FIELD BOTANY – Lecture 05Dr. Donald P. Althoff

LEC 05

Families – Part I

Botany in a Day Approach

• Looking for ___________• Wildflowers of North America by Venning is

organized by family• Recommends Plant Identification Terminology

by Harris and Harris (you have it)• http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Plant_F

amilies_Index.html

has ID images by family…but mostly from Rocky Mtn. region

Set I (________)• Mustard family

• Mint family

• Parsley family

• Pea family (Bean)

garlic mustard early winter cress

wild mintVirginia

mountain mint

wild parsnip

partridge pea

Mustard Family

• TAXONICALLY: _______________(previously Cruciferae)

• annuals/biennal herbs and forbs• well know species: broccoli = cabbage =

cauliflower turnip = Chinese cabbagerapeseedcommon radishhorseradish

Mustard Family flowering parts patterns

• Start from the outside and work in….• “outside” of flower: _______, usually green• there are ________typically arranged in “__”

or “__” pattern

1

2

3

4

2

3 41

garlic mustard hairy rock cress

X – pattern H – pattern

previously __________ family…translates to “cross”

Mustard Family “inside” flowering parts patterns

• _______—__ tall and __ short (surround pistil that is usually taller than the stamen)

1 23

4

21

perennial pepperweed

Mustard Family “key”

• _______________________—4 tall and 2 short

1 23

4

21

garlic mustard (A)black mustard (A)white mustard (A)Indian mustard (A)field mustard (rape) (A)watercress Dame’s rocket (A)cuckcoo-flowershepard’s purse (A)pepperweeds (A)

Dame’s rocket (A)

cut-leaved toothwort

field mustard (rape) (A) cuckcoo flower

Mustard Family • All species of this family are _______…some

eat “fruit”, many eat the leaves.• Most species are considered ‘______’ (hence

the many “alien” species noted already)• Alien species do well at “_________” sites• _____ fast, _____________ in the growing

season…therefore ____ plants

Mustard Family – seed/seedpod

mustard seed

Shepard’s purse

• Many shapes and sizes. Seed pods “spilt” open from both sides to expose a clear membrane in the middle.

Mustard Family – seedpod

shepard’s purse peppergrass

• All seedpods come from _______ on the flower stalk.

garlic mustard

Mustard Family – use your senses • Each has unique ______ and ______• General “mustardness”• Can ID as a family member by _________

leaves and smelling them

Mint Family• TAXONICALLY: ___________

(previously Labiatae)• perennial herbs and forbs• well know species: wild mint

catnippurple dead-nettlehenbit peppermintlavender

Mint Family stalk and leaf patterns

• Distinctive ________ stems• Simple, ________ leaves

Mint Family stalk and leaf patterns

CROSS-SECTION: distinctive __________ stem, with small pith/hollowness

_________, simple leaves

Mint Family seed capsule

Flower matures to a seed capsule containing 4 _______

Each nutlet contains __________ seeds

Mint Family –senses & seasons• Each has unique _______ and ________• General “___________” quality to most

(exceptions include water-horehounds and bugleweeds)

• Some are C3 plants, some are C4 plants

ex.Heal-allHenbit

ex.wild mintbugleweedwater-horehound

Mint Family “key”

• Square stalks/stems, opposite leaves, often aromatic Virginia mountain

wild mintwhite dead-nettle (A)purple giant hyssopcurled mint (A)peppermint (A)spearmint (A)rough hedge-nettlegill-over-the-ground (A) (= ground ivy)

Mint Family flowering parts patterns

• ___________: __ long, __ short

• ___________: __ lobes up and __ down

• ____________

12

1

2

Mint Family flowering parts patterns

• 5 united petals: 2 lobes up and 3 down

4 stamens: 2 long, 2 short

Note: ____________

common dittany Virginia mountain mint

blue giant hyssop

catnip

Bee-balm = Oswego tea

Note: _________

Mint Family – use your senses

• Each has unique taste and smell• General “mint-ness” from volatile oils

(concentrated hydrophobic liquid)• Can ID as a family member by crushing leaves

and stalk and dried flowers…and smelling them

Parsley (Carrot) Family• TAXONICALLY: __________

(previously Umbelliferae)• annual, biennial, perennial herbs and forbs• well know species:

poison hemlock (A)caraway (A)wild carrot

(Queen Anne’s lace)(A)yellow pipernel

• Distinctive ____________ consisting of umbellets

Parsley Family flower head patterns

All stems of flower cluster radiate from __________ at end of stalk

All stems of flower cluster radiate from single point at end of stalk

poison hemlock

Parsley Family key ID: “the single point” + umbel

All stems of flower cluster radiate from _________ at end of stalk

common yarrow

> _ pt.

> _ pt.

Queen Anne’s lace

• Distinctive _____________• Most species…especially two of the most

dangerous: ___________ and _______ __________

Parsley Family stem patterns

• Many are invasive (Queen Anne’s lace, poison hemlock)

• Many do well in “moist” waste areas (ex. poison hemlock and water hemlock)

• Some are C3 plants, some are C4 plants

Parsley Family Miscellaneous

• Some edible, some not (i.e. poisonous)• _____________ of some can be lethal• Some can case __________ by touching

Parsley Family cautions!

wild parsnip

Bean (Pea) Family• TAXONICALLY: ____________

(previously Leguminosae)• annual, biennial, perennial herbs, forbs, & trees• well know species: wild blue indigo

beans wild alfalfalocust (black & honey)vetch clover (red, white, etc.)

• _________ flowers• __ petals form distinctive _______, ______,

and _____—keel consist of 2 fused petals (for most)

Bean Family flower head patterns

keel

wings

banner

crimson clover

red clover

Difficult to see the banner-wing-keel design “details” for some species with a very close look—mainly due to _________ flower size!

• ________ pods• Often with _________ divided leaf with many

smaller leaflets

Bean Family pods design

garden variety peas Kentucky coffee tree

alfalfa

wildblue

indigo

As __________ they form a pea-like pod. Seeds found within the seed pod.

partridge pea American hog peanut

alfalfa

Pinnately compound leaves

alfalfa

__________ _________

panicled tick-trefoil

sessile slender bush

red

• Legumes = nitrogen fixers. Most welcome in most instances. Traditional grain crop rotation used to be:

corncornbeans…back to corn

• Some are invasive (see next slide)• Some are C3 plants, some are C4 plants

Bean (pea) Family Miscellaneous

ex.alfalfapeasclovers

ex.tickseedssoybeansA. hogpeanut

________________= Chinese lespedezaLespedeza cuneata

Highly _______ in prairie /

pasture habitat

• ________ (i.e., quasi-subfamily designation)• 8 tribes total• Clover-like species in clover tribe (one genus:

Trifolium = ________________)• Bean-like species in bean tribe

Bean Family Taxonomically-speaking

Next time…

• Lily• Mallow• Aster

• Poaceae (again)

Botany in a Day

…con’t