K E Y S
I have taken extreme care in providing accurate information in these keys, however, there is always the possibility of errors. Use these keys at your own discretion.If you do not know how to use the keys find out now, here.
These keys have been made possible by the support of Norman F. Weeden and his book "A Sierra Nevada Flora".
DICOTYLEDON FAMILIES
B Petals absent; plants usually green
C Parasite on upper limbs of trees - LORANTHACEAE (Not Edible)
CC Root parasite; leaves alternate, entire, oblanceolate - SANTALACEAE (Not Edible)
BB Petals present, more or less united
C Stamens more than 5 - PYROLACEAE
CC Stamens 5 or less
D Twining or trailing vines, not on roots - CUSTUTACEAE (Not Edible)
DD Root parasites - OROBANCHACEAE
AA Plants not parasitic or saprophytic or not completely so, always greenish
B Plants woody throughout (not just base)
C Leaves opposite
D Leaves compound
E Leaves palmately compound - HIPPOCASTANACEAE
EE Leaves pinnately compound or trifoliolate
F Vines - RANNUNCULACEAE (Clematis) (Not Edible)
FF Shrub or tree
G Fruit a samara
H Leaflets usually 3 - ACERACEAE
HH Leafletrs 3 to 7 - OLEACEAE
GG Fruit a capsule or drupe
H Leaflets 3; fruit a dry capsule - STAPHYLEACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Leaflets 4 to 7; fruit a fleshy drupe - CAPRIFOLIACEAE (Sambucus)
DD Leaves simple
E Petals more or less united
F Leaves narrow-elliptic, margins revolute; boggy places - ERICACEAE (Kalmia)
FF Leaves broader; margins not strongly revolute
G Flowers irregular, leaves usually sessile; fruit a capsule - SCROPHULARIACEAE
GG Flowers usually regular; leaves petioled; fruit usually fleshy - CAPRIFOLIACEAE
EE Petals separate or none
F Stipules with thick corky persistent bases - RHAMNACEAE (Ceanothus)
FF Leaves without stipules
G Leaves serrate (except sometimes Philadelphus in SAXIFRAGACEAE)
H Leaves palmately lobed - ACERACEAE
HH Leaves oblong to roundish, without lobes
I Flowers 4-merous; petals 1 mm long - CELASTRACEAE (Not Edible)
II Flowers usually 5-7-merous; petals more then 6 mm long - SAXIFRAGACEAE
GG Leaves entire
H Leaves aromatic - CALYCANTHACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Leaves not aromatic
I Leaves thick, often scurfy; plants dioecious - GARRYACEAE
II Leaves thin; flowers perfect - CORNACEAE
CC Leaves alternate, whorled, bunched or basal
D Flowers in catkins
E Fruit an acron or bur - FAGACEAE
EE Fruit a winged nutlet, smooth nut, or capsule
F Male and female catkins on the same plant - BETULACEAE
FF Male and female catkins on separate plants
G Fruit a capsule containing many minute seeds, leaves various - SALICACEAE
GG Fruit 1 seeded; leaves toothed on distal half - MYRICACEAE (Not Edible)
DD Flowers not in catkins
E Leaves compound or lobed
F Leaves palmately, broadly lobed
G Vines with tendrils opposite the leaves - VITACEAE
GG Erect shrubs
H Leaves densely yellowish stellate-pubescent beneath - STERULIACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Pubescence not yellow and rarely stellate if present
I Ovary definately inferior; fruit a fleshy berry - SAXIFRAGACEAE (Ribes)
II Ovary not inferior; fruit various - ROSACEAE
FF Leaves pinnate or deeply palmately cleft or divided
G Leaves pinnate; leaflets more than three
H Flowers 6-merous; leaflet margin prickly - BERBERIDACEAE
HH Flowers 5-merous; leaflet margin not prickly though stems maybe - ROSACEAE
GG Leaves various; leaflets 3 or less
H Leaves pinnately 3-foliate; leaflets more or less oval - ANACARDIACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Leaves mainly palmately lobed or divided; lobes or leaflets oblong to linear
I Low shrubs; the linear lobes sharp pointed - POLEMONIACEAE (Leptodactylon) (Not Edible)
II Erect shrubs; leaflets not sharp pointed - LEGUMINOSAE (Lupinus) (Not Edible)
EE Leaves entire to serrate, never lobed
F Petals united at least at base
G Flowers in compact heads - COMPOSITAE
GG Flowers solitary or in loose clusters
H Corolla urn shaped (except Rhododendron) - ERICACEAE
HH Corolla funnelform - HYDROPHYLLACEAE (Eriodictyon) (Not Edible)
FF Petals distinct to base
G Leaves aromatic with "bay leaf" odor - LAURACEAE
GG Leaves not distinctly aromatic
H Leaves round, cordate, entire - LEGUMINOSAE (Cercis)
HH Leaves elliptic to obling, never cordate
I Sepals 2; bark shredding, whitish - PAPVERACEAE (Dendromecon) (Not Edible)
II Sepals 4-5; bark not shredding, darker - RHAMNACEAE
BB Plants herbaceous, at least the branches
C Petals or petaloid part of perianth united at base
D Perianth with no green sepals or these minute
E Flowers densely clustered in heads
F Plants matted; leaves opposite; flowers reddish; rare, Tulare County - NYCTAGINACEAE (Not Edible)
FF Plant and flowers various; leaves usually alternate; common - COMPOSITAE
EE Flowers in loose clusters or solitary
F Leaves alternate; plants vine like with tendrils opposite leaves - CUCURBITACEAE (Not Edible)
FF Leaves opposite or whorled
G Stem leaves pinnate or pinnately lobed - VALERIANACEAE
GG Stem leaves simple, often whorled - RUBIACEAE
DD Perianth with green sepals below petals
E Plants with milky sap
F Leaves alternate ovary inferior - CAMPANULACEAE (Not Edible)
FF Leaves mainly opposite or whorled; ovary superior
G Sepals or petals reflexed; flowers in umbels - ASCLEPIADACEAE
GG Sepals and petals not reflexed; flowers in cymes or pairs - APOCYNACEAE
EE Plants with clear sap
F Ovary 4-lobed; fruit of 4 nutlets
G Stems 4-angled; herbage often aromatic - LABIATAE
GG Stems round; herbage not strongly aromatic
H Leaves mainly alternate, if not flowers white, small - BORAGINACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Leaves opposite; flowers mainly purple - VERBENACEAE
FF Ovary not lobed; fruit various, never 4 nutlets
G Corolla irregular
H Plants aquatic, insectivorous - LENTIBULARIACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Plants mainly of dry land, never insectivorous
I Leaves mainly opposite, stamens 5 or less - SCROPHULARIACEAE
II Leaves alternate or basal; stamens more than 5
J Petal 4, in 2 unlike pairs - FUMARIACEAE (Not Edible)
JJ Petals 3 or 5
K Petals 3, appearing to be 5 because of 2 petaloid sepals - POLYGALACEAE (Not Edible)
KK Petals 5 - CAMPANULACEAE (Not Edible)
GG Corolla regular
H Stem trailing, vine like
I Leaves alternate, ususlly triangular-hastateb - CONVOLVULACEAE (Not Edible)
II Leaves opposite, elliptical - CAPRIFOLIACEAE (Linnaea) (Not Edible)
HH Stems more or less erect, not vine like
I Style cleft; calyx mainly deeply cleft; corolla with definate tube; flowers 5-merous
J Style 2-cleft - HYDROPHYLLACEAE
JJ Style 3-cleft or flowers in spiny heads - POLEMONIACEAE (Not Edible)
II Style not cleft; calyx often merely lobed; corolla sometimes deeply cleft; flowers often 4-merous
J Leaves alternate, petaloid - SOLANACEAE
JJ Leaves opposite or basal, sessile or sub-sessile
K Stamens inserted alternate with corolla lobes - PRIMULACEAE
KK Stamens inserted alternate with corolla lobes - GENTIANACEAE
CC Petals none or distinct to base
D aquatic plants
E Leaves opposite or whorled
F Leaves whorled, usually more than 1 cm long - HALORAGACEAE
FF Leaves opposite, usually less than 1 cm long
G Petals none; leaves without stipules - CALLITRICHACEAE (Not Edible)
GG Petals present; Leaves with membranous stipules - ELATINACEAE (Not Edible)
EE Leaves alternate
F Inflorescence a compound umbel - UMBELLIFERAE
FF Flowers solitary or few in a cluster
G Leaves large, solid - NYMPHAEACEAE
GG Leaves dissected into linear filaments - RANUNCULACEAE
DD Plants of wet to dry habitats but rarely growing in water
E Plants with milky white sap - EUPHORBIACEAE (Not Edible)
EE Plants with colorless or rarely yellow sap
F Ovary more or less inferior or perigynous
G Flowers without petals
H Flowers clustered in axils; stems stout - DATISCACEAE (Not Edible)
HH Flowers large, usually lying on ground under leaves, plant without stem - ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
GG Petals present
H Inflorescence an umbel or compound umbel (rarely capitate)
I Fruit fleshy; leaves 3-15 dm long; infloescence umbellate - ARALIACEAE (Not Edible)
II Fruit dry; leaves smaller, or if not inflorscence a compound umbel - UMBELLIFERAE
HH Inflorescence paniculate or flowers solitary
I Stamens perigynous; flowers mainly 5-merous
J Pistils usually as many sepals; leaves often pinnate and or stipulate - ROSACEAE
JJ Pistils mainly fewer than sepals; leaves often palmately lobed, never pinnate, usually without stipules - SAXIFRAGACEAE
II Ovary definately inferior; flowers often 4-merous
J Flowers 2-4-merous; leaves often opposite - ONAGRACEAE
JJ Flowers 5-merous or more; leaves alternate - LOASACEAE
FF Ovary superior
G Plants insectivorous or with stinging hairs
H Plants with stinging hairs - URTICACEAE
HH Plants insectivorous
I Leaves with gland tipped hairs - DROSERACEAE (Not Edible)
II Leaves cobra shaped with globose upper section - SARRACENIACEAE (Not Edible)
GG Plants without highly modified hairs or leaves
H Flowers irregular
I Fruit pea-pod like; stamens inclosed in lower petals - LEGUMINASAE
II Fruit a capsule or akene; stamens not inclosed in petals
J Stamens 6; leaves pinnate to pinnately dissected - FUMARIACEAE (Not Edible)
JJ Stamens or many; leaves simple to palmate, rarely pinnate
K Flowers solitary - VIOLACEAE
KK Flowers in racemes or spikes - RANUNCULACEAE
HH Flowers regular; petals all alike
I Stamens more than 10
J Leaves opposite - HYPERICACEAE (Not Edible)
JJ Leaves alternate
K Sepals 2 - PAPAVERACEAE (Not Edible)
KK Sepals mainly 4-5
L Stamens united into tube; leaves manily stellate-pubescent - MALVACEAE (Not Edible)
LL Stamens distinct from base; leaves never stellate-pubescent
M Flowers large, terminal and solitary; Leaves biternate - PAEONIACEAE (Not Edible)
MM Flowers usually smaller and grouped; if solitary leaves, not biternate - RANUNCULACEAE
II Stamens 10 or less
J Pistils more than 1; leaves simple, entire
K Plants fleshy; pistils not in a long spike - CRASSULACEAE
KK Plants not fleshy; pistils in a tail like spike - RANUNCULACEAE (Myosurus) (Not Edible)
JJ Pistil 1; leaves various
K Styles 2 or more; sepals sometimes petaloid
L Sepals 2 (often more in Lewisia) - PORTULACACEAE
LL Sepals 3 or more
M Leaves opposite - CARYOPHYLLACEAE
MM Leaves alternate or basal
N Petals and sepals present - LINACEAE
NN Petals none; sepals sometimes petaloid
O Leaves without stipules; sepals 1, 3, 5, never petaloid - CHENOPODIACEAE
OO Leaves with membranous sheath like stipules extending above node or if not calyx 6-cleft and petaloid - POLYGONACEAE
KK Style 1, occasionally partly cleft (see also Calyptridium in PORTULACACEAE)
L Leaves simple, not deeply lobed or divided; stamens 5 or 10
M Plant more or less shrubby; stamens 5 - RHAMNACEAE
MM Plant a small herb; stamens 10 - PYROLACEAE
LL Leaves deeply lobed or divided, if not stamens 6
M Flowers solitary, axillary; leaves pinnately compound - LIMNANTHACEAE
MM Flowers usually clustered, never solitary in axils
N Flowers 4-merous; leaves without stipules - CRUCIFERAE
NN Flowers 5-merous; leaves with stipules - GERANIACEAE
These keys have been made possible by the support of Norman F. Weeden and his permission to use the dichotomous keys in his book "A Sierra Nevada Flora".
