BIO 402: Field Biology

MAJOR PLANT FAMILIES IN SOUTH CAROLINA

(check associated diagrams from Zomlefer)

ASTERACEAE  (composite or sunflower family)

Inflorescence:  head

Flowers 
    Sepals:  none
    Petals:  5  (all alike = disc flower; one larger = ray flower)
    Stamens:  5  (anther fused)
    Carpels:  2, fused, one ovule each  (commonly with an attached pappus surrounding the style)

Pollination
    Insect:  commonly with showy petals
    Wind:  separate staminate (disc only) and carpellate flowers

Fruit:  achene (dry, one seeded, seed separate from pericarp)

Note:  wind and insect pollinated flowers look very different!

FABACEAE  (pea or legume family)

Inflorescence:  axillary or  a head

Flowers
    Sepals:  5
    Petals:  5
    Stamens:  10
    Carpels:  1 and elongate, with several ovules

Three distinct flower types
    Mimosoid:  petals very small, stamens all separate & colorful
    Caesalpinoid:  petals large and similar in size, stamens partly fused
    Papilionoid:  petals large, distinctly different

Pollination:  insect

Fruit:  a legume

SOLANACEAE  (nightshade family)

Inflorescence:  axillary or as a head

Flowers 
    Sepals:  5 (commonly fused)
    Petals:  5 (also fused)
    Stamens:  5
    Carpels: 2, fused, each with many ovules

Pollination:  insect

Fruit:  a capsule (dry at maturity) or a berry (wet at maturity)

APIACEAE  (carrot or umbel family)

Inflorescence:  umbel (branching from one point)

Flowers 
    Sepals:  5 (commonly small)
    Petals:  5 (commonly small)
    Stamens:  5
    Carpels:  1, with 2 ovules

Pollination:  insect

Fruit:  schizocarp

POACEAE  (grass family)

Inflorescence:  panicle (highly branched)

Flowers (they are produced in small clusters called spikelets)
    Sepals + Petals:  replaced by 2 lodicules
    Stamens:  3
    Carpels:  1-3, fused, 1 ovule each

Pollination:  wind

Fruit:  grain (one seeded, pericarp and seed coat fused)

Note:  in comparison to the Cyperaceae, grasses usually have hollow rounded stems which are jointed

CYPERACEAE  (sedge family)

Inflorescence:  panicle

Flowers  (they are produced in small clusters called spikelets)
   Sepals:  absent
    Petals:  absent
    Stamens:  2-3
    Carpels:  1, flattened or triangular, with 1 ovule

Pollination:  wind

Fruit:  achene or nutlet

Note:  in comparison to the Poaceae, sedges usually have solid triangular stems which are not jointed.