Sarraceniaceae the pitcher plant family 315 Widespread in North America, only Heliamphora found in S

1
Sarraceniaceae -- the pitcher plant family (3/15
Widespread in North America, only Heliamphora
found in South America)
Dillenianae
Plants flowering, synoecious grow in marshes or
bogs insectivorous Habit herbs Leaves alternate,
simple, in basal rosettes, highly modified into
hooded pitchers with liquid-filled bases that
catch and dissolve insects for their nitrogenous
compounds Inflorescences solitary (scapose) and
terminal Flowers actinomorphic, perfect,
hypogynous large and showy nodding Calyx 5
sepals, distinct, often colored and
petaloid Corolla 5 petals, distinct Androecium
many stamens, distinct Gynoecium superior 1
pistil of usually 5 connate carpels as many
locules as carpels many ovules/carpel, axile
placentation 1 style, sometimes forming a very
large peltate structure, 5-lobed and stigmatic
surfaces at tips of the lobes Fruit
capsule Floral formula Ca 5 Co 5 A ?
G 5
2
Ericaceae -- the heather or blueberry family
(116/3,500 cospmopolitan)
Dillenianae
Plants flowering, synoecious, often with
evergreen leaves, acidophyllic with mycorrhizal
associations, some members (e.g., Monotropa) are
achlorophyllous and parasitic Habit herbs,
shrubs, or trees Leaves alternate, simple, entire
to serrate exstipulate Inflorescences
indeterminate, various types Flowers
actinomorphic to slightly zygomorphic, perfect,
hypogynous to epigynous, often urceolate or
campanulate, anthers invert during development
and present pseudo- apical pores, nectary disk
usually present Calyx 4-5 sepals, distinct or
connate Corolla 4-5 petals, connate Androecium
8-10 stamens, distinct can be basally adnate to
corolla (epipetalous) stamens sometimes
spurred at apex of filament inverted anthers,
anthers sometimes awned, poricidal dehiscence
from pseudo-apical pores Gynoecium superior or
inferior 1 pistil of 2-10 connate carpels 1
locule/carpel 1-many ovules, axile
placentation 1 style, 1 stigma, often capitate
and lobed Fruit capsule, berry, drupe Floral
formula Ca 5 Co 5 A 10 G 2-10
3
Ericaceae -- comments
Dillenianae
Some members include Vaccinium (blueberry,
cranberry, deerberry, etc), Rhododendron
(rhododendron, azalea), Erica (heather),
Monotropa (indian-pipe), Gaultheria
(wintergreen), Pyrola, etc. Notes Evergreen
shrubs (or herbs) with 5-merous flowers,
urceolate or campanulate corolla, and stamens
with pseudo-apical pores are a combination of
characters that will diagnose most members of the
family. Common in acidic habitats, including
bogs, pine-barrens, etc.
4
Boraginaceae -- the borage or forget-me-not
family (117/ 2400 Cosmopolitan)
Lamianae
Plants flowering, synoecious often scabrous or
hispid from trichomes Habit herbs, shrubs, and
sometimes trees Leaves alternate, simple, entire,
exstipulate Inflorescences determinate, often
appearing helicoid or scorpioid Flowers
actinomorphic to slightly zygomorphic, perfect,
hypogynous, usually showy Calyx 5 sepals,
distinct or basally connate Corolla 5 petals,
connate (sympetalous), regular often with
projecting scales in the throat Androecium 5
stamens, filaments adnate to corolla
(epipetalous) Gynoecium superior 1 pistil of 2
basally connate carpels (appear as four because
of false septa) 4-lobed or divided into 4
locules 1 ovule/ lobe, axile placentation (can
appear basal) 1 gynobasic or terminal style,
2-lobed near apex Fruit schizocarp which splits
into four nutlets Floral formula Ca 5 Co 5
A 5 G 2
5
Boraginaceae -- comments
Lamianae
Genera Borago, Plagiobothrys, Cyanoglossum,
Heliotropium (heliotrope), Pulmonaria, Cordia
(alkanet) Comments Whenever you collect a
borage be careful to obtain the flowers and fruit
whenever both are available since many taxonomic
characters are drawn from the fruit and
receptacle. Many members are used as ornamentals
and alkanet is used as a source of red dye.
Several display distyly which promotes
outcrossing.
6
Apocynaceae -- the dogbane family (including
Asclepiadaceae) (355/3700 pantropical, few
representatives in temperate regions)
Plants flowering, synoecious, milky sap Habit
herbs, lianas, shrubs or small trees sometimes
succulent Leaves opposite or whorled, simple,
entire exstipulate to stipulate with small
stipules glands in leaf axil or on adaxial side
of leaf base Inflorescences determinate Flowers
actinomorphic, perfect, hypogynous to slightly
perigynous, showy, waxy-looking Calyx 5 sepals,
distinct or basally connate sometimes with
glands Corolla 5 petals, connate
(sympetalous) Androecium 5 stamens, closely
associated with stigmatic head or fully adnate to
form a gynostegium filaments adnate to corolla
(epipetalous) when gynostegium present pollen
grouped in pollinia, and appendages on filaments
sometimes organized into petal-like corona with
hoods or horns Gynoecium superior to slightly
inferior 1 pistil of 2 carpels with carpels
free 1 locule/carpel many ovules/carpel,
parietal placentation style distinct or connate
stigma connate, variously shaped Fruit follicle
(an aggregate of follicles if both carpels
ripen) comose seeds Floral formula Ca 5 Co
5 A 5 G 2
7
Rubiaceae -- the madder or coffee family
(450-606/ 6500 Mostly tropical)
Lamianae
Plants flowering, synoecious Habit herbs, shrubs,
woody vines or trees Leaves opposite or whorled
simple stipulate stipules often fused together,
forming interpetiolar stipules Inflorescences
determinate, sometimes solitary or in
heads Flowers actinomorphic, perfect, epigynous,
often showy Calyx 4 or 5 sepals, connate or
distinct Corolla 4 or 5 petals, connate
(sympetalous), actinomorphic Androecium 4 or 5
stamens, distinct filaments adnate to corolla
(epipetalous) Gynoecium inferior 1 pistil of 2
connate carpels 1 locule/carpel many
ovules/carpel, axile placentation 1 style
Fruit berry, drupe, capsule, or
schizocarp Floral formula Ca 4-5 Co 4-5 A
4-5 G 2
8
Rubiaceae -- comments
The Rubiaceae is one of the five largest
angiosperm families and is particularly diverse
in the tropics. Economically important members
include coffee, Coffea arabica (native to
Ethiopia, but widely cultivated in the New World
tropics) and C. robusta (native to the New World,
but produces inferior beans) and Cinchona spp.
from which quinine is extracted. Quinine was
discovered in the early 20th century and is used
to treat malaria and to flavor tonic/seltzer
water. Two of the more popular ornamentals are
Gardenia and Galium (bedstraw a genus with many
common weedy members in the Ithaca area). Other
members native to North America, some of which
you may encounter in the Northeast include
Cephalanthus (buttonbush), Galium, Houstonia
(bluets), and Mitchella (partridge berry).
9
Solanaceae -- tomato/potato family (76/2900
Cosmopolitan, best developed in South American
tropics)
Lamianae
Plants flowering, synoecious Habit herbs, shrubs
and trees, often with prickles and/or sticky
glandular hairs Leaves mostly alternate, but
sometimes appearing confused simple to deeply
divided or once or twice pinnately compound
exstipulate Inflorescences indeterminate or
solitary, axillary Flowers actinomorphic
perfect hypogynous, often showy anthers often
connivent around style (Solanum) and dehiscing
by terminal pores Calyx 5 sepals usually
connate Corolla 5 petals connate
(sympetalous) Androecium 5 stamens, filaments
adnate to petals (epipetalous) some with
poricidal dehiscence some with anthers
connivent around style Gynoecium superior 1
pistil of 2 connate carpels 1 locule/carpel
many ovules/carpel, axile placentation 1 style,
2 stigmas Fruit berry or septicidal
capsule Floral formula Ca 5 Co 5 A 5 G
2
10
Solanaceae -- comments
Lamianae
Comments Many important cultivated members
including tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum),
potato (Solanum tuberosum), eggplant (Solanum
melongena), peppers (Capsicum spp.), tobacco
(Nicotiana), and petunias (Petunia). Various
members contain high contents of alkoloids and
the name Nightshade probably derives from the
potentially lethal side of these. Belladonna
means pretty lady and women used to dose
themselves with an extract of this plant to
dilate their eyes and appear more desirable.
Mandrake (Mandragon), nicotine (tobacco), and
Jimson-weed (Datura) are all members of this
family.