locule; tepals (6)12-40 mm long ............................................................................... 26
26a. Tepals 3-4-veined ..................................................................................................................... Camassia
26b. Tepals 1-veined ................................................................................................................................... 27
27a. Flowers with 2 subtending bracts .................................................................................... Hyacinthoides
27b. Flowers with 1 or no subtending bract ........................................................................................... Scilla
Agave [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Androstephium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Asparagus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Bowiea Harv. ex Hook. f. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Camassia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Chionodoxa [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life] {now in family Liliaceae]
Chlorophytum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life] { “ “ }
Cordyline [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Dichelostemma [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Dracaena [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Eremocrinum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
17
Hesperocallis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hesperoyucca (Engelm.) Baker [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hosta [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hyacinthoides [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hyacinthus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Leucocrinum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Maianthemum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Muilla [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Muscari [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Nolina [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Ornithogalum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Ruscus L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Sansevieria [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Schoenolirion [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Scilla [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Triteleia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Yucca [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Iridaceae [Wikipedia]
Plants rhizomatous; roots mycorrhizal. Leaves 2-ranked, often equitant. Flowers 3-merous, tepals
similar, free or only shortly united at the base; stamens 3, anthers extrorse; carpels 3, ovary inferior,
style branched, branches bifid, stigmatic regions on the edges of the branches.
Interpretation of the Iridaceae has not been changed for a long time. As with the other families, this
treatment includes several cultivated genera.
1a. Plants from corms; inflorescences spicate, with 2-many flowers; cultivated or sold as cut
flowers in the Intermountain Region .................................................................................................... 2
2a. Flowers radially symmetric, upright, subtending bracts scarious.............................................. Sparaxis
2b. Flowers bilaterally symmetric, upright or facing sideways; subtending bracts not scarious ............... 3
3a. Inflorescence strongly curved, becoming horizontal; style branches divided for about ½
their length, filiform throughout.................................................................................................. Freesia
3b. Inflorescence straight, erect; style branches undivided, sometimes notched at the end;
filiform or expanded distally ................................................................................................................. 4
18
4a. Style branches expanded distally but not notched distally; outer tepals 2-5 cm long ............ Gladiolus
4b. Style branches apically notched; outer tepals 1.5-2.5 cm long ............................................. Crocosmia
1b. Plants from rhizomes or bulbs; inflorescences rhipidiate, the central axis tending to zig-sag;
plants native or cultivated .................................................................................................................... 5
5a. Style branches petalloid, arching over the stamens, forked at the tip .............................................. Iris
5b. Style branches not petalloid, not arching over the stamens, not forked at the tip.............................. 6
6a. Leaves basally clasping or round in cross section; stems round in cross section .................... Olsynium
6b. Leaves sharply folded and clasping the stem at the base; stems compressed in cross section
............................................................................................................................................. Sisyrinchium
Crocosmia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Freesia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Gladiolus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Iris L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Olsynium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Sisyrinchium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Sparaxis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Orchidaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous, mycorrhizal. Inflorescence terminal. Flowers bilaterally symmetric, often resupinate,
one of the inner tepals highly modified; style and filaments combined to form a column with the
stigmatic region on one side and 1 or 2 anther sacs located on the top; pollen transferred as pollinia.
Orchids constitute one of the four largest flowering plant families. Their greatest abundance is in the
tropics, particularly moist areas. Many are epiphytic. One report stated that a single tree in the Amazon
could be host to as many as 200 species of orchid.
1a. Longest tepals usually shorter than 2 cm, if longer, lowest petal slipperlike; mostly native to
the IMR .................................................................................................................................................. 2
2a. Leaves scale-like or reduced to sheaths; plants yellowish to brownish, pink or red; roots
coralloid................................................................................................................................ Corallorhiza
2b. Leaves larger, usually with a well-developed blade; plants green; roots not coralloid........................ 3
3a. Lower petal (the lip) inflated, slipper-like or sack-like .......................................................................... 4
4a. Lower petal slipper-like, without a flat tip extending beyond the inflated portion; anthers 2
fertile, a sterile stamen also present, partially closing the entrance to the lip .................. Cypripedium
4b. Lowest petal sack-like, with a flat tip that extends beyond the inflated portion; anthers 1
fertile, no sterile stamen present ......................................................................................................... 5
5a. Flowers 3.5-8 mm long, white, sometimes tinged with green, ivory or brown; leaves usually
with white or pale green markings ......................................................................................... Goodyera
5b. Flowers 10-24 mm long, pink to magenta, rarely white ............................................................. Calypso
3b. Lowest petal not inflated, sometimes with a spur or pouch projecting backwards ............................. 6
6a. Leaves plicate; lateral petals brownish purple ......................................................................... Epipactis
6b. Leaves not plicate; lateral petals various colors but not brownish purple ........................................... 7
19
7a. Flowers with a spur at the base of the lower petal, spur free from the ovary ..................................... 8
8a. Lowest petal unequally 3-lobed at the tip; bracts subtending the flowers often more than 2
cm long .............................................................................................................................. Coeloglossum
8b. Lowest petal entire or with small lobes proximal to the tip; bracts subtending the flower
shorter than 2 cm .................................................................................................................................. 9
9a. Leaves withering by anthesis; sepals 1-veined; flowers subsessile ............................................. Piperia
9b. Leaves flourishing at anthesis; sepals 3 to many veined; flowers pedicellate..................... Platanthera
7b. Flowers not spurred or spur connate with the ovary ......................................................................... 10
10a. Plants with 2, rarely 3, well developed leaves, these opposite or whorled, located well
above ground level; lowest petal deeply 2-lobed at the tip; inflorescence not twisted ............. Listera
10b. Plants usually with more than 3 leaves, these alternate, gradually reduced upwards,
sometimes with only 1 basal leaf ........................................................................................................ 11
11a. Inflorescence spirally twisted; leaves uniformly green; plants native in IMr ........................ Spiranthes
11b. Inflorescence not twisted; leaf baldes backish green with 5 silvery-red veins; greenhouse
plants in the IMR .......................................................................................................................... Ludisia
1b. Longest tepals usually more than 2 cm long; lowest petal not slipperlike; plants cultivated
indoors ................................................................................................................................................ 12
12a. Lateral sepals adnate to the base of the column; inflorescence on lateral branches or
pseudobulbs ........................................................................................................................................ 13
13a. Pollinia 4; stems often jointed, sometimespseudobulbous; lateral sepals forming a saclike
or spurlike structure ............................................................................................................ Dendrobium
13b. Pollinia 2; stems not conspicuously jointed, never with pseudobulbs; lateral sepals not
forming a saclike or spurlike structure .............................................................................. Phalaenopsis
12b. Lateral sepals not adnate to the base of the column; inflorescence terminal ................................... 14
14a. Pedicel and ovary almost circular ............................................................................................. Gongora
14b. Pedicel and ovary straight or almost so .............................................................................................. 15
15a. Lip deeply pouched and inflated, globose, ellipsoid, or ovoid; anther sacs 2 ................ Paphiopedilum
15b. Lip not pouched and inflated .............................................................................................................. 16
16a. Lip adnate to the column; dorsal sepal usually longer and broader than the lateral sepals;
anther sacs 2, each with 2 pollinia ....................................................................................... Epidendrum
16b. Lip not adnate to the column (sometimes wrapped around it); dorsal sepal similar in size to
the lateral sepals; anther sacs 1, with 2 pollinia ................................................................................. 17
17a. Lip tepals with a long nectar spur at the back ......................................................................Angraecum
17b. Lip petals without a nectar spur or the spur less than 1 cm long ....................................................... 18
18a. Plants root climbing vines; lip trumpet-shaped, with small crenulate lobes............................... Vanilla
18b. Plants epiphytic, not climbing; lip not trumpet-shaped, 3-lobed ....................................................... 19
19a. Central lobe of the lip spreading and prominent; lateral lobes convolute around the column
.................................................................................................................................................... Cattleya
19b. Central lobe of the lip recurved, concave at the base; lateral lobes erect ........................... Cymbidium
Calypso [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Cattleya [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Coeloglossum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Corallorhiza [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
20
Cymbidium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Cypripedium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Dendrobium[Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Epidendrum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Epipactis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Gongora [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Goodyera [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Listera [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Paphiopedilum Pfitzer [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Phalaenopsis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Piperia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Platanthera [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Spiranthes [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Xanthorrhoeaceae [Wikipedia]
Bulbine Xanthorrhoea
1a.
2a.
2b.
3a.
3b.
1b.
4a.
5a.
5b.
4b.
6a.
6b.
Leaves succulent; rounded to triangular in cross-section .................................................................... 2
Tepals white with green or pinkish stripes ............................................................................ Haworthia
Tepals variously colored but not white with green or pink stripe ........................................................ 3
Perianth tube cylindrical or bell-shaped, straight ............................................................................ Aloë
Perianth tube enlarged at the base and somewhat curved distally ......................................... Gasteria
Leaves not succulent, flat to triangular in cross-section....................................................................... 4
Inflorescence open, sometimes branched ............................................................................................ 5
Inflorescence not greatly exceeding the leaves, not conspicuously branched, of 1-7 flowers;
tepals orange-red to salmon or yellow .............................................................................. Hemerocallis
Inflorescence greatly exceeding the leaves, with many conspicuous branches; usually with
more than 7 flowers on each branch; tepals united most of their length, bright red at
maturity.................................................................................................................................. Phormium
Inflorescence a dense raceme of many flowers; flowers 5-55 mm long .............................................. 6
Tepals red to pink or yellow, united most of their length, without a conspicuous midvein ... Kniphofia
Tepals yellow or white, free or united only at the base, midvein conspicuous by its darker
color ...................................................................................................................................... Asphodelus
Aloë [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
21
Asphodelus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Bulbine [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Gasteria [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Haworthia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Kniphofia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Hemerocallis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Phormium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Xanthorrhoea [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
COMMELINALES MIRB. EX BERCHT. & J. PRESL
Commelinaceae Mirb. [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous, usually somewhat succulent. Leaves alternate, with closed basal sheath and
prominent midrib. Inflorescences determinate, subtended by two prominent bracts. Flowers radially or
bilaterally symmetric, usually bisexual, hypogynous, open for one day; calyx and corolla distinct, 3 each,
corolla deliquescent; androecium of 6 separate stamens; gynoecium of 3 united carpels with 1-many
ovules. Fruits capsules.
There are 40 genera and around 630 species in the family. It is primarily tropical in its distribution. One
genus, Tradescantia, is native to the IMR. A second, Commelina, is often grown indoors as an
ornamental.
1a. Flowers bilaterally symmetric, usually some flowers vestigial or staminate, even in bisexual
flowers outer 3 stamens fertile, inner (2)3 sterile ................................................................ Commelina
1a. Flowers radially symmetric, all bisexual or bisexual and pistillate, all stamens alike ........................... 2
2a. Inflorescence subtended by a pair of large, conspicuous bracts; petals white to pink, blue or
violet................................................................................................................................... Tradescantia
2b. Inflorescence subtended by small, inconspicuous bracts; petals white, pink or rose, rarely
blue............................................................................................................................................... Callisia
Callisia Loefl. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Callisia repens (Jacq.) L. [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Commelina L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Commelina communis L. [Dayflower. FNA 22:193-194] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
This species, which is native to Asia, is now established in eastern North America and has been declared
a noxious weed in Virginia. In Asia it is used as a medicinal plant and as animal fodder. It has also been
found to accumulate copper when grown on mine wastes, making it a candidate for bioremediation.
22
Tradescantia L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are about 70 species of Tradescantia, one of which is native in the IMR. Others are cultivated. The
species are prone to hybridize when grown together. Of the five species in the key, only one is native.
1a.
2a.
2b.
1b.
3a.
3b.
Flowers subsessile; petals clawed an connate, at least at the base; stamens epipetalous .................. 2
Leaves 2-ranked, bases oblique, blade usually variegated; sepals connate at the base ........ T. zebrina
Leaves spirally arranged, bases symmetric; blade not variegated; sepals not connate .......... T. pallida
Flowers distinctly pedicellate; petals neither lawed nor connate; stamens free ................................. 3
Plants sprawling to decumbent, rooting at the nodes; leaves 2-ranked, to 5 cm long .... T. fluminensis
Plants erect or ascending, rarely rooting at the nodes; leaves spirally arranged, more than 5
cm long .................................................................................................................................................. 4
4a. Sepals with apical tufts of glandular hairs, sometimes uniformly glandular hairy .......... T. occidentalis
4b. Sepals hairy but the hairs not glandular ............................................................................. T. vriginiana
Tradescantia occidentalis (Britton) Smyth [Western Spiderwort; IMF 6:45-47; FNA 22:180-181]
This is the native species. There are two varieties, both of which are present in the IMR. [Global
distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
1a. Sepals and pedicels more or less uniformly glandular, rarely nearly glabrous ............ var. occidentalis
1b. Sepals and pedicels completely glabrous ..................................................................... var. scopulorum
Pontederiaceae Kunth [Wikipedia]
Plants often aquatic. Leaves usually spirally arranged, sometimes 2-ranked or whorled, with weldeveloped secondary veins. Inflorescence subtended by two bracts. Flowers open for one day, usually
bilaterally symmetric, perianth not differentiated into calyx and corolla, tepals more or less connate;
stamens adnate to the tepals, of different lengths, filaments hairy, 1 carpel, 1 ovule. Fruit an achene.
There are 9 genera and about 30 species in the family. The genera will probably be modified in the near
future. None of the species are native in the IMR.
Eichhornia Kunth [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
This is the genus of the water hyacinth, which is grown in the greenhouse on the Logan campus of USU.
Eichornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
LILIALES PERLEB
Alstroemeriaceae Dumort. [Wikipedia]
Leaves spireally arranged, twisted at the base so the lower surface is brought to the top. Inflorescence
terminal. Flowers bilaterally symmetric, bisexual, epigynous. Perianth of 6 colorful tepals, all or inner
tepals spotted. Stamens 6, anthers latrorse; carpels 3, united,.
One genus is commonly available as cut flowers.
Alstroemeria L. [Peruvian Lily] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
The cut flowers are probably hybrids, developed for the trade. There are about 120 species.
23
Colchicaceae DC. [Wikipedia]
This family is represented in the IMR only by the ornamental Colchicum autumnale Autumn Crocus. It is
similar in appearance to members of the genus Crocus but they belong to the Iridaceae but it has wider,
more or less oval leaves and its flowers have 6, rather than 3, stamens.
Colchicum autumnale L. [Autumn Crocus; UF 924] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
As the name suggests, Colchicum autumnale flowers in the autumn (Fall) but its leaves develop in the
spring. They are about 2-7 cm wide. Colchicum autumnale is the species from which colchicine, a
chemical that inhibits chromosome division, is prepared. It has been used, in minute quantities, as a
medicinal plant but it is probably wiser to consider all parts of the plant as poisonous.
Liliaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous, usually rhizomatous or bulbous. Leaves linear, usually with parallel venation,
sometimes with reticulate venation. Perianth 3-merous, usually not differentiated into calyx and corolla.
Stamens 6, all fertile. Gynoecium of 3 united carpels. Fruits berries or capsules.
Wikipedia says that there is a correlation between habitat and morphology in the family: “Shadedwelling genera usually have broad, net-veined leaves, fleshy fruits with animal-dispersed seeds,
rhizomes, and small, inconspicuous flowers; genera native to sunny habitats usually have narrow,
parallel-veined leaves, capsular fruits with wind-dispersed seeds, bulbs, and large, visually conspicuous
flowers.
1a. Plants from rhizomes with fleshy of fibrous roots ................................................................................ 2
2a. Flowers solitary or in pairs; basal portion of peduncle adnate to the stem, distal portion
strongly curved....................................................................................................................... Streptopus
2a. Flowers 1-4(7) together; peduncles not present; pedicels not strongly strongly curved........ Prosartes
1b. Plants with bulbs or corms .................................................................................................................... 3
3a. Tepals without nectaries at the base; flowers bell-shaped to cup-shaped, facing up, usually
solitary ........................................................................................................................................... Tulipa
3b. Tepals with nectaries at the base; flowers often funnelform, often horizontal or hanging
down, often in clusters.......................................................................................................................... 4
4a. Style not evident, stigmatic region attached to the top of the ovary .................................. Calochortus
4b. Style present, stigmatic region distant from the ovary ........................................................................ 5
5a. Leaves evenly distributed over the stems; perianth about half its length; inflorescences
racemose or paniculate..................................................................................................................Lilium
5b. Leaves basal or mostly so; inflorescence racemose ............................................................................. 6
6a. Tepals reflexed .................................................................................................................... Erythronium
6b. Tepals not reflexed or reflexed only at the tip ..................................................................................... 7
7a. Tepals in two distinct whorls; basal leaves similar in length to upper stem leaves; bulbs
usually naked, sometimes enclosed in a thin white membrane...............................................Fritillaria
7b. Tepals not in two whorls; basal leaves noticeably longer than upper stem leaves; bulbs
enclosed in brown membrane ..................................................................................................... Lloydia
Calochortus Pursh [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Erythronium L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Fritillaria L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
24
Lilium L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Lloydia Salisb. ex Rchb. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Prosartes D.Don [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Streptopus Michx. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Tulipa L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Melanthiaceae Batsch ex Borkh. [Wikipedia]
Plants herbaceous. Leaves with sheathing bases. Inflorescences indeterminate, branching. Perianth
usually not strongly differentiated. Stamens 6, adnate to the base of the tepals. Gynoecium usually of 3
carpels, fused; styles separate. Fruits capsules, with persistent tepals.
1a.
1b.
2a.
2b.
3a.
3b.
Leaves in one or two whorls on the flowering stem ................................................................... Trillium
Leaves all basal or distributed over the stem ....................................................................................... 2
Leaves broadly ovate to elliptical with many conspicuous veins ............................................ Veratrum
Leaves narrowly lanceolate, with 1 to few veins .................................................................................. 3
Leaves stiff, basal ................................................................................................................ Xerophyllum
Leaves flexible, mostly cauline ................................................................................................ Zigadenus
Trillium L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Veratrum L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Xerophyllum Michx. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Zigadenus Michx. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
POALES SMALL
Vessel elements present in the stems and leaves; silica present in the epidermal cells; style well
developed; endosperm nuclear.
This order includes 17 families, 997 genera, and 18325 species. Many of the families are tropical and
small but four are native to the IMR and one, the Bromeliaceae, includes species that are sometimes
sold as ornamental indoor plants.
The boundaries of the families in this order have remained constant but the boundaries of genera within
the Poaceae and Cyperaceae have undergone considerable change. Many of these changes reflect
recognition at generic level of groups that had long been recognized either formally (as subgenera,
sections, or series) or informally as, for example, “the Bolboschoenus group”. In many instances,
molecular data combined with cladistic analysis was able to provide more objective support for
recognition for taxa than had previously been the case. The keys in this treatment reflect the resulting
generic changes.
25
Bromeliaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Plants usually herbaceous, with a basal cluster of spirally arranged thick, longitudinally curved leaves.
Leaves with dilated but not sheathing bases. Inflorescences often dense; flowers often subtended by
brightly colored bracts. Perianth usually symmetric; androecium of 3 stamens, adnate to the corolla;
gynoecium 3-carpellate, ovary usually inferior.
I have been unable to figure out how Billbergia and Quesnelia differ. They are both in the key – but with
no information on how they differ. Sorry!
1a.
2a.
2b.
1b.
3a.
4a.
4b.
3b.
5a.
5b.
6a.
6b.
Ovary superior....................................................................................................................................... 2
Leaf margins or petioles spinose...................................................................................................Dyckia
Leaf margins and petioles smooth ........................................................................................... Tillandsia
Ovary inferior ........................................................................................................................................ 3
inflorescence surrounded by leaf bases, never exceeding the leaves; leaves forming a basal
rosette ................................................................................................................................................... 4
Leaves usually all green; flowers white or greenish white, borne in small heads among the
foliage .................................................................................................................................. Cryptanthus
Inner leaves often brightly colored, often mottled; inflorescence central, appearing sessile;
flowers violet, blue, or white .................................................................................................Neoregelia
Inflorescence on a prominent scape or stalk, sometimes but not always exceeding the
leaves .................................................................................................................................................... 5
Carpels fusing to form an aggregate, multiple fruit; inflorescence/fruit bearing a tuft of
sterile leafy bracts at the top ...................................................................................................... Ananas
Carpels always separate, even in fruit; inflorescence/fruit usually without a crown of leafy
bracts..................................................................................................................................................... 6
Inflorescence compound, at least basally; pollen grains dotted with pores, not grooved ..... Aechmea
Inflorescence simple or, if compound, the pollen grains with a longitudinal grooveBillbergia or Quesnelia
Aechmea [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Ananas [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Billbergia Thunb. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Cryptanthus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Dyckia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Neoregelia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Quesnelia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Tillandsia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Cyperaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
There have been several changes in the generic limits In the Cyperaceae. In the Intermountain Region,
all the changes affect species that used to be included in Scirpus. Most of our species go to
Schoenoplectus. I have indicated which species of Scirpus go where in the leads of the following key.
26
1a. Gynoecium completely or partly enclosed by a scale-like structure, the perigynium; flowers
unisexual ............................................................................................................................................... 2
2a. Perigynia completely enclosing the gynoecium; bracts of the inflorescence never
subtending more than 1 flower ..................................................................................................... Carex
2b. Perigynia open on 1 side; bracts of the inflorescence sometimes subtending 2 flowers,
these sometimes of different sexes .......................................................................................... Kobresia
1b. Gynoecium not enclosed in a perigynium; flowers usually bisexual, sometimes unisexual ................ 3
3a. Flowers without a perianth ................................................................................................................... 4
4a. Flowers distichously arranged ................................................................................................... Cyperus
4b. Flowers spirally arranged ...................................................................................................................... 5
5a. Leaves with a ligule of hairs or absent; involuvral bracts 2-5 ............................................... Fimbristylis
5b. Leaves without a ligule; involucral bracts usually 1, sometimes 2 ............................................. Isolepis
3b. Flowers with a perianth of one or more hairs, bristles, or scales ......................................................... 5
5a Culms with a single spike ...................................................................................................................... 6
6a. Perianth of numerous silky hairs that greatly exceed the subtending bracts at maturity; leaf
blades more than 2 cm long, 2-8 mm wide ......................................................................... Eriophorum
6b. Perianth of 6 bristles that equal or only slightly exceed the subtending bract at maturity;
leaf blades less than 1 cm long, about 1 mm wide [Scirpus cespitosus].......................... Trichophorum
5b. Culms with more than one spike .......................................................................................................... 7
7a. Achenes 0.5-0.7 mm long, with an inconspicuous hyaline scale on their adaxial side in
addition to the subtending bract on the abaxial side, without bristles or hairs; plants
annual, to 5 cm tall (Hemicarpha micrantha) ....................................................................... Lipocarpha
7b. Achenes larger, without a hyaline scale, with bristles; plants often perennial, usually larger ............ 8
8a. Culms cormose at base, sharply trigonous above [B. maritimus, B. fluviatalis] .....................................
......................................................................................................................................... Bolboschoenus
8b. Culms not cormose at base, usually not sharply trigonous above ...................................................... 9
9a. Achenes not apiculate; ligules ciliate; culms without air cavities (A. nevadensis) ............Amphiscirpus
9b Achenes apiculate; ligules not ciliate ; culms with air cavities ........................................................... 10
10a. Inflorescence with more than 60 spikes; spikes 3-6 mm long (S. pallidus, S. microcarpus) ........ Scirpus
10b. Inflorescence with 3-40 spikes; spikes 12-25 mm long (S. acutus, S. americanus, S. pungens,
S. validus) ....................................................................................................................... Schoenoplectus
Amphiscirpus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Bolboschoenus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Carex [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Cyperus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Eriophorum [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Fimbristylis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Isolepis [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Isolepis cernua [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Kobresia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
27
Lipocarpha[Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Schoenoplectus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Scirpus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Trichophotia [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Juncaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
1a. Leaves glabrous; sheaths open; ovules/seeds many per capsule.................................................Juncus
1b. Leaves usually with hairy margins; sheaths closed; ovules/seeds 3 per capsule ......................... Luzula
Juncus [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Add Juncus patens when incorporating species.
Luzula [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Poaceae Barnhart [Wikipedia]
This is the fourth largest family in the world and the largest family of monocots in the Intermountain
Region. Globally, the Orchidaceae has more species but they are concentrated in the tropics. Away from
the tropics, grasses rule. Actually, they rule over most of the world. Just think how comfortable you are
with the word “grasslands”. Compare that with orchidland.
It is common to divide large families into subunits. The rank immediately below family is a subfamily;
below that the next level used is tribe. The following key guides you first to tribes, then to genera. The
following key does not reflect recently proposed changes in the Cynondonteae, Eragrostideae and
Zoysieae. It does reflect the inclusion of the Pappophoreae in the Cynodonteae.The following key is only
to tribes. The keys to genera will come later.
1a. Culms perennial, producing new inflorescences year after year, often developing complex
branching systems from the upper nodes [this is to a subfamily] .................................. Bambusoideae
1b. Culms annual, new culms being produced each year; stems sometimes branching at upper
nodes but branching not complex ........................................................................................................ 2
2a. Spikelets almost always with 2 dissimilar florets, the lower floret sterile or staminate, often
reduced to a lemma; upper floret well-developed, with a leathery to hard, usually
unawned, lemma or with a hyaline, often awned lemma that is concealed by the relatively
tough glumes; glumes membranous or tough; rachilla not prolonged beyond the base of
the distal floret (Panicoideae) ............................................................................................................... 3
3a. Glumes flexible, membranous, the lower glume usually much shorter than the upper glume
(sometimes absent), the upper glume subequal to the upper floret; upper lemma leathery
to hard; spikelets dorsally compressed, usually single or in pairs, sometimes in triplets;
disarticulation below the glumes ..............................................................................................Paniceae
3b. Glumes stiff, leathery to hard, often subequal, at least one and usually both exceeding the
upper flower (excluding the awn); most spikelets terete, in pairs or triplets with one
spikelet sessile and the other pedicellate; disarticulation often in the inflorescence
branches, below the sessile spikelet, sometimes below the glumes ........................... Andropogoneae
2b. Spikelets bulbiferous or with other than 2 florets or, if with 2, the lower floret bisexual or
the upper floret awned; glumes usually membranous, rachilla often prolonged beyond the
base of the distal floret ......................................................................................................................... 4
28
4a. All or most florets bulbiferous ...................................................................................................... Poeae
4b. All or most florets sexual....................................................................................................................... 5
5a. Spikelets with 1 floret and lemma terminating in a 3-branched awn, the lateral branches
sometimes greatly reduced; callus well developed; ligule of hairs or a ciliate membrane, the
cilia longer than the basal membrane .................................................................................... Aristideae
5b. Spikelets with more than 1 sexual floret or, if with only one, the lemma not terminating in a
3-branched awn; callus sometimes well-developed; ligules membranous, of hairs, or a
ciliate membrane .................................................................................................................................. 6
6a. Spikelets with 1 sexual floret; glumes absent or less than ¼ the length of the floret; lower
glume, if present, without veins; upper glume, if present, without veins or 1-veined ........................ 7
7a. Inflorescence spikelike, 1-sided; spikelets triangular in cross-section ........................................ Lygeae
7b. Infloresence paniculate; spikelets laterally compressed or terete ....................................................... 8
8a. Culms spongy; plants growing wet places, often emergent; lemmas of the bisexual of
pistillate florets with 3-14 veins ................................................................................................. Oryzeae
8b. Culms not spongy; plants of wet and dry places but not emergent; lemmas of bisexual or
pistillate florets with 1-3 veins ........................................................................................... Cynodonteae
6b. Spikelets usually with more than 1 bisexual floret, usually with 2 glumes, 1 or both glumes
more than ¼ the length of the adjacent floret and/or with more than 1 vein (glumes always
long in taxa with only 1 sexual floret .................................................................................................... 9
9a. Cauline leaf sheaths closed for at least ½ their length; glumes usually exceeded by the distal
floret, sometimes greatly so ............................................................................................................... 10
10a. Spikelets 5-80 mm long; lemmas usually awned, often bilobed or bifid, veins convergent
distally; ovaries/caryopses with hairy tops ...............................................................................Bromeae
10b. Spikelets 0.7-60 mm long, lemmas often unawned, not both bilobed/bifid and with
convergent veins; ovaries/caryopses usually glabrous on top ........................................................... 11
11a. Lemma veins (4)5-15, usually prominent, parallel distally; spikelets 2.5-60 mm long .............Meliceae
11b. Lemma veins 1-9, often inconspicuous, usually convergent distally; spikelets 0.7-18(20) mm
long................................................................................................................................................ Poeae
9b. Cauline leaf sheaths open for at least ½ their length; glumes sometimes exceeded by the
distal floret, sometimes exceeding it .................................................................................................. 12
12a. Spikelets with 1 floret; lemmas terminally awned, the junction of the lemma and awn
conspicuous; rachilla not prolonged beyond the base of the floret ........................................... Stipeae
12b. Spikelets with 1-60 florets; lemmas unawned or awned, if awned, the junction with the
lemma inconspicuous; rachilla often prolonged beyond the base of the distal floret ....................... 13
13a. Ligules, at least of the basal leaves, composed of a line of hairs or a ciliate membrane or
ridge; leaves usually with a tuft of hairs on either side of the lower ligules; auricles absent ............ 14
14a. Lemmas of the fertile florets hairy all over, with 3-11 inconspicious veins; if lemma margins
hairy, base of hairs not papillose; lemma apices usually bilobed or bifid, and awned or
mucronate from the sinus; awns usually twisted on the lower portion............................ Danthonieae
14b. Lemmas of the fertile florets glabrous all over or hairy over the veins, usually with 1 or 3
conspicuous veins, sometimes with 3, 5, 9 or 11 inconspicuous veins; if lemma margins
hairy, hairs often with a papillose base; lemma apices entire, bifid, or 4-lobed; awns usually
not twisted .......................................................................................................................................... 15
15a. Lemmas 1-11 veined, veins glarous of hairy, marginal hairs of the lemmas not papillosebased; neither rachillas nor calluses pilose; basal internodes of culms not persistent..... Cynodonteae
15b. Lemmas 3(5)-veined, veins glabrous; if lemma margins hairy, hairs papillose-based; rachillas
ir calluses pilose or the basal internodes of the culms persistent ...................................... Arundinceae
29
13b. Ligules membranous or mostly so, the cilia, if present, shorter than the basal membrane;
leaves usually glabrous on either side of the ligules; auricles present or absent............................... 16
16a. Lemmas with 1-3 or 9-11 conspicuous bines; sheaths open, blade cross-sections exhibiting
Kranz anatomy ................................................................................................................. Cynondonteae
16b. Lemmas with (1)3-15 inconspicuous veins; sheaths open or closed; blades not exhibiting
Kranz anatomy .................................................................................................................................... 17
17a. Inflorescences usually paniculate, sometimes spikelike, the branches fused to the rachis, if
truly spicate with 1 spikelet per node, the spikelet radial to the rachis and most spikelets
with only 1 glume ......................................................................................................................... Poeae
17b. Inflorescences spikes or spikelike with 1-5 spikelets per node, if 1, the spikelets tangential
to the rachis and with two glumes............................................................................................ Triticeae
Typhaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
1a. Inflorescences linear, the lower portion pistillate the upper portion staminate, the two
often touching ............................................................................................................................... Typha
1b. inflorescences spherical and separated from each other, all pistillate inflorescences below
the staminate inflorescences ............................................................................................... Sparganium
Sparganium [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Typha [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
ZINGIBERALES GRISEB.
This order includes several families that are tropical in their distribution and have striking flowers and/or
foliage that has led to them being introduced into cultivation. Some of them are also important in
tropical regions as food plants.
Cannaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
There is only one genus in the family,Canna.
Canna L. [Canna Lily] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
There are probably about 20 species of Canna. It is known in the IMR only as an ornamental. In the
tropics, species are cultivated for their starch.
Heliconiaceae Nakai [Wikipedia]
There is only one genus but 100-200 species in the Heliconiaceae. The wide variation in the estimate for
number of species indicates that there is still a lot of work needed in the group.
Heliconia L. [Heliconia] [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
From Wikipedia: The leaves of these plants are 15-300 cm (6 in-10 ft) long, oblong, growing opposite
one another on non-woody petioles often longer than the leaf, often forming large clumps with age.
Their flowers are produced on long, erect or drooping panicles, and consist of brightly colored waxy
bracts, with small true flowers peeping out from the bracts. Their growth habit is similar to Canna,
Strelitzia, and Musa, to which they are related.
30
Marantaceae R.Br. [Wikipedia]
Plants rhizomatous. Leaves distinctly petiolate, with closed leaf sheaths. Inflorescence bracts deciduous.
Flowers in mirror image pairs, perianth, androecium and style all fused at the base. Three stamens, all
three dissimilar, one with one fertile theca, the other two sterile, only one carpel fertile
The Marantaceae includes about 30 genera and 550 species. One genus is frequently grown as a
greenhouse ornamental.
Maranta [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
From Wikipedia: Species of Maranta have rhizomes and form perennial clumps. The leaves are
undivided with sheathing petioles and often variegated blades. The flowers are small with three petals
with two larger petal-like staminodes (sterile stamens).
Maranta leuconeura E. Morren [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
and Maranta arundinacea L. are often grown as houseplants. Maranta arundinacea is the source of
arrowroot.
Musaceae Juss. [Wikipedia]
Musaceae are large herbs with spiral, shortly-petiolate leaves in which the secondary veins depart more
or less at right angles from the midrib. The inflorescence bracts are usually deciduous and subtend
fascicles of ebracteate flowers. The bilaterally symmetric flowers have five tepals that are connate
except adaxially, where there is a single, free, deeply concave tepal.
There are two genera and 41 species in the family. The best known genus is Musa, the genus of
bananas.
Musa L. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Plants herbaceous but arborescent, the trunk being formed from large leaf bases.
Musa acuminata [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Wild plants are diploids but the banana sold in stores is a triploid hybrid. It has sometimes been called
M. cavendishii, M, nana, or M. acuminate.
Strelitziaceae Hutch. [Wikipedia]
Plants arborescent or rhizomatous. Perianth sometimes differentiated, corolla basally connate. Stigma
long-turbinate.
There are three genera and seven species in the Strelitziaceae. Five of the species are in Strelitzia. The
most famous is Strelitzia reginae Aiton, the Bird of Paradise plant. Other members of the genus are not
as colorful but are known for their striking foliage.
Strelitzia Aiton [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Strelitzia reginae Aiton [Bird of Paradise Plant] [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life;
Intermountain Biota]
Grown in greenhouses, often seen in florists. The records shown on the global map are all of cultivated
plants.
31
Zingiberaceae Martinov [Ginger family] [Wikipedia]
Plants aromatic, perennial herbaceous, rhizomatous. Leaves 2-ranked, parallel to the rhizome, leaf
sheath closed. Inflorescences determinate, branched, bracts deciduous. Flowers bisexual, bilaterally
symmetric, subtended by conspicuous, spirally arranged bracts. Perianth of two whorls, the inner whorl
with one lobe larger than the other two. Stamens 3, 1 fertile, the other two fused together in a labellum.
Ovary inferior; stigma funnel-shaped.
This is the family with lots and lots of spices e.g., ginger, cumin, turmeric, There are 46-52 genera and
1075-3500 species in the family.
Amomum Roxb. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Amomum compactum Sol. ex Maton [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain
Biota]
Alpinia Roxb. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Alpinia calcarata (Haw.) Roscoe [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Elettaria Maton [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton [Global distribution map; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
Zingiber Mill. [Wikipedia; Encyclopedia of Life]
Zingiber officinale Roscoe [Ginger] [Global distribution; Encyclopedia of Life; Intermountain Biota]
This is the species to which the ginger sold in the grocery store belongs.
32
Acoraceae Martinov, 6
Acorus americanus (Raf.) Raf., 6
Acorus calamus L., 6
Acorus gramineus Sol. ex Aiton, 6
Acorus L., 6
Aglaonema commutatum Schott, 8
Aglaonema Schott, 8
Alisma gramineum Lej., 7
Alisma L., 6
Alisma triviale Pursh, 7
Alismataceae Vent., 6
Alismatales R. Br. ex Bercht. & J. Presl, 6
Alocasia (Schott) G. Don, 8
Alpinia calcarata (Haw.) Roscoe, 32
Alpinia Roxb., 32
Alstroemeria L., 24
Alstroemeriaceae Dumort., 24
Amomum compactum Sol. ex Maton, 32
Amomum Roxb., 32
Anthurium Schott., 8
Araceae Juss., 7
Arecaceae Bercht. & J. Presl, 14
Arecales Bromhead, 14
Arrowhead
Northern, 7
Arrowroot, 31
Arum L., 9
Asparagaceae Juss., 16
Asparagales Link, 15
Billbergia Thunb., 27
Bowiea Harv. ex Hook. f., 17
Bromeliaceae Juss., 26
Butomaceae Mirb., 10
Butomus L., 10
Calla L., 9
Calla palustris L., 9
Callisia Loefl., 22
Callisia repens (Jacq.) L., 23
Calochortus Pursh, 25
Canna L., 31
Cannaceae Juss., 31
Colchicaceae DC., 24
Colchicium autumnale L., 24
Commelina communis L., 23
Commelina L., 23
Commelinaceae Mirb., 22
Commelinales Mirb. ex Bercht. & J. Presl, 22
Common Arrowhead, 7
Cyperaceae Juss., 27
Dieffenbachia Schott, 9
Duck Potato, 7
Duckweed, 7
Echinodorus berteroi (Spreng.) Fassett, 7
Echinodorus Rich. & Engelm. ex A. Gray, 7
Eichhornia Kunth, 23
Eichornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, 23
Elettaria cardamomum (L.) Maton, 32
Elettaria Maton, 32
Elodea bifoliata H. St. John, 11
Elodea canadensis Rich., 11
Elodea Michx., 11
Elodea nevadensis H. St. John, 11
Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St. John, 11
Erythronium L., 25
Flowering rush, 10
Fritillaria L., 25
Heliconia L., 31
Heliconiaceae Nakai, 31
Hesperoyucca (Engelm.) Baker, 18
Hydrocharitaceae Juss., 10
Iris L., 19
Juncaceae Juss., 28
Juncaginaceae Rich., 12
Lemna L., 9
Lilaea scilloides (Poir.) Hauman, 12
Liliaceae Juss., 24
Liliaea Bonpl., 12
Liliales Perleb, 24
Lilium L., 25
Lloydia Salisb. ex Rchb., 25
Maranta arundinacea L., 31
Maranta leuconeura E. Morren, 31
Marantaceae R.Br., 31
Melanthiaceae Batsch ex Borkh., 25
Monstera Adans., 9
Musa L., 32
Musaceae Juss., 31
Najas flexilis (Willd.) Rostk. & W.L.E. Schmidt,
12
Najas graminea Delile, 12
Najas guadalupensis (Spreng.) Magnus, 12
Najas L., 11
33
Najas marina L., 12
Northern Arrowhead, 7
Orchidaceae Juss., 19
Paphiopedilum Pfitzer, 21
Pervian Lily, 24
Philodendron Schott., 9
Pistia L., 9
Pistia stratiotes L., 9
Poaceae Barnhart, 28
Poales Small, 26
Pontederiaceae Kunth, 23
Potamogetonaceae Bercht. & J. Presl, 12
Prosartes D.Don, 25
Ruppia L., 13
Ruppia maritima L., 13
Ruppiaceae Horan, 13
Ruscus L., 18
Rush
Flowering, 10
Sagittaria cuneata E. Sheld., 7
Sagittaria L., 7
Sagittaria latifolia Willd., 7
Scindapsus Schott, 9
Spathiphyllum Schott, 9
Spirodela Schleid., 9
Strelitzia Aiton, 32
Strelitziaceae Hutch., 32
Streptopus Michx., 25
Stuckenia Börner, 13
Taro, 8
Tofieldia glutinosa (Michx) Pers., 14
Tofieldia Huds., 13
Tofieldiaceae Takht., 13
Tradescantia L., 23
Triantha occidentalis (S. Watson) R.R. Gates, 14
Triglochin concinna Burtt Davy, 12
Triglochin L., 12
Triglochin maritima L., 12
Triglochin palustris L., 12
Trillium L., 25
Tulipa L., 25
Typhaceae Juss., 30
Vallisneria americana Michx., 12
Vallisneria L., 12
Veratrum L., 25
Wapato, 7
Water lettuce, 9
Water-plantain, 6
Wolfia Horkel ex Schleid., 10
Xerophyllum Michx., 25
Zamioculcas Schott, 10
Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Lodd.) Engl., 10
Zannichellia L., 13
Zannichellia palustris L., 13
Zantedeschia Spreng., 10
Zigadenus Michx., 26
Zingiber Mill., 32
Zingiber officinale Roscoe, 33
Zingiberaceae Martinov, 32
Zingiberales Griseb, 31