Final Exam - Angiosperm Families Flashcards by Nick Harpe

Aquatic plants, emergent in water/ponds, widespread

Loosely arranged (undetermined # of petals, sepals, stamens, etc.)

Variable # of carpels; numerous ovules in each; carpels barely fused at base of ovaries

Usually med/large showy flowers

Poorly arranged vascular bundles (like poorly organized version of tree vascular system with some air canals present too)

Nymphaceae: water-lily family

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Mostly small trees but a few large, tropical to warm temperate, several in eastern US

Flowers organized in 3’s

Typically with tepals - sepals and petals rarely distinguishable from each other

Large, showy, unorganized flowers with elongate floral receptacle

Apocarpy - lots of free carpels

Alternate, simple leaves with entire margins

Fruit a strobilus/cluster of follicles with brightly colored arillate seeds

Magnoliaceae: magnolia family

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Pantropical, very few warm temperate (a few woody shrubs), diverse in montane and lowland tropical habitats

Busy/bunched branched inflorescence

Oily berry in colorful cupule

Typically aromatic leaves (and inner bark and fruit)

Small yellow or white unattractive flowers with 2 whorls of 3 tepals each

Stamens in whorls of 3s; stamens have flaps that open to release pollen

Simple pistil with single carpel and single seeded fruit

Often shiny/evergreen type leaves

Lauraceae: laurel family, bay, cinnamon, sassafras

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Overwhelmingly tropical monocots, many epiphytes and climbers, in wetlands and high precipitation areas

Robust herbs with large leaves

Inflorescence with spathe (modified bract leaf) and spadix (fleshy spike), tiny flowers embedded in spadix

Araceae

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Mostly tropical monocots, twining vines, a few temperate

Wide leaf blade with parallel venation

Inferior ovary (epigynous)

Fruit a winged capsule

Important starch tubers and for steroidal compounds

Dioscoreaceae: yam family

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Herbaceous perennials with rhizomes, bulbs, or corms

Mostly of temperate northern hemisphere

Leaves elliptical/oblanceolate, parallel venation, entire margin, sheathing

Undifferentiated perianth with 2 whorls of 3 tepals (usually reflexed)

Six stamens

Fruit a 3-locule capsule or berry

Tulips included here

Liliaceae: lily family

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Perennial herbs with bulbs, rhizomes, and typical monocot leaves

Wetlands, grasslands, Mediterranean/semi-arid, tropical rainforests

Equitant basal leaves (leaves grasping stem or next leaf, fan-like arrangement)

Inferior ovary, 1 whorl of 3 stamens, 1-2 bracts subtend the inflorescence

K3 (falls) C3 (standards) A3 G(3)

Sepals larger and showier than petals

Iridaceae: iris family

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Largest family, maybe 30k species

Overwhelmingly tropical epiphytes, all temperate species are terrestrial

Staggering variation of orchid flower forms, very specialized pollination strategies

Very showy lipped (lip is labellum) flower, labellum oriented downward after bud-burst in vast majority

Hermaphroditic sex organ (column), anther is fused to pistil

Masses of pollen in “dumbell” configuration to get hooked to insect for transport

Roots have outer spongy tissue, and possibly a pseudobulb for water storage

Fruit a capsule with many seeds inside

Orchidaceae: orchid family

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Family has expanded and contracted multiple times, current expansion includes several former small families

Typical monocot flowers: whorls organized in 3s, undifferentiated perianth (tepals)

Some inferior/superior ovaries

Most polypetalous, but some fused into bell or tube

Fruit is 3 chambered capsule with seeds that have black seed coats

Asparagaceae: asparagus, agaves, yuccas, Solomon’s seal, hyacinth

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Arborescent monocots mostly restricted to tropics and subtropics in swamps, riparian areas, and early successional rainforest

Complex branched inflorescence with spathe, very small flowers with basic monocot organization (all 3s)

Primary thickening meristem: cap-like growth region widens first as seedling and then grows in height

Don’t really make wood; supported by strong fibers or persistent leaf bases

Pleated (plicate) leaves form compound (pinnate or palmate) leaves by separating along folds as they expand

Fruit a berry or drupe

Some edible (coconut, dates), oil, construction, thatch, mats, cordage; very economically important

Arecaceae: palms

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Tropical monocot herbs, many large “trees”; wetlands, disturbed openings

Biggest diagnostic feature is large leaves with penne-pinnate venation: prominent midvein with parallel secondaries

Very specialized flowers with sterile stamens (staminodes) that form a lip

Differentiated perianth, zygomorphic, inferior ovary

Most have inflorescence with colorful bracts

Commercially important fruits and spices

Stem is made from persistent leaf bases

Zingiberales (order): gingers, turmeric, bird-of-paradis, banana, plantain

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Cosmopolitan family well represented at high latitudes and altitudes, abundant and diverse in wetlands

Separated from grasses by 3-angled stems and firm leaf sheaths

3-ranked leaves

Spikelet inflorescence: chaffy bracts arranged in a spiral or flat plane, each with a tiny flower

Genus Carex with unisexual flowers and a bract called a perigynium that encloses the achene fruit

Cyperaceae: sedges

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The most important family of flowering plants for humans

Cosmopolitan distribution of meadows, wetlands, open woodlands, basically any open area including humanized environments

Cylindrical or 2-angled (flat) stem, leaf sheath splits easily and contains ligule (flap of tissue or ring of hairs). Internodes of most are hollow.

More complicated spikelet inflorescence than sedges: 2 glumes (basal bracts) that bear no flowers, flowers above glumes sandwiched between two bracts: a chaffy lemma below and a translucent palea above

Fruit is specialized caryopsis, small achene-like fruit with seed coat and fruit fused

Cool season varieties grow and flower in spring, warm season varieties in the heat of summer

C4 photosynthesis

Poaceae: grasses

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Herbaceous, diverse in temperate zone ranging up to high latitudes.

Varied flower form, lots of coevolution with pollinators

Numerous spirally arranged stamens, gynoecium is always apocarpous

Often compound leaves with leaflets that have a few apical teeth or lobes (“duck feet”); palmately lobed leaves also common; leaves sheathing, which is rare outside monocots.

Many poisonous with alkaloids or terpenoids, others used in herbal medicine.

Many examples of important garden plants.

Achenes, berries, follicles; each derived from a single carpel.

Ranunculaceae: buttercup family

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Small, mid-latitude family; includes true poppies and bleeding hearts

True poppies: dish shaped flower w/ corolla in 2 series of petals with “crumpled” look; numerous stamens.

Bleeding hearts: specialized bilateral zygomorphic corolla with 1 or 2 spur petals; stamens in 2 series arranged for directing pollinators

Inferior ovary

True poppies have toxic colored latex; bleeding hearts have clear toxic sap; most species quite poisonous.

Leaves often compound and resembling closely related Ranunculaceae

Many important garden plants; also the opium poppy, which is the most important species

Papaveraceae: poppies

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Perennial herbs/small shrubs; north temperate; common in cold climates, boreal and high elevation habitats; often on rocky slopes or thin soils

Most common floral formula K5 C5 A5,10 (with hypanthium)

Most have 2 barely fused carpels (fused at bottom)

Pistil rests inside hypanthium while other floral parts grow from the rim of the cup

Leaves often in basal rosettes; often palmately veined/lobed; toothed margins

Usually a spike, raceme, or panicle inflorescence with tiny white (usually) flowers

Fruit are capsule of various shapes typically formed from 2 carpels

Saxifragaceae: saxifrage family

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Mostly tropical but well represented in temperate zone; mostly tendrilled lianas, but a few shrubs and trees too

Leaves alternate, but tendrils grow opposite the leaves

Prominent nectary disk in flowers; flowers drop their corollas when they open

Vitaceae: grape family

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Herbaceous in our flora, some shrubs

Leaves palmately divided or lobed

Typical Rosid flowers organized in 5s

Fruit is a schizocarp with long pointed “crane’s bill” with carpels separating and curing upwards

Geraniaceae: geranium family

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Tropical woody plants and temperate herbs

Trifoliate “shamrock” leaves that fold at night

Sour taste from oxalic acid

Typical Rosid flowers organized in 5s

Different lengths of stamens and sometimes different lengths of styles as a mechanical means of

Oxalidaceae: wood-sorrel family

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Cosmopolitan trees, shrubs, lianas; most diverse in tropical regions; many troublesome invasive plants (wintercreeper, burning bush)

Brightly colored fruit capsule with brightly colored arillate seeds inside

Many with colored photosynthetic twigs

Prominent nectary disk; pale yellow to white flowers

K4-5 C4-5 A4-5 G(2-5) superior ovary

Celastraceae: bittersweet family

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Temperate and herbaceous; tropical genera are trees

Leaves stipulate and serrate or otherwise toothed

Zygomorphic Rosid-type flowers organized in 5s; backward pointing spur petal; 5 club-like stamens

Parietal placentation

3-carpellate capsule, the 3 carpels almost completely separate

Stemmed and stemless varieties

Violaceae: violet family

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Trees and shrubs of wet areas

Leaves stipulate and serrate; usually lanceolate or narrower but not always

Deioecious with staminate and pistillate flowers in catkins; highly reduced flowers in the genus in our flora, while temperate flora have more typical Rosid flowers

2-3 carpellate capsules that release numerous hairy seeds

Salicaceae: willow family

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Weedy plants in our region, trees/shrubs/succulents in other regions

Simple, lobed, or divided leaves

Most produce white or colored latex; poisonous

Tiny unisexual flowers; insect pollinated due to extrafloral nectaries

Fruit is a 3 (or 6) lobed 3-carpel schizocarp - looks like a capsule but 3 carpels completely separate

Euphorbiaceae: spurge family

Temperate herbs (most) and shrubs (some) in our flora; tropical genera are trees

Leaves opposite, entire margin, translucent or dark glands spotted throughout leaf blade (and sometimes flowers); apex often rounded

Rosid-type flower usually with yellow corolla and numerous stamens (in 5s or 4s)

Fruit is an ovate pointed capsule; parietal placentation

Hypericaceae: St. Johnswort

Mostly temperate; herbaceous and woody; ours are early successional trees found in disturbed areas Herbaceous genera have compound leaves; most tree genera have simple leaves Leaves stipulate; margins sharply serrate Showy flowers with hypanthium; perianth organized in 5s; stamens numerous or 2-4 whorls of 5; apocarpous OR 1 carpel OR 5 fused carpels Fruit various: pome, aggregate, drupe, achene, follicle Our tree genus (Prunus) has inferior ovary; mostly simple leaves; 2-3 small glands at base of leaf blade or on petiole; produce drupes or pomes Very important for fruits (apple, pear, cherry, apricot, peach, almond, strawberry, blackberry/raspberry); Many ornamentals too (crabapple, hawthorn, etc.)

Rosaceae: rose family

Mostly tropical trees, lianas, and stranglers; a few temperate trees Produce white latex Leaves sometimes lobed, always stipulate Flowers tiny, always unisexual, mostly wind pollinated (ficus has specialized symbiosis with wasps) Most fruit are multiple fruit formed of several to many dozen units from individual pistillate flowers (ficus fruit is syconium)

Moraceae: figs, mulberries

Our flora are herbaceous; shrubs and a few trees in tropics Many have stinging hairs Leaves coarsely toothed: serrate, dentate, crenate Very tiny flowers in congested inflorescence Fruit a tiny achene

Urticaceae: nettles

Largest Rosid family, 3rd most diverse angiosperm family; everything from herbs to trees to shrubs to lianas in tropics, temperate, and arctic Compound leaves 1-pinnate, bipinnate, or trifoliate; leaves are stipulate; leaflets often elliptical or linear and entire margined Rosid-type flowers w/ perianth in 5s; either zygomorphic or “pom-pom” head with prominent stamens and reduced corolla Fruit a legume Nodulated roots site of symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria Some have leaves with “nyctinasty” (sleep/night movements)

Fabaceae: legume family

Mostly temperate trees Leaves often either lobed or toothed (but sometimes entire), stipulate Wind-pollinated tiny unisexual flowers Monoecious; staminate flowers in catkins, pistillate in tiny cymes Fruit is a nut associated with an involucre, bur, or cap

Fagaceae: beeches, oaks, chestnuts

Trees and shrubs of disturbed or wetland/riparian habitats Often multi-stemmed; bark thin, often papery/peeling Leaves doubly serrate Tiny wind-pollinated unisexual flowers Monoecious: staminate and pistillate flowers both in separate catkins Fruit a nutlet or samara; associated with a leafy or woody bract forming a cluster that is sometimes cone-like in appearance

Betulaceae: birch family

Temperate trees, diverse in eastern North America Compound leaves aromatic (at least slightly) with oil glands; leaflets serrate Tiny/reduced wind-pollinated flowers; staminate in catkins and pistillate in tiny cymes Fruit a husked nut

Juglandaceae: walnut, hickory

All woody plants; most familiar genus Acer has simple leaves but others genera have palmate or pinnately compound leaves Compound inflorescence, branched and congested Small to medium sized but showy Rosid-type flowers in 5s; nectary disk present; some zygomorphy Fruit is papery or leathery capsule w/ large seeds OR fleshy fruit with dark arillate seeds OR a samara Many are toxic, especially seeds; compounds found in this family lather and have been used as detergents

Sapindaceae: soapberry family; maples and buckeyes

All woody; small trees, clonal shrubs, climbing/scrambling vines Resinous; resin turns dark in air; causes allergic reaction in sensitive people 1-pinnate or trifoliate compound leaves Drab 5-parted Rosid flowers with nectary disk; stamens inserted in nectary disk Fruit usually a loose or tight cluster of drupes ranging in size from large to small

Anacardiaceae: sumacs, poison-ivy, cashews

Tropical trees; temperate herbs and shrubs Leaves typically palmately constructed (venation, lobing, a few compound); stipulate; margins usually serrate; most with tufts of stellate hairs Showy Rosid flowers (5s); petals overlapping; numerous prominently exserted stamens; stamens often in bundles or fused in a central column Fruit is typically a capsule or schizocarp with carpels that completely separate into follicles

Malvaceae: mallow family, hibiscus

Small trees/shrubs; tropical and other frost-free habitats Most leaves opposite (Eucalyptus is alternate); translucent glands when leaf is held up to light Rosid flowers with perianth in 4s or 5s; flowers have hypanthium; inferior ovary (unusual in Rosids); stamens usually numerous (powderpuff) Fruit an edible berry or capsule Often shreddy and colorful bark

Myrtaceae: eucalyptus, myrtle

Temperate family of herbs, many weedy Basal rosette of divided, compound, lobed or toothed leaves; cauline leaves usually smaller than basal leaves and clasping Inflorescence a raceme or corymb Rosid-type flowers but with perianth in 4s 4 + 2 stamens: six total stamens, 4 long and 2 short 2-carpellate compound pistil forms a needle-like silique or flattened silicle Foliage has an acrid sharp taste like radish

Brassicaceae: mustard family

Mostly tropical trees/shrubs/herbs, many temperate herbs Often bristly or rough-textured Leaves alternate simple entire OR lobed and toothed Inflorescence usually 1-sided helicoid cyme (scorpion tail) Perianth organized in 5s; small, showy; corolla often rotate or funnelform with exserted stamens Fruit 4 small nutlets or a capsule

Boraginaceae: forget-me-not, borage

Mid-latitude to boreal; All woody, small trees and shrubs; Inhabit acidic nutrient-poor habitats with help from mycorrhizal fungi Leaves simple, mostly alternate Perianths in 5s; Sympetalous and very showy campanulate, salverform, or funnelform corollas OR urceolate corolla pointed downward; Usually white, some pink Urceolate corolla varieties could have inferior or superior ovaries; stamens emerge from the flower receptacle; In urceolate flowers the stamens are S-curved with pores that release pollen when vibrated by insects as they enter the flower Fruit a 5-parted capsule OR a berry

Ericaceae: heath, rhododendron, mt. laurel

Small family of temperate to arctic herbs or small shrubs Leaves mostly opposite and simple and entire, but named genus has alternate compound leaves Perianth organized in 5s; sympetalous; salverform or campanulate-funnelform Fruit a loculicidal capsule, usually 3-carpel, superior ovary Often ill-scented

Polemoniaceae: Phlox

Large herbaceous family especially diverse in Mediterranean region Stems 4-angled (square) Many are aromatic and used as culinary herbs Leaves simple, opposite, and usually serrate, dentate, or crenate Inflorescence often a congested head or raceme, many subtended by an involucre Flowers with zygomorphic bilabiate corolla (some may be missing top lip) 2 or 4 stamens, usually arching beneath upper lip, often exserted Fruit 4 nutlets contained in calyx cup

Lamiaceae: mint family

Traditional family since broken up into several smaller families; mostly temperate herbs with a few woody shrubs Plants never aromatic; darken when dried Some genera are root hemiparasites or full parasites lacking chlorophyll Most have simple opposite leaves and many genera have 4-angled stems Variable inflorescence often a raceme, spike, or paired axillary flowers Flower zygomorphic bilabiate and very variable (a few nearly actinomorphic) 2 or 4 stamens, some with staminodes (sterile stamens) Fruit an ovate 2-carpellate capsule with axile placentation and many seeds

Scrophulariaceae complex: figwort, foxglove, snapdragon

Largest Eudicot family 20k + species; mostly herbaceous and most diverse in temperate regions; open and disturbed areas Leaves extremely variable and not easily generalized Inflorescence a head subtended by an involucre of phyllaries (bract leaves); Entire unit mimics a single flower and forms a compound inflorescence (spike of heads, raceme of heads) Disk flowers very small with actinomorphic, tubular corolla (5N); fertile and bisexual with 5 stamens joined by their anthers into a cylinder Ray flowers zygomorphic with one petal long and extended; either neutered or pistillate Ligulate flowers zygomorphic with all 5 corolla lobes fused and extended, bisexual Discoid heads possess only discoid flowers; radiate heads possess central discoid flowers and perimeter ray flowers; ligulate heads possess only ligulate flowers All have inferior ovary with 2-carpels, 2 style branches Calyx of all flowers is highly modified into a pappus - usually hairy bristles, some barbed Very specialized pollen presentation: anthers release pollen into center space, pistil grows up through the space to place pollen on top of the style branches to be picked up by insects Fruit is 1-seeded achene with pappus attached for wind dispersal

Asteraceae: aster family

Large family of temperate herbs Many aromatic with oil cells, used in cooking; others are deadly poisonous Leaves usually pinnately/bipinnately/ternately compound with small/narrow-toothed leaflets; petioles sheath the stem like a monocot Inflorescence usually a compound umbel Flowers small and polypetalous; perianth in 5s; often with reflexed or upturned petals; corolla usually white or yellow Ovary 2-carpellate and inferior; swollen nectary at top of pistil at base of the style; fruit a schizocarp with the 2 sections often being ribbed, bristly, and/or winged

Apiaceae: carrot, parsley

Large important family mostly tropical small trees, shrubs, climbers, herbs; ours are weedy herbs Leaves alternate, simple, usually deep green color, wavy to irregular lobed margins Inflorescence few-flowered or solitary Flowers 5N; showy, funnelform rotate corolla with reflexed lobes OR salverform; In named genus bright yellow anthers are exserted and form a cone Ovary superior and usually 2-carpellate Fruit usually tomato-like or eggplant-like many seeded berry with a skin

Solanaceae: night shades

Mostly tropical small trees and shrubs; a few temperate herbs and ground covers Exude runny white latex Most leaves opposite, simple, entire Flowers in umbels, solitary, or pairs Flowers 5N, corolla salverform or campanulate, petals twisted in the bud often resulting in an obvious twist/turn in the full flower corolla Pistil possesses large stigma (piston-like) and two carpels barely joined at their tops - ovaries are separate Fruit is a schizocarp, units generally follicles

Apocynaceae: dogbane and milkweed

4th largest angiosperm family; mostly tropical small trees, shrubs, lianas; temperate herbs + 1 shrub Leaves opposite (sometimes whorled), simple, entire, stipules between petioles Inflorescence often a corymb or umbel; some surrounded by colorful bracts Small flowers 4N or infrequently 5N; corolla salverform to rotate; inferior ovary; corolla often white Fruit either a colorful (often red) berry or capsule

Rubiaceae: coffee family, bedstraws

Cosmopolitan, diverse in hot dry environments; some tolerant of salinity; many troublesome weeds Unusual secondary growth (forms new vascular cambia); betalain maroon pigments; C4 photosynthesis; coiled “snail shell” seeds Inflorescence many-flowered and very congested; perianth with 1 whorl of tepals; nectaries and colorful betalain-colored bracts on insect-pollinated varieties Perianth often persists and encloses the fruit

Amaranthaceae: amaranths, chenopods, goosefoots, saltbushes

North temperate herbs ranging into arctic, also in tropical mountains; in our flora in open woodlands and prairies, many weeds Opposite, simple, entire margined leaves with swollen nodes Flowers usually white or pink (a few bright red); some have tubular calyx of united sepals, ribbed and often glandular; Petals are often notched or fringed Fruit is a capsule opening from the top Lack distinctive features of other families in their order, but retain coiled “snail shell” seeds

Caryophyllaceae: pink, carnation

Diverse and prominent in North American deserts, Mexico, South America Leafless stem succulents; thick cuticle; recessed stomata Armed with clusters (not pairs!) of spines Flowers very showy; often solitary; numerous perianth parts; some colored red or pink with betalains Anomalous secondary growth (new vascular cambium growth); CAM photosynthesis

Cactaceae: cactus

Describe the pollen presentation strategy used by plants in the Asteraceae family

Why is the Asteraceae flower arrangement advantageous for reproductive success?

Mimicking a single flower with many smaller flowers is a strategy for attracting insects to a single location that will potentially pollinate many flowers at once as they crawl about the surface of the head inflorescence.

Describe the fig pollination strategy and symbiosis with wasps.

Describe the 2 Apocynaceae pollination strategies (dogbane and milkweed)

Summarize some of the varied adaptations in orchids to accommodate different pollination strategies

Explain these cladistics terms: Uninformative character Derived character Reversal Convergence Monophyletic vs. Paraphyletic Apomorphy Synapomorphy Plesiomorphy

Uninformative character - shared by all members of the group OR possessed by only a single member, so can't be used to infer relationships Reversal - when an ancestor possessed a derived character state, but the trait evolved “back” to the primitive condition Derived character - trait that arose in the most recent common ancestor of a particular lineage and was passed along to its descendants (apomorphy) Convergence - evolution of a similar character state between taxa that are not closely related Parallel evolution - more closely related taxa evolve similar characteristics simultaneously in a similar ecospace, obviously the result of shared genetics Monophyletic vs. Paraphyletic: monophyletic is a taxon that consists of a most recent common ancestor and _all_ of its descendants (CLADE). Paraphyletic is a taxon that consists of a MRCA and _some_ of its descendants (NOT A CLADE). Apomorphy - novel character state that has evolved from its ancestral form, a derived trait Synapomorphy - apomorphy that is shared by two or more taxa and is hypothesized to have evolved in the MRCA Plesiomorphy - a primitive or ancestral trait