Keys to Dicotyledon Families
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Scott A. Mori


KEY 3. CLIMBING MAGNOLIOPSIDA
KEY TO SUBKEYS

Climbers are vines and lianas that use other plants for support. Note, however, that climbers may sometimes be found in open areas, e.g., along roadsides trailing over the ground.


1. Leaves compound. SUBKEY 1. COMPOUND LEAVES
1. Leaves simple. 2
2. Leaves opposite.
SUBKEY 2. SIMPLE OPPOSITE LEAVES
2. Leaves alternate.
SUBKEY 3. SIMPLE ALTERNATE LEAVES

KEY 3. CLIMBING MAGNOLIOPSIDA
SUBKEY 1. LEAVES COMPOUND

One species, Ipomoea quamoclit, with simple but deeply pinnatifid leaves is included here.


1. Leaves opposite Bignoniaceae
1. Leaves alternate. 2
2. Plants climbing with aid of tendrils or hooks (not always included on herbarium specimens).
3
2. Plants climbing without aid of tendrils or hooks.
7
3. Plants climbing with aid of short, woody hooks, the stem often flattened and undulate. Leaves with 2 leaflets. Fruits long pods. Caesalpiniaceae (Bauhinia)
3. Plants climbing with aid of tendrils, without woody hooks, the stem not flattened and undulate. Leaves with >2 leaflets. Fruits not long pods. 4
4. Leaves bipinnately compound. Tendrils formed from extension of leaf rachis (seldom seen on herbarium specimens).
Mimosaceae (Entada)
4. Leaves not bipinnately compound. Tendrils not formed from extension of leaf rachis.
5
5. Tendrils opposite leaves. Inflorescences arising opposite leaves. Flowers <2 mm diam., the petals apically connate, often separating from each other at base and caducous. Fruits with 1 seed. Vitaceae
5. Tendrils axillary. Inflorescences axillary. Flowers >2 mm diam., the petals not as above. Fruits with >1 seed. 6
6. Leaves pinnately or ternately compound; stipules present. Tendrils axillary, part of modified inflorescence. Flowers with separate petals, these often pubescent and with adaxial appendage. Fruits either with wings or dehiscent aril. Seeds not embedded in pulp, subtended by white aril.
Sapindaceae
6. Leaves palmately compound; stipules absent. Tendrils borne at sides of nodes at right angles to leaf axil modified branches. Flowers with fused petals, these usually not pubescent nor with adaxial appendage. Fruits not winged nor dehiscent. Seeds embedded in pulp, not subtended by white aril.
Cucurbitaceae
7. Leaves palmately compound. Plants often with white exudate. 8
7. Leaves pinnatifid or pinnately (sometimes reduced to 3 leaflets in some legumes, e.g., Dioclea) or bipinnately compound. Plants usually without white exudate. 9
8. Plants with exudate. Flowers unisexual; perianth not connate into tube. Fruits with one seed per locule.
Euphorbiaceae (Manihot sp.)
8. Plants with or without exudate. Flowers bisexual; perianth connate into tube. Fruits with >1 seed per locule.
Convolvulaceae
9. Plants armed with recurved prickles along stems or unarmed (Entada). Leaves bipinnately compound. Petals fused, the corolla tubular, white to yellow. Mimosaceae
9. Plant not armed or, if armed, the spines in position of stipules. Leaves not bipinnately compound. Petals free, the corolla not tubular or, if connate, the corolla bright red. 10
10. Leaves pinnatifid, the ultimate leaf segments ca. 1 mm wide. Corolla bright red. Introduced species growing in village.
Convolvulaceae (Ipomoea quamoclit)
10. Leaves pinnately compound, the ultimate leaf segments >10 mm wide. Corolla not bright red. Native species.
11
11. Leaves without stipules. Flowers actinomorphic, usually <5 mm diam; carpels, when more than one, separate. Fruits develop from one carpel, dehiscent along one side (follicles). Seeds usually black, subtended by yellow aril. Connaraceae
11. Leaves with stipules. Flowers slightly to markedly zygomorphic, usually >5 mm diam.; carpels 1. Fruits dehiscent along both sides (legumes) or fruits indehiscent and winged. Seeds usually not as above. 12
12. Flowers slightly zygomorphic, without pronounced standard and keel, the uppermost petal (standard) internal to lateral petals; filaments not as below.
Caesalpiniaceae
12. Flowers markedly zygomorphic, with pronounced standard and keel, the uppermost petal (standard) external to lateral petals; filaments of 9 fused and 1 free stamen.
Fabaceae

KEY 3. CLIMBING MAGNOLIOPSIDA
SUBKEY 2. SIMPLE OPPOSITE LEAVES


1. Petals not fused together (choripetalous). 2
1. Petals fused together at least at base (gamopetalous). 6
2. Leaves usually with stipules, often with glands on petioles and/or abaxial leaf surface. Calyx with distinct glands; petals clawed. Fruits splitting into winged mericarps.
Malpighiaceae
2. Leaves with (Trigoniaceae) or without stipules, without glands on petioles or blades. Calyx without distinct glands; petals not clawed. Fruits not winged mericarps (the seeds, however, may be winged in some species of Hippocrateaceae).
3
3. Often growing tightly appressed to tree trunks, with adventitious roots at nodes (these often not included on herbarium specimens). Leaf blades with arcuate secondary veins and characteristic ladder-like tertiary veins between secondary veins. Anthers poricidal. Melastomataceae (Adelobotrys)
3. Not growing tightly appressed to tree trunks, without adventitious roots at nodes. Leaf blades with pinnate secondary veins and reticulate tertiary veins. Anthers not poricidal. 4
4. Leaves with small, often caducous stipules. Flowers zygomorphic. Fruits dehiscent, seeds not winged.
Trigoniaceae
4. Leaves without stipules. Flowers actinomorphic. Fruits indehiscent, or, if dehiscent, the seeds with wings.
5
5. Stamens 5 or more; stigma unlobed; ovary inferior, not surrounded by conspicuous, tightly appressed disc, unilocular, the ovules pendulous from apex of locule. Fruits conspicuously ridged. Combretaceae
5. Stamens 3; stigma various but often 3-lobed; ovary superior, surrounded by variously differentiated disc, trilocular, the placentation axile. Fruits not conspicuously ridged. Hippocrateaceae
6. Plants with abundant, white exudate.
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6. Plants without exudate.
8
7. Flowers with stamens strongly adnate to stigma; pollen aggregated in masses (pollinia); corolla tube scarcely developed, shorter than lobes, green or white; corona present. Seeds with white hairs. Asclepiadaceae
7. Flowers usually without stamens strongly adnate to stigma, but sometimes stamens weakly adnate to stigma; pollen not aggregated in masses; corolla tube well developed (the corolla itself may be small or large), longer than lobes, yellow or white; corona absent. Seeds either without hairs or, if hairs present, the hairs brown to golden-brown. Apocynaceae
8. Ovary inferior.
9
8. Ovary superior.
10
9. Flowers aggregated into capitula, these subtended by a series of numerous overlapping bracts (involucre); calyx modified into bristles (pappus). Fruits cypselas. Asteraceae
9. Flowers not aggregated into capitula or, if in capitula, subtended by two non-overlapping bracts (e.g., species of Psychotria); calyx not modified. Fruits berries or capsules. Rubiaceae
10. Plants with hook-like tendrils (these often not included on herbarium specimens). Flowers actinomorphic.
Loganiaceae (Strychnos)
10. Plants without hook-like tendrils. Flowers zygomorphic.
11
11. Leaf blades rough to touch. Corollas slightly zygomorphic; calyx lavender to violet. Fruits with persistent, wing-like calyx-lobes. Verbenaceae (Petrea)
11. Leaf blades smooth to touch. Corollas markedly zygomorphic; calyx green. Fruits without persistent, wing-like calyx-lobes. 12
12. Bracts red; corolla yellow with red streaks or spots on inside.
Gesneriaceae (Drymonia)
12. Bracts, if present, green; corolla red, white, or pink, never yellow.
13
13. Leaf blades without glands toward base of abaxial surface. Flower buds enclosed in two bracts, these often filled with liquid. Fruits with 1- 2 seeds. Mendonciaceae
13. Leaf blades with glands toward base of abaxial surface. Flower buds not enclosed in two bracts. Fruits with numerous seeds. Bignoniaceae (Schlegelia)

KEY 3. ClLIMBING MAGNOLIOPSIDA
SUBKEY 3. SIMPLE ALTERNATE LEAVES

Climbing dicotyledons are also sometimes found growing along the ground, especially in open areas such as roadsides.


1. Plants climbing with aid of tendrils or hooks. 2
1. Plants climbing without aid of tendrils. 6
2. Plants climbing with aid of short, woody hooks, the stem often flattened and undulate. Fruits long pods.
Caesalpiniaceae (Bauhinia)
2. Plants climbing with aid of tendrils, without woody hooks, the stem not flattened and undulate. Fruits not long pods.
3
3. Tendrils coiled in a single plane (shape of butterfly tongue) (not always present on herbarium specimens). Fruits strongly 3-angled, nearly winged. Rhamnaceae (Gouania)
3. Tendrils not coiled in a single plane. Fruits not angled or winged. 4
4. Tendrils opposite leaves. Flowers <2 mm diam. Fruits with a single seed.
Vitaceae (Cissus spp.)
4. Tendrils not opposite leaves. Flowers >2 mm diam. Fruits with >1 seed.
5
5. Tendrils axillary. Plants often with extrafloral nectaries. Flowers bisexual; petals free; ovary and stamens elevated on stalk (androgynophore); ovary superior. Passifloraceae
5. Tendrils at right angles to leaf axils. Plants without extrafloral nectaries. Flowers unisexual; petals fused; ovary and stamens not elevated on stalks; ovary inferior. Cucurbitaceae
6. Flowers zygomorphic.
7
6. Flowers actinomorphic (subtending bracts of Marcgraviaceae are zygomorphic but the flowers are actinomorphic).
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7. Leaves with secondary venation arcuate from base. Inflorescences from along stems well below persistent leaves. Flowers unusual, often large and pipe-shaped; sepals fused into convoluted tube; petals absent; stamens joined into column; ovary inferior. Aristolochiaceae
7. Leaves with secondary venation pinnate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal. Flowers not unusual, not large or pipe-shaped; sepals not fused into convoluted tube; petals present; stamens not joined into column; ovary superior. 8
8. Lower petal extended into long spur; anthers with connective extended into conspicuous spur; ovary with parietal placentation.
Violaceae (Corynostylis)
8. Lower petal not extended into long spur; anthers without connective extended into conspicuous spur; ovary with axile placentation.
Polygalaceae
9. Leaves pinnatifid, the ultimate leaf segments ca. 1 mm wide. Corolla bright red. Introduced species growing in village. Convolvulaceae (Ipomoea quamoclit)
9. Leaves not pinnatifid. Corolla not bright red. Native species. 10
10. Flowers unisexual.
11
10. Flowers bisexual.
14
11. Plants with armed stems. Ulmaceae (Celtis)
11. Plants without armed stems. 12
12. Stipules modified into sheath (ocrea) surrounding stem.
Polygonaceae (Coccoloba)
12. Stipules absent or not fused into sheath surrounding stem.
13
13. Plants dioecious. Ovary apocarpous. Fruits indehiscent, often with hard, ornamented endocarp (the endocarp of Disciphania is cartilaginous). Menispermaceae
13. Plants monoecious. Ovary not apocarpous. Fruits dehiscent or indehiscent, without hard, ornamented endocarp. Euphorbiaceae
14. Flowers subtended by modified, nectar-producing bracts.
Marcgraviaceae
14. Flowers not subtended by modified, cup-like nectar-producing bracts.
15
15. Petals fused for greater than or equal to one-half length. 16
15. Petals absent, or if present not fused or fused for <one-half length. 18
16. Inflorescence secund. Corolla tubular.
Boraginaceae
16. Inflorescence not secund. Corolla bell-shaped (campanulate).
17
17. Some species with milky exudate. Corolla often convolute in bud; calyx with 5 lobes, these not finger-like; stamens often of markedly different lengths, the anthers with lateral dehiscence; stigma distinctly capitate. Fruits capsules or 1-seeded berries. Convolvulaceae
17. All species without milky exudate. Corolla not convolute in bud; calyx with 10, finger-like lobes; stamens not of markedly different lengths, the anthers with poricidal dehiscence; stigma not distinctly capitate. Fruits many-seeded berries. Solanaceae (Lycianthes)
18. Leaf blades with secondary venation arching upwards from base, i.e., at least the basal two secondary veins as conspicuous as midrib. Ovary inferior.
Hernandiaceae (Sparattanthelium)
18. Leaf blades with pinnate secondary venation, the secondary veins less conspicuous than midrib. Ovary superior.
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19. Bark fibrous, can be easily peeled off in long strips. Flowers red; sepals 3; petals in two whorls of 3 each; stamens and pistils both numerous. Seeds with ruminate endosperm. Annonaceae (Annona haematantha)
19. Bark not exceptionally fibrous, not easily peeled off in long strips. Flowers not red; sepals usually >3 (except some Dilleniaceae); petals not 3 or, if 3, then in one whorl; stamens and pistils both not numerous. Seeds without ruminate endosperm. 20
20. Leaves often, but not always, rough to touch. Stamens numerous (>10); placentation usually parietal, less frequently basal.
Dilleniaceae
20. Leaves not rough to touch. Stamens usually less than or equal to 5; placentation apical, basal, or axile.
21
21. Stems markedly swollen at nodes. Flowers and fruits in dense spikes. Flowers apetalous. Piperaceae
21. Stems not swollen at nodes. Flowers and fruit not in dense spikes. Flowers with perianth. 22
22. Stems and leaves with spines. Anthers with poricidal dehiscence. Fruits bilocular berries.
Solanaceae (Solanum)
22. Stems and leaves without spines. Anthers without poricidal dehiscence. Fruits not bilocular berries.
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23. Plants with stipules. Inflorescences dichotomously branched and arising from petioles. Petals bifid at apex. Dichapetalaceae
23. Plants without stipules. Inflorescences not dichotomously branched nor arising from petioles. Petals not bifid at apex. 24
24. Calyx persistent in fruit, the sepals fused into conspicuous reflexed "skirt;" stamens 10, the connective not prolonged beyond thecae.
Olacaceae (Heisteria scandens)
24. Calyx not conspicuous in fruit; stamens usually 5, the connective prolonged beyond thecae. Icacinaceae

Key to Keys | Key 1. Achlorophyllous Magnoliopsida | Key 2. Herbaceous Terrestrial or Aquatic Magnoliopsida | Key 3. Climbing Magnoliopsida | Key 4. Epiphytic Magnoliopsida | Key 5. Tree Magnoliopsida | Key 6. Shrub Magnoliopsida

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