[ Swingley Development ] [ Jump to Content ]
animals baseball beer blog / photolog books bookbinding me other weather woodworking

Botany

This page contains a list of the important plant families and genera in Alaska, along with a few identifying characteristics for those taxa. Characteristics that are especially important for distinguishing a particular group from other similar groups are in bold face. Please note, however, that these characters are for the Alaskan flora, and may not work in other parts of the world. Also note that this is far from an exhaustive list of the families and genera, even in Alaska.

For furthur reference, consult the following titles:


DICOTS

  1. Nymphaeaceae
      • Water lily family
      • Large leaves, conspicuous flowers
      • Flowers actinomorphic; numerous perianth parts, stamen and carpels
      • Ca3-infCo3-infAinfGinf
    1. Nuphar
      • petaloid sepals
    2. Nymphaea
      • sepals and petals
  2. Ranunculaceae
      • Buttercup or crowfoot family
      • Typically herbs with compound leaves
      • Flowers with numerous stamens and carpels
      • Ca3-xCo0-infAinfGinf
    1. Actaea
      • Fruit is a berry
      • Inflorescense a raceme
      • Leaves multiply divided
    2. Aquilegia
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower five spurred, actinomorphic
    3. Aconitum
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower zygomorphic, helmet shaped
    4. Delphinium
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower zygomorphic, single spur
    5. Ranunculus
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower complete, sepals and petals
      • Flowers small
    6. Anemone
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower incomplete, sepals petaloid
      • Leaves dissected
      • Flowers large
    7. Caltha
      • Fruit a follicle
      • Flower incomplete, sepals petaloid
      • Leaves reniform
  3. Papaveraceae
      • Poppy family
      • Herbs
      • Flowers with crumpled petals, numerous stamen
      • Ca2-3Co4-12AinfG(2-x)
    1. Papaver
      • Fruit a capsule with characteristic pores around top
      • Flowers with four petals
      • Leaves basal, dissected
  4. Betulaceae
      • Birch family
      • Trees and shrubs
      • Inflorescence a catkin, seeds glabrous
      • Leaves serrate or dentate
    1. Alnus
      • Female catkins strong, persistant
      • Bracts triangular
      • Leaf margins deeply serrate
    2. Betula
      • Female catkins weak
      • Bracts tri-lobed
      • Leaf margins toothed, rounded
  5. Portulacaceae
      • Purslane family
      • Herbs with fleshy leaves
      • Flowers with two sepals
      • Ca2Co4-6A4-infG2-8
    1. Claytonia
      • Flowers with two sepals
      • Flowers small, thin petals
      • Plant small
  6. Caryophyllaceae
      • Pink family
      • Herbs with opposite leaves
      • Flowers with five sepals, five petals
      • Ca5 or (5)Co5A5-10G(2-5)
    1. Arenaria complex
      • Flowers apopetalous
      • Petals entire
    2. Cerastium
      • Flowers apopetalous
      • Petals notched, not more than halfway
    3. Melandrium
      • Flowers sympetalous
      • Corolla tube inflated
    4. Silene
      • Flowers sympetalous
      • Corolla tube mostly cylindrical
    5. Stellaria
      • Flowers apopetalous
      • Petal bifid, notched more than halfway
  7. Polgonaceae
      • Knotweed family
      • Herbs with swollen nodes, ochreae
      • Plant with reddish tinge
      • Dense inflorescence
      • Ca3+3Co0A3-9G(3) or Ca5Co0A5-8G(3)
    1. Oxyria
      • Fruit a winged achene
      • Leaves reniform
    2. Polygonum
      1. Rumex-like with many small flowers,
      2. Bistort-like with basal leaves and a single stalk supporting a many flowered inflorescence
      3. Plant decumbent with a jointed stem, small flowers at joints
      • Fruit (achene) extends beyond calyx
      • Flower with five petaloid sepals
    3. Rumex
      • Fruit (achene) surrounded by three petaloid sepals
      • Flower with three petaloid sepals
  8. Salicaceae
      • Willow family
      • Trees and shrubs
      • Inflorescence a catkin, seeds comotose
      • Leaf margins entire or slightly toothed
    1. Populus
      • Catkins pendulous
      • Bracts tri-lobate, lacerate
    2. Salix
      • Catkins ascending
      • Bracts triangular, entire or toothed
  9. Brassicaceae
      • Mustard family
      • Herbs
      • Flowers with four sepals, four petals, (4 + 2) stamen
      • Fruit a silique or silicle
      • Ca4Co4A4+2G(2)
    1. Arabis
      • Fruit a very long silique
    2. Capsella
      • Fruit a heart-shaped silicle
    3. Cardamine
      • Inflorescence a corymb
      • Stem leaves dissected, basal leaves rounded
    4. Descurainia
      • Fruit a silique
      • Leaves typically 2x pinnately dissected
    5. Draba
      • Fruit an obovate silicle
      • Leaves typically basal
    6. Erysimum
      • Fruit a silique
      • Stem hairs apressed, attached at middle
    7. Lepidium
      • Fruit a round silicle with no style
    8. Parrya
      • Typically large flowers
      • Leaves slightly toothed, pubescent
    9. Rorippa
      • Fruit a silicle, sausage-shaped -- round
      • Leaves toothed, highly dissected
  10. Empetraceae
      • Crowberry family
      • Low evergreen shrubs
      • Fruit a berry
      • Ca3Co3A3G(2-9)
    1. Empetrum
      • Fruit a berry
      • Leaves thin, needle-like, grooved beneath
  11. Ericaceae
      • Heath family
      • Woody plants, usually shrubs
      • Leathery leaves, often evergreen
      • Ca4-5Co(4-5) or 4-5A8-10G(4-5)
    1. Andromeda
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, red, with a superior ovary
      • Leaves long, thin
    2. Arctostaphylous
      • Fruit a berry
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with a superior ovary
      • Flower opening small, flower widest at middle
    3. Cassiope
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with a superior ovary
      • Leaves imbricate, resulting in a four sided plant
    4. Chamaedaphne
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with a superior ovary
      • Flower opening larger, flower widest at top
    5. Ledum
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower apopetalous, superior ovary
      • Leaves reflexed with wooly brown coloring underneath
    6. Loiseleuria
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with a superior ovary
      • Leaves small, fleshy and rounded, distinctly reflexed
    7. Rhododendron
      • Fruit a capsule
      • Flower sympetalous, superior ovary
      • Flowers large, purple in Alaska
    8. Vaccinium
      • Fruit a berry
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with an inferior ovary
      • Flower opening small, flower widest at middle
  12. Pyrolaceae
      • Pyrola family
      • Small herbs with evergreen leaves
      • Ovary enlarged in flower
      • Ca2-6Co3-6 or (3-6)A6-12G(4-6)
    1. Moneses
      • Single flower on each plant
    2. Pyrola
      • Multiple flowers on each plant
  13. Diapensiaceae
      • Diapensia family
      • Woody plants, heath-like
    1. Diapensia
      • Flower sympetalous, ursulate, with large lobes at the top of urn
      • Flower larger than typical heath flower
      • Leaves small, fleshy and rounded, not reflexed
  14. Primulaceae
      • Primrose family
      • Herbs, with scapose stems and five-merous flowers, or central whorl and 6-7-merous flowers
      • Ca5 or 6-7Co(5) or (6-7)A5G(5)
    1. Androsace
      • Petals entire, throat of corolla tube very small
      • Stem scapose
    2. Dodecatheon
      • Sepals and petals reflexed, stamen apressed to style
      • Stem scapose
    3. Primula
      • Petals cleft, throat of corolls tube large
      • Stem scapose
    4. Trientalis
      • Flowers 6-7 merous
      • Stem with central whorl of leaves
  15. Saxifragaceae
      • Saxifrage family
      • Scapose herbs with alternate, basal leaves
      • Gynoecium composed of 2 imperfectly fused carpels
      • [Ca5Ca5A5 or 10] G(2)
    1. Boykinia
      • Leaves large, reniform
      • Leaves and stem covered with glandular pubescence
    2. Parnassia
      • Leaves large, reniform
      • Leaves and stem glabrous
      • Ovaries completely fused
    3. Ribes
      • Fruit a berry
      • Ovary inferior
    4. Saxifraga
      • Flowers small
      • 10 stamen
      • Ovaries incompletely fused
  16. Rosaceae
      • Rose family
      • Stipulate herbs, shrubs and trees
      • Flowers 5-merous with hypanthium and many stamens
      • [ Ca5Co5Ainf ] G1 or Ginf or G(5)
    1. Dryas
      • Leaves oblong to ovate, leathery, toothed, reflexed, ericaceous-like
      • Fruit an achene with a long plume
    2. Geum
      • Leaves lyrate (largest leaflet at apex, smaller leaves down rachis)
      • Leaf margins entire
      • Style persistant on fruit
    3. Potentilla
      • Leaves pinnately compound
      • Leaf margins serrate, dentate
      • Style deciduous on fruit
    4. Rosa
      • Stem thorned
      • Fruit a hip
      • Leaves pinnately compound
      • Flowers large
    5. Rubus
      • Stem thorned
      • Fruit a group of druplets (strawberry, raspberry)
      • Leaves trifoliate or trilobate
      • Flowers small
  17. Fabaceae
      • Pea family
      • Herbs, shrubs or trees
      • Flowers typically zygomorphic with banner, wings and keel
      • Ca(5)Coz1+2+(2)A(9)+1 or (10)G1
    1. Astragalus
      • Leaves bi-pinnately compound
      • Fruit a legume
      • Keel terminus rounded
    2. Hedysarum
      • Leaves bi-pinnately compount
      • Fruit a loment
      • Keel terminus squared off
    3. Lupinus
      • Leaves palmately compound
      • Fruit a legume
    4. Oxytropis
      • Leaves bi-pinnately compount
      • Fruit a legume
      • Keel terminus rounded with a sharp point
  18. Elaeagnaceae
      • Oleaster family
      • Woody shrubs
      • Brown scales under leaves (scurfy)
      • Fruit a berry
      • Ca4Co0A4 or 8G1
    1. Elaeagnus
      • Both leaf surfaces pubescent (silvery)
      • Leaves alternate
    2. Shepherdia
      • Top surface glabrous (green), underside pubescent (silvery)
      • Leaves opposite
  19. Onagraceae
      • Evening primrose family
      • Herb
      • Flower 4-merous, hypantheum, ovary inferior
      • [ Ca4Co4A8 ] G(4)
    1. Epliobium
      • Fireweed
      • Flower 4-merous, ovary inferior
      • Ovary long, inflated
  20. Cornaceae
      • Dogwood family
      • Trees, shrubs, rarely herbs
      • Leaves with arcunate (arched) venation
      • Showy "flower" is 4 bracts subtending inflorescence
      • Ca4-5Co4-5A4-5G(2)
    1. Cornus
      • Leaves is arcunate (arched) venation
      • Showy "flower" is 4 bracts subtending inflorescence
  21. Geraniaceae
      • Geranium family
      • Herbs
      • Leaves palmately or pinnately lobed to compound
      • Flowers large
      • Fruit elongated, style forms long beak
      • Ca5Co5A10G(5)
    1. Geranium
      • Leaves palmately dissected several times
      • Fruit elongated, style forms long beak
  22. Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
      • Parsley family
      • Herbs, sometimes woody
      • Leaf bases sheathing
      • Inflorescence an umbel
      • Ca5Co5A5G(2)
    1. Angelica
      • Plant large
      • Inflorescence dense
      • Leaves pinnately compound; leaflets large, aspen-shaped
      • Leaf margins dentate
    2. Bupleurum
      • Plant small
      • Bracts large
      • Leaves entire
    3. Cicuta
      • Plant large
      • Inflorescence less dense
      • Leaves linear
    4. Heracleum
      • Plant large
      • Inflorescence dense
      • Leaves large, maple-shaped
      • Leaf margins deeply serrate
    5. Ligusticum
      • Plant small
      • Leaves ternate-biternately compound (leaflets in 3's)
  23. Gentianaceae
      • Gentian family
      • Herb
      • Inflorescence a solitary flower or cyme
      • Ca4Co(4-5)A4-5G(2)
    1. Gentiana
      • Leaves opposite and small
      • Flower blue to violet when fresh
      • Corolla funnelform with long sepals
      • Petals twisted in bud
  24. Polemoniaceae
      • Phlox family
      • Herbs and shrubs
      • Flower 5-merous, calyx and corolla fused at base
      • Stamen epipetalous
      • Ca(5) [ Co(5)A5 ] G(3)
    1. Polemonium
      • Flowers blue, petals and sepals fused at base
      • Pinnately compound leaves, leaflets entire
  25. Boraginaceae
      • Borage family
      • Herbs
      • Plants often bristly
      • Inflorescense a cyme with small 5-merous blue flowers
    1. Eritrichum
      • Arctic forget-me-not
      • Short, very furry cushion-forming plant
      • Nutlet toothed on margins
    2. Mertensia
      • Forget-me-not
      • Plant less hairy than Eritrichum
      • Nutlet smooth
    3. Myosotis
      • Chiming bells
      • Funnelform flowers with distinct bell shape
      • Bell shape sometimes hidded by sepals
      • Inflorescence drooping
  26. Scrophulariaceae
      • Figwort or snapdragon family
      • Herbs, shrubs
      • Corolla sympetalous, zygomorphic with 3 lower and 2 upper lobes
      • Ca(5)Coz(5)A4G(2)
    1. Castilleja
      • Indian paintbrush
      • Inflorescence a spike with clustered flowers
      • Leaves entire, occasionally lobed
    2. Lagotis
      • Leaves lanceolate with a waxy, shiny texture
      • Inflorescence compact, dense
    3. Pedicularis
      • Pinnately dissected leaves with very small lobes
      • Inflorescence a spike or raceme
      • Flower with large upper lobes
  27. Caprifoliaceae
      • Honeysuckle family
      • Shrubs
      • Corolla sympetalous, salverform
      • Ca5Co(5)A5G(2-8)
    1. Linnaea
      • Leaves opposite, small and round
      • Flowers in pairs
    2. Viburnum
      • Highbush cranberry
      • Shrub
      • Leaves dissected, often tri-lobate
      • Flowers white, clustered, salverform
  28. Asteraceae (Compositae)
      • Aster family
    1. Achillea
      • Leaves 2x pinnately dissected, frilly
      • Pappus absent
      • Ligules white, rounded, few
    2. Antennaria
      • Leaves tear shaped with black claw at apex, pubescent
      • Pappus present
      • All disk (tubular) flowers
    3. Arnica
      • Lower leaves opposite
      • Flower heads enormous
      • Ligules long, wide
    4. Artemisia
      • Sage
      • Leaves strongly dissected, thin
      • Pappus absent
      • All disk (tubular) flowers
      • Flower heads small, drooping, spherical
    5. Aster
      • Leaves lanceolate, opposite
      • Ray (ligulate) and disk (tubular) flowers
      • Ligules large and few
      • Flower heads larger than Erigeron
      • Bracts in multiple rows
    6. Erigeron
      • Leaves lanceolate, opposite
      • Ray (ligualte) and disk (tubular) flowers
      • Ligules many, thin
      • Flower heads smaller than Aster
      • Bracts in a single row
    7. Petasites
      • Leaves hastate
      • Stem hairy
      • Pappus present, very long
      • Flower heads clustered
    8. Saussurea
      • Pappus present, very bushy and extending beyond florets
      • Anthers extend beyond pappus, more conspicuous than ligules
      • Disk (tubular) flowers only
    9. Senecio
      • Leaves dissected
      • Ligules yellow
      • Flower heads large
    10. Solidago
      • Goldenrod
      • Leaves dissected
      • Ligules yellow
      • Flower heads very small
      • Inflorescence compound, very dense
    11. Taraxacum
      • Dandelion
      • Leaves highly dissected, Christmas tree-like margins
      • All ray (ligulate) flowers

MONOCOTS

  1. Potamogetonaceae
      • Pond-weed family
      • Aquatic herbs
    1. Potamogeton
      • Submerged leaves thin, narrow and translucent
      • Floating leaves thick, leathery
      • Inflorescence a spike
  2. Juncaceae
      • Rush family
      • Grass-like herb of marsh habit
      • Flowers exposed, no bracts
      • 3-merous flowers, "lily-like"
    1. Juncus
      • Leaf sheath open (especially lower, brown leaves)
    2. Luzula
      • Leaf sheath closed
  3. Cyperaceae
      • Sedge family
      • Grass-like herb of marsh habit
      • Flowers enclosed, hidden by bracts
      • Stem triangular
      • Leaf sheath closed
    1. Carex
      • Flowers imperfect, male and female on the same plant
    2. Eriophorum
      • Cottongrass
      • Flowers perfect, tufted
  4. Poaceae (Gramineae)
      • Grass family
      • Flowers enclosed, hidden by bracts
      • Stem ligulate
      • Leaf sheath open
      • True nodes at base of leaf, often swollen slightly
  5. Sparganiaceae
      • Burr-reed family
      • Aquatic herb
      • Leaves linear
      • Flowers and fruits in globose heads
    1. Sparganium
      • Flowers and fruits in globose heads
  6. Typhaceae
      • Cattail family
      • Large marsh herbs
      • Inflorescence a brownish compact spike of unisexual flowers (cattail)
    1. Typha
      • Inflorescence a brownish compact spike of unisexual flowers
      • Female flowers in lower section, male flowers above
  7. Liliaceae
      • Lily family
      • Herb
      • Leaves linear
      • Flower actinomorphic, in a 3 + 3 configuration
      • Ca3Co3A6G(3)
    1. Fritillaria
      • Chocolate lily
      • Whorled leaves
      • Flower dark brown or black
    2. Lloydia
      • Alpine lily
      • Plant small
      • Leaves thread-like
      • Flowers yellow, all tepals
    3. Zygadenus
      • Death camus
      • Leaves linear, similar to chives
      • Flowers yellow
  8. Orchidaceae
      • Orchid family
      • Herb, free-living - parasitis
      • Flower 3-merous, zygomorphic
      • Ca3Coz2+1 [ A1-2G(3) ]
    1. Cypripedium
      • Lady slipper
      • Flowers large, few
      • Lip inflated
    2. Habenaria
      • Inflorescence a spike
      • Ovary not inflated
    3. Corallorrhiza
      • Parasitic
      • Roots coral-like
      • No stem leaves
      • Inflorescence a spike
      • Ovary inflated