UF BOT 2710: Practical Plant Taxonomy: Lab 12: Core Asterids

Family: Cornaceae
Key features: Leaves opposite (passing the "dogwood test), inferior ovary, fruits a drupe, flowers sometimes subtended by showy bracts

Cornus florida

Nyssa ogechee

Family: Hydrangeaceae
Key features: Leaves opposite with toothed margin, flowers dimorphic (usually) with outer sterile flowers showy and inner fertile flowers not showy

Hydrangea cinerea

Philadelphus deodora

Schizophragma hydrangeoides

Family: Ericaceae
Key features: flowers usually pendulous, urn-shaped, anthers open by pores

Rhododendron obtsum

Vaccinium macrocarpon (cranberry)

Vaccinium arboreum

Vaccinium darrowii

Vaccinium corymbosum

Lyonia ferruginea

Agarista populifolia

Maclenia insignis

Family: Sarraceniaceae
Key features: carnivorous herbs, leaves modified into pitcher like traps, expanded, umbrella-like style

Sarracenia flava

Sarracenia hybrid

Family: Convolvulaceae

Key features: usually vines, milky sap, petals plicate, and fruits usually capsules

Cuscuta (a parasite)

Ipomoea

Family: Solanaceae

Key features: many members have poisonous alkaloids, fused sepals, fused petals (synapomorphy for Asterids), petals plicate (with fold lines), many ovules and seeds

Capsicum annuum

Solanum lycopersicum (= Lycopersicon esculentum)

Solanum melongena (eggplant)

Solanum tuberosum (potato)

Lycium barbarum

Solanum americanum

Solanum macrantha

Solandra maxima

Physalis philadelphicus

Nicotiana tobacum

Nicotiana sp. (hybrid)

Callibrachoa hybrid

Family: Rubiaceae

Key features: opposite leaves, interpetiolar stipule

Psychotria nervosa

Coffea arabica

Hydnophytum formicarium (ant plant)

Hamelia patens

Pentas lanceolata

Ixora (hybrid)

Oldenlandia corymbosa

Spermacoce

Richardia brasiliensis

Family: Apocynaceae

Key features: opposite leaves, milky sap, corona often present, 2 separate ovaries, but fused style (stylar head)

Nerium oleander

Ceropegia sandersonii

Asclepias curassavica

Plumerica pudica

Huernia zebrina

Orbea halipedicola

Pachypodium greyi

Family: Oleaceae

Key features: opposite leaves, green dots on abaxial leaf surface, 4 petals, 2 stamens

Ligustrum japonicum

Chionanthus retusa

Forestiera segregata

Ligustrum lucidum (Privet)

Olea europea (olive)

Osmanthus fragans

Fraxinus americana (White ash)

Family: Plantaginaceae

Key features: biloculate anthers

Antirrhinum majus

Rusellia equisetiformis

Angelonia (cultivar)

Family: Bignonaceae

Key features: trees, shrubs or vines with leaves opposite and pinnately or palmately compound, anthers sagittate and widely flaring, stigma strongly 2-lobed, often foliose and sensitive, fruit and elongate capsule

Tecoma stans

Kigelia pinnata

Handroanthus (Tabebuia) umbellata

Bignonia capreolata

Macfadyenia unguis-cati

Family: Verbenaceae
Key features: stems usually square in cross section, inflorescences indeterminate (most important character to distinguish from Lamiaceae), gynoterminal style, expanded stigma

Phyla nodifera

Alosia gratissima

Duranta erecta

Stachytarpheta sp.

Lantana depressa

Lantana montevidensis

Lantana camara

Family: Lamiaceae (Mint Family)
Key features: stems often square in cross section, flowers in cymes (pseudoverticilate) best character to distinguish it from Verbenaceae), rarely gynoterminal to usually gynobasic style, slender style branches

Leonotis lionurus

Salvia leucantha

Monarda punctata

Rosmarinus officinalis

Mentha spicata

Ocium basilicum (basil)

Plectranthus sp.

Callicarpa americana (beauty-bush)

Family: Apiaceae
Key features: secretory canals containing ethereal oils and resins (carroty odor), sheathing leaf bases with usually compound leaves, inflorescence and umbel, stylopodium (style +/- swollen at base to form a nectar secreting structure atop of the ovary)