VERBENACEAE, the Verbena Family

Herbs, with simple opposite leaves and slightly irregular flowers in spikes or heads; petals 5, united and bearing the 4 stamens in the corolla-tube; ovary 1, 2-celled or 4-celled, with 1 style.

1a. Plants prostrate or spreading — 2.
1b. Plants erect (flowers in summer) (Vervain) — 3.
2a. Leaves serrate; flowers in short dense spikes (flowers pale-blue, summer)
2b. Leaves pinnatifid; flowers in loose bracted spikes (flowers light-purple, summer)
3a. Spikes dense, continuous (flowers purple or blue, varying to white) — 4.  
3b. Spikes slender, interrupted, the flowers scattered (corolla white or pale-blue) — 6.
4a. Leaves lanceolate, manifestly petioled (1-2 m. high)
4b. Leaves sessile, not lanceolate (5-8 dm. high) — 5.
5a. Leaves narrowly oblanceolate, tapering at the entire base
5b. Leaves oblong to obovate, not tapering at the base
6a. Leaves incised, tapering to a sessile base (5-10 dm. high)
6b. Leaves serrate, petioled (1-2 m. high)


SOLANACEAE, the Nightshade Family

Herbs or shrubs, with alternate leaves and regular or slightly irregular flowers; sepals 5, united; corolla of 5 united petals, bearing the 5 stamens attached; ovary 1, 2-5 (usually 2)-celled, with a slender style.

1a. Corolla rotate; anthers close together (flowers in summer) — 2.
1b. Corolla not rotate; anthers separate — 5.
2a. Stem and leaves prickly (3-8 dm. high) — 3.
2b. Stem and leaves not prickly — 4.
3a. Flowers white or bluish
3b. Flowers yellow
4a. Climbing vine; leaves frequently lobed (flowers blue)
4b. Not climbing; leaves toothed (flowers white)
5a. Climbing or trailing shrub, with purplish, white, or greenish flowers about 1 cm. wide (frequently thorny; flowers in summer)
5b. Herbaceous plants, not climbing — 6.
6a. Flowers white, red, or blue, 2.5 cm. or more wide (summer) — 7.
6b. Flowers yellow, yellowish-white, or greenish-yellow (summer) — 12.
7a. Corolla-tube 10 cm. long or more (5-12 dm. high) — 8.
7b. Corolla-tube 5 cm. long or less — 10.
8a. Stem finely pubescent; leaves entire or nearly so
8b. Stem glabrous; leaves coarsely toothed (Jimson Weed) — 9.
9a. Stem green; corolla white
9b. Stem purple; corolla light-blue or purple
10a. Corolla pale-blue (5-10 dm. high)
10b. Corolla, red or violet (2-4 dm. high)
10c. Corolla white — 11.
11a. Corolla all white (2-4 dm. high)
11b. Corolla with yellow center
12a. Corolla 30 mm. wide or more, somewhat irregular; stamens declined to one side (3-6 dm. high)
12b. Corolla smaller, strictly regular — 13.
13a. Flowers in terminal panicles; corolla tubular, with slightly spreading lobes (5-10 dm. high)
13b. Flowers solitary in the axils; corolla short, widely spreading (3-8 dm. high) (Ground Cherry) — 14.
14a. Annuals with branching slender roots — 15.
14b. Perennials with thickened roots and rootstocks — 16.
15a. Plants pubescent
15b. Plants smooth, or with a few scattered hairs
16a. Stem viscid-pubescent
16b. Stem glabrous or slightly pubescent, not viscid — 17.
17a. Leaves and stem distinctly pubescent
17b. Leaves and stem almost glabrous


SCROPHULARIACEAE, the Figwort Family

Herbs with opposite or alternate leaves and usually irregular flowers; corolla of united petals, bearing the 2 or 4 (or rarely 5) stamens attached; petals actually 5, but sometimes apparently only 2 or 4; a sterile fifth stamen sometimes present; ovary superior, 2-celled.

1a. Anther-bearing stamens 5 (6-15 dm. high; flowers in summer) (Mullein) — 2.
1b. Anther-bearing stamens 4; a sterile fifth stamen may or may not be present — 3.
1c. Anther-bearing stamens 2 — 37.
2a. Leaves densely white-woolly; flowers yellow, in dense spikes
2b. Leaves smooth or nearly so; flowers yellow or white, in loose racemes
3a. Flowers (not the bracts) greenish-yellow, yellow, or orange — 4.  
3b. Flowers blue, purple, brown, red, pink, or white, never yellow — 16.
4a. Flowers in dense terminal leafy-bracted spikes — 5.
4b. Flowers in loose racemes or axillary — 9.
5a. Corolla 7 mm. long or less, or none — 6.
5b. Corolla 12 mm. long or more — 7.
6a. Leaves alternate (3-6 dm. high; early summer)
6b. Leaves opposite (1-2 dm. high; summer)
7a. Stem-leaves entire (2-6 dm. high; summer)
7b. Stem-leaves palmately lobed, bracteal leaves scarlet (3-6 dm. high; early summer)
7c. Stem-leaves pinnately lobed or incised (Lousewort) — 8.
8a. Flowers in spring (2-4 dm. high)
8b. Flowers in late summer (3-8 dm. high)
9a. Upper lip of the corolla very different in size and shape from the lower lip — 10.
9b. Upper lip of the corolla resembling the lower lip in shape, and not very different in size (5-12 dm. high; summer) (False Foxglove) — 13.
10a. Leaves alternate (2-5 dm. high; summer)
10b. Leaves opposite — 11.
11a. Stem erect; leaves narrowed at the base — 30b.
11b. Stem creeping or spreading (summer) — 12.
12a. Leaves pinnately veined, ovate
12b. Leaves palmately veined, circular or nearly so
13a. Stem glabrous — 14.
13b. Stem pubescent — 15.
14a. Principal stem-leaves pinnatifid
14b. Principal stem-leaves entire
15a. Corolla hairy on the outside
15b. Corolla smooth on the outside
16a. Leaves all basal; flowers on leafless stalks (1 dm. high or less; flowers pink or white, summer)
16b. Leaves opposite (those subtending the flowers may be alternate) — 20.
16c. Leaves alternate or irregularly scattered — 17.
17a. Leaves entire — 18.
17b. Leaves pinnately lobed or incised — 8a.
17c. Leaves palmately veined and lobed; stem trailing (flowers blue, summer)
18a. Corolla-tube less than 1 cm. long, spurred — 19.
18b. Corolla more than 2 cm. long, not spurred (3-8 dm. high; flowers red-purple, summer)
19a. Stem and foliage pubescent (1-3 dm. high; flowers blue, summer)
19b. Stem and foliage glabrous (2-6 dm. high; flowers blue, summer)
20a. Leaves with 1 or 2 lobes near the base (3-5 dm. high; flowers purple, summer)
20b. Leaves linear (2-6 dm. high; flowers rose-purple, summer and autumn) (Gerardia) — 21.
20c. Leaves lanceolate or broader, not lobed — 26.
21a. Pedicels equaling or but little longer than the calyx, and conspicuously shorter than the subtending leaf — 22.
21b. Pedicels much longer than the calyx, and generally equaling or exceeding the subtending leaf — 24.
22a. Plants of moist ground, bogs, and shores — 23.
22b. Plants of dry uplands
23a. Corolla about 25 mm. long
23b. Corolla less than 20 mm. long
24a. Stem rough on the angles — 25.
24b. Stem glabrous
25a. Leaves 2-5 mm. wide
25b. Leaves thread-like, 1 mm. wide or less
26a. Corolla 16 mm. long, or shorter — 27.
26b. Corolla 20 mm. long, or longer — 32.
27a. Corolla dull-purple, brown, or greenish; one sterile stamen present (1-2.5 m. high; flowers in summer) (Figwort) — 28.
27b. Corolla blue or white (1-4 dm. high) — 29.
28a. Sterile stamen purple
28b. Sterile stamen yellow
29a. Flowers nearly or quite sessile (summer) — 30.  
29b. Flowers on pedicels 10 mm. long or more (spring) — 31.
30a. Foliage-leaves prominently toothed — 6b.
30b. Foliage-leaves entire, or with 1 or 2 small teeth at the base
31a. Corolla more than 10 mm. long, blue and white
31b. Corolla 5-8 mm. long, blue and white
32a. Flowers solitary in the axils of the upper foliage-leaves (4-8 dm. high; flowers blue, in summer) (Monkey Flower) — 33.
32b. Flowers in dense terminal or subterminal spikes (3-9 dm. high; summer) — 34.
32c. Flowers in loose terminal panicles (flowers white or pale-violet) (Beard-tongue) — 35.
33a. Leaves clasping at the base
33b. Leaves petioled, not clasping
34a. Stem and foliage glabrous (flowers white)
34b. Stem and foliage pubescent (flowers purple)
35a. Stem finely pubescent (3-6 dm. high; flowers pale-violet, late spring)
35b. Stem glabrous below the inflorescence (6-12 dm. high) — 36.
36a. Corolla-tube gradually enlarged from base to tip (flowers pale-violet, in early summer)
36b. Corolla-tube abruptly enlarged just beyond the calyx (flowers white, early summer)
37a. Corolla distinctly irregular, 2-lipped (1-4 dm. high; flowers yellowish or white, summer) — 38.
37b. Corolla regular or nearly so and 2-lobed, or none — 6a.
37c. Corolla regular or nearly so, 4-lobed — 40.
38a. Leaves narrowed at the base, with mid-vein
38b. Leaves rounded or somewhat clasping at the base, with 3-5 principal veins (False Pimpernel) — 39.
39a. Peduncles longer than the subtending leaves
39b. Peduncles shorter than the subtending leaves
40a. Leaves whorled (8-20 dm. high; flowers white or pale-blue, in spikes, summer)
40b. Leaves alternate or opposite (Speedwell) — 41.
41a. Flowers in racemes, which arise from the axils of the opposite leaves (flowers pale-blue to nearly white, late spring and summer) — 42.  
41b. Flowers solitary in the axils of leaf-like bracts, or in terminal bracted racemes (1-4 dm. high; spring and summer) — 46.
42a. Stem and foliage glabrous; swamp plants 2-7 dm. high — 43.
42b. Stem and foliage pubescent; plants of dry ground, 1-3 dm. high — 45.
43a. Leaves linear or narrowly lanceolate
43b. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate — 44.
44a. Stem-leaves sessile and somewhat clasping
44b. Stem-leaves on short petioles
45a. Leaves narrowed at base into a petiole
45b. Leaves rounded or heart-shape at the base
46a. Bracteal leaves entire; stem glabrous or minutely pubescent — 47.
46b. All leaves serrate; foliage pubescent (flowers blue) — 48.
47a. Flowers white, about 2 mm. wide
47b. Flowers pale-blue with darker stripes, 3-4 mm. wide
48a. Flowers nearly sessile, about 2 mm. wide
48b. Flowers on slender pedicels, 5-8 mm. wide


LENTIBULARIACEAE, the Bladderwort Family

Small herbs, growing on rocks, in mud, or in water; calyx and corolla both 2-lipped; stamens 2, attached to the corolla; ovary 1-celled.

1a. Corolla purple — 2.
1b. Corolla yellow (flowers in summer) (Bladderwort) — 4.
2a. Leaves oval to elliptical, entire (about 1 dm. high, on rocks; flowers in summer)
2b. Leaves dissected or none, submerged (flowers in summer) (Bladderwort) — 3.
3a. Flower-stalk with a single bract near the middle
3b. Flower-stalk without bracts, except at the base of the pedicels
4a. Stem and numerous dissected leaves floating in water
4b. Stem and minute leaves creeping on the bottom of ponds or in mud, while the flowers are borne on erect stalks, easily detached from the delicate stems — 5.
5a. Upper lip of corolla conspicuous, as long or nearly as long as the lower lip; lower lip with a prominent raised palate — 6.
5b. Upper lip of corolla half as long as the lower lip, or less — 7.
6a. Spur of corolla very short and blunt
6b. Spur of corolla very long and slender
7a. Spur of corolla very short and blunt, or almost none
7b. Spur of corolla long and slender


OROBANCHACEAE, the Broom-rape Family

Parasitic plants without green color and with scales in place of leaves; corolla 2-lipped, of united petals; stamens 4, attached to the corolla.

1a. Flowers in a widely branching panicle, numerous; growing under beech trees (1-5 dm. high; flowers white and purple, late summer)
1b. Flowers sessile in a dense bracted spike (1-2 dm. high; flowers pale-yellow, early summer)
1c. Flowers 1-15, each on a long erect naked peduncle (1-2 dm. high; flowers yellowish or pale-violet, spring and summer) (Cancer-root) — 2.
2a. Stem erect and scaly, 5-10 cm. high
2b. Stem very short, almost below the surface of the ground, with long erect peduncles


ACANTHACEAE, the Acanthus Family

Herbs with opposite simple leaves; corolla of united petals, 2-lipped or almost regular; stamens 2 or 4, attached to the corolla; ovary 2-celled.

1a. Corolla about 10 mm. long; flowers in dense heads (4-10 dm. high; flowers blue or white, summer)
1b. Corolla about 30 mm. long; flowers axillary (3-8 dm. high; flowers blue, in summer) (Ruellia) — 2.
2a. Foliage glabrous or slightly pubescent
2b. Foliage densely hirsute


PHRYMACEAE, the Lopseed Family

Herb with opposite leaves and irregular flowers in long slender spikes; petals united, corolla 2-lipped; stamens 4, attached to the corolla; ovary 1-celled.

One species only, 5-10 dm. high; flowers purple, in summer


PLANTAGINACEAE, the Plantain Family

Herbs with basal leaves and small white flowers in spikes; sepals 4; petals 4, united; stamens 4; ovary 2-celled.

1a. Leaves linear (1-4 dm. high; summer) — 2.
1b. Leaves broader, lanceolate to broadly ovate or cordate (summer) — 3.
2a. Spikes mixed with bracts several times longer than the flowers
2b. Bracts about as long as the flowers
3a. Leaves cordate, pinnately veined; plant of wet ground and marshes (4-8 dm. tall)
3b. Leaves with 3 to many longitudinal ribs or veins — 4.
4a. Leaves densely pubescent with grayish hairs — 5.
4b. Leaves smooth or slightly pubescent — 6.
5a. Flower-stalks 3-6 dm. high
5b. Flower-stalks less than 3 dm. high
6a. Flower-stalks 3-6 dm. high; spikes not over 10 cm. long
6b. Scapes 1-4 dm. high; spikes long and slender, usually equaling or longer than the peduncle; dooryard plantains — 7.
7a. Leaves green at the base
7b. Leaves reddish at the base


RUBIACEAE, the Madder family

Herbs or shrubs, with opposite or whorled leaves and regular flowers; sepals 4, or minute or almost wanting; petals 4, united; stamens 4; ovary inferior.

1a. Shrub (1-3 m. tall; flowers white, in spherical heads, summer)
1b. Herbaceous — 2.
2a. Leaves opposite — 3.
2b. Leaves whorled; flowers white, green, or purple (Bedstraw) — 6.
2c. Leaves whorled; flowers yellow
3a. Leaves about as long as wide (trailing; flowers paired, white, in spring)
3b. Leaves at least twice as long as wide — 4.
4a. Corolla salver-form, about 1 cm. wide; peduncles 1-flowered (about 1 dm. high; flowers blue or white, in spring)
4b. Corolla funnel-form, about 5 mm. wide; flowers in clusters (1-2 dm. high; flowers white or pale-purple, summer) (Houstonia) — 5.
5a. Basal leaves strongly ciliate
5b. Basal leaves smooth
6a. Leaves in whorls of 4-7.
6b. Leaves in whorls of 6-8 — 16.
7a. Ovary and fruit hispid with hooked bristles (3-7 dm. high; summer) — 8.
7b. Ovary and fruit not bristly (early summer) — 11.
8a. Leaves with 1 principal vein (flowers dull purple)
8b. Leaves with 3 principal veins — 9.
9a. Flowers bright-white
9b. Flowers greenish, yellowish, or purplish — 10.
10a. Leaves acuminate
10b. Leaves acute or obtuse
11a. Corolla-lobes 3 (2-6 dm. high; flowers white or greenish) — 12.
11b. Corolla-lobes 4 — 13.
12a. Flowers in clusters of 2 or 3
12b. Flowers solitary in the axils, on long hair-like pedicels
13a. Corolla brownish or purple (3-6 dm. high)
13b. Corolla white (1-4 dm. high) — 14.
14a. Flowers rather numerous in small cymes
14b. Flowers in clusters of 2 or 3, or solitary — 15.
15a. Principal leaves spreading or ascending
15b. Principal leaves recurved or reflexed
16a. Ovary and fruit bristly or hispid — 17.
16b. Ovary and fruit not bristly (summer) — 18.
17a. Leaves narrowly lanceolate to linear, mostly 6-8 in a whorl (stem 5-15 dm. long; flowers white; spring and summer)
17b. Leaves narrowly oval or elliptical, mostly in whorls of 6; flowers in clusters of 3 (1-5 dm. high; flowers greenish, summer)
18a. Leaves cuspidate or mucronate at the apex (flowers white) — 19.
18b. Leaves obtuse at the apex (flowers white or greenish; 2-6 dm. high) — 20.
19a. Flowers very numerous in terminal panicles (stem 3-8 dm. long)
19b. Flowers in axillary clusters (1-3 dm. high)
19c. Flowers few, in small loose terminal cymes — 20.
20a. Stem smooth or nearly so (2-4 dm. high)
20b. Stem hispid with reflexed bristles (5-15 dm. long)


CAPRIFOLIACEAE, the Honeysuckle Family

Shrubs or herbs, with opposite leaves; corolla regular or irregular, petals 4 or 5, united; stamens 4 or 5; ovary inferior, 1-5-celled.

1a. Leaves compound (shrubs 1-4 m. high; flowers white, in large clusters in early summer) (Elder) — 2.
1b. Leaves simple — 3.
2a. Pith of the twigs white; inflorescence flattened or convex
2b. Pith of the twigs brown; inflorescence pyramidal
3a. Plant trailing; flowers nodding, in pairs (1 dm. high; flowers pink, summer)
3b. Erect herbs (6-12 dm. high; flowers dull-red, axillary, early summer) (Feverwort) — 4.
3c. Shrubs, small trees, or woody vines — 5.
4a. Leaf-bases broadly connate and 2-5 cm. wide
4b. Leaf-bases narrowly connate, not over 1 cm. wide
5a. Climbing vines (spring and early summer) (Honeysuckle) — 6.  
5b. Erect or spreading shrubs or small trees — 11.
6a. Flowers in 2-flowered axillary clusters (flowers white or pink)
6b. Flowers in terminal clusters — 7.
7a. Leaves distinctly pubescent beneath (flowers yellow) — 8.
7b. Leaves glabrous beneath, or very minutely puberulent — 9.
8a. Leaves pubescent above
8b. Leaves glabrous above
9a. Corolla purple on the outside, glabrous within
9b. Corolla yellow on the outside (or slightly tinged with purple), pubescent within — 10.
10a. Corolla-tube 6-8 mm. long
10b. Corolla-tube 11-14 mm. long
11a. Corolla tubular at base; style long and slender — 12.
11b. Corolla rotate or somewhat bell-shape, style very short (flowers white, late spring or early summer) — 22.
12a. Flowers yellow or yellowish (spring and early summer) — 13.
12b. Flowers white, pink, or red — 18.
13a. Leaves serrate (5-10 dm. tall)
13b. Leaves entire; flowers in pairs (Honeysuckle) — 14.
14a. Each pair of flowers subtended by 2 broad leaf-like bracts (1-3 m. high)
14b. Bracts at the base of each pair of flowers linear or narrowly lanceolate — 15.
15a. Native species of woods and bogs — 16.
15b. Introduced species, growing mostly near dwellings; leaves very pubescent beneath
16a. Peduncles 15 mm. long or more (1-4 m. high) — 17.
16b. Peduncles about 5 mm. long (1 m. high, or less)
17a. Leaves ciliate
17b. Leaves not ciliate
18a. Corolla irregular, over 1 cm. long (1-4 m. high; spring)
18b. Corolla regular, less than 1 cm. long (5-15 dm. high; flowers white or pink, in axillary clusters, early summer) — 19.
19a. Flowers in axillary spikes
19b. Flowers almost sessile in the axils — 20.
20a. Flowers numerous in each axil
20b. Flowers 1 or 2 in each axil (Snowberry) — 21.
21a. Leaves green beneath
21b. Leaves whitened beneath
22a. Leaves palmately lobed — 23.
22b. Leaves not lobed — 25.
23a. Outermost flowers of the cluster enlarged and imperfect (1-4 m. high)
23b. All flowers of the cluster alike — 24.
24a. Flower-clusters 4-10 cm. broad (1-2 m. high)
24b. Flower-clusters 2-3 cm. broad
25a. Outer flowers of the cluster enlarged and imperfect (1-3 m. high)
25b. All flowers of the cluster alike — 26.
26a. Leaves finely serrate; the veins not prominent — 27.
26b. Leaves coarsely serrate, all or most of the teeth terminating in a prominent vein — 29.
27a. Peduncle of the flower-cluster, below its branches, at least 2 cm. long (1-3 m. high)
27b. Peduncle of the cluster 1 cm. long, or even shorter (3-8 m. high) — 28.
28a. Leaves distinctly acuminate
28b. Leaves obtuse or barely acute
29a. Leaves densely pubescent beneath (6-15 dm. high)
29b. Leaves glabrous beneath, or with tufts of hairs in the forks of the veins (1-4 m. high)