Study Guide for Plant Taxonomy Quiz on Wednesday October 30, 2013

Keep an eye to the BIG PICTURE—I may ask a question or two about how everything fits together!

General Monocots:

Embryo with a single cotyledon– remains the best morphological synapomorphy of monocots

Other monocot characteristics (but not necessarily synapomorphies since there are many exceptions) : parallel veined leaves, adventitious roots, herbaceous habit, scattered vascular bundles, leaves formed at the basal end of the leaf primordium (= intercalary meristem), monosulcate pollen, DNA sequence evidence, flower parts in 3’s.

What is a cotyledon (leaf or leaves developed at first embryonic node) and how do they differ from endosperm? Ploidy level of endosperm vs. cotyledons.

No vascular cambium (i.e., no wood) in monocots although they can grow thicker by virtue of anomalous (secondary thickening) meristem

Poaceae: (special grass terminology)

Essential vegetative terms to define and understand-- Leaf Blade, Leaf Sheath, Ligule, Auricle, Culm,

Stolon, Rhizome, Fibrous Roots

Essential floral terms to define and understand—Floret, Lemma, Palea, Lodicule, Rachilla, Spikelet,

Glume, Pedicel

Grass flower + 2 bracts called lemma and palea= grass floret

Grass florets + 2 glumes beneath them (ie subtend them) = spikelet

General Eudicots:

Terms to know: basal eudicot (don’t get confused with basal angiosperms!), basal eudicot= basal tricolpate, tricolpate pollen, alkaloid, secondary metabolite

Tricolpate pollen = best morphological synapomorphy of eudicots

Other eudicot characteristics (but again there are exceptions) : two cotyledons, reticulate venation, flower parts in 4 or 5’s, vascular bundles arranged into vascular cambium, taproot. Be able to compare and contrast general eudicot characters vs. general monocot characters.

Family characters: (I strongly suggest flash cards for these families and for the rest of the semester!!)

Family / Foliage / Calyx / Corolla / Androecium / Gynoecium / Fruit
Monocots (non-Commelinoid Clade)
Liliaceae / bulbs or rhizomes, parallel venation / Six distinct tepals / Six distinct tepals / Stamens 6, filaments distinct / 3 connate carpels, ovary superior / Loculicidal capsule
Melanthiaceae / poisonous alkaloids often present (hence the “Death Camas Family”!) / 6 mostly distinct tepals / 6 mostly distinct tepals / usually 6 distinct stamens / 3-10 connate carpels, usually 3 distinct styles; superior to slightly inferior / capsule
Agavaceae / leaves smooth with marginal fibers in Yucca; leaves toothed in Agave / 6 distinct tepals / 6 distinct tepals / 6 distinct stamens / 3 connate carpels; ovary superior in Yucca, inferior in Agave / loculicidal capsule, seeds with black phytomelan crust
Iridaceae / Equitant (& conduplicate) / 6 tepals, inner somewhat differentiated from outer / 6 tepals, inner somewhat differentiated from outer / Three distinct filaments, specialized pollination anatomy / Three connate carpels, inferior ovary / Loculicidal capsule
Orchidaceae / Roots strongly mycorrhizal, parallel venation and sheathing at the base / 6 Tepals, inner 3 and outer 3 somewhat differentiated, one of the inner ones forming the labellum / 6 Tepals, inner 3 and outer 3 somewhat differentiated, one of the inner ones forming the labellum / stamens fused to stigma forming a column; pollen forming masses called pollinia / ovary inferior, 3 carpels, stigma highly modified / capsule/minute seeds; seeds lacking endosperm
Family / Foliage / Calyx / Corolla / Androecium / Gynoecium / Fruit
Monocots (Commelinoid Clade)
Commelinaceae / Grass like, sheathing at the base; flowers enclosed in spathe sometimes / Three, distinct / Three distinct, usually clawed / 3 or 6 stamens, sometimes with conspicuous hairs (Tradescantia) / Ovary superior, 3 connate carpels / Loculicidal capsule; seeds with conspicuous conical cap, bullet shaped
Poaceae / Divided into blade and sheath; ligule at junction; sometimes with auricle; stem=culm / Special flower anatomy c/o flower, floret, lemma, palea, glumes, lodicule, etc. / Special flower anatomy c/o flower, floret, lemma, palea, glumes, lodicule, etc. / 3 distinct stamens / 3 superior carpels that appear as two but only produce one grain / Grain= caryopsis

Also remember that Zannichellia has no perianth and has achenes for fruits.

Family / Foliage / Calyx / Corolla / Androecium / Gynoecium / Fruit
Basal Eudicots (NOT a clade)
Ranunculaceae / variable (simple or compound, but usually pinnate or palmate venation) / Usually 4 or 5 distinct sepals / Usually 4 or 5 distinct petals / stamens numerous with distinct filaments / carpels distinct, 5 to numerous / achene (berry or follicle in other genera than Ranunculus)
Papaveraceae / lobed/dissected / 2 quickly deciduous sepals (caducous) / 6 petals / many stamens, can be distinct or connate / superior ovary, 2 connate carpels (syncarpous gynoecium) / capsule
Berberidaceae / Leaves spinose-serrate / 6 distinct sepals / 6 outer petals and 6 inner petals that are probably really petal-like staminodes (staminode= sterile stamen) / 6; anthers opening by flaps that open from the base / Superior ovary, one carpel, capitate stigma / Berry
Platanaceae / Trees, lobed leaves, toothed / Flowerheads unisexual, flowers very reduced, in globose heads, 3-7 minute petals and sepals / Flowerheads unisexual, flowers very reduced, in globose heads, 3-7 minute petals and sepals / stamens 3-7, filaments very short / superior ovary with 5-9 distinct carpels / multiple of achenes (follicles, drupes or others in other genera that Platanus)

Plant Taxonomy Plant ID list:

WEEK 1

Solanum (terms to know: connate vs. adnate) SOLANACEAE

Euphorbia (term to know: cyathium) EUPHORBIACEAE

Tribulus (terms to know: schizocarp, mericarp) ZYGOPHYLLACEAE

WEEK 2

Castilleja (term to know: hemiparasite) OROBANCHACEAE

Commelina (term to know: spathe) COMMELINACEAE

Desmodium (terms to know: papilionaceous, loment) FABACEAE

Penstemon (term to know: bilateral symmetry = zygomorphic) PLANTAGINACEAE

Ipomopsis (terms to know: exserted, included) POLEMONIACEAE

WEEK 3

Amaranthus AMARANTHACEAE (terms to know: monoecious, dioecious)

Eriogonum POLYGONACEAE

Ambrosia ASTERACEAE (terms to know: ray flower, disc flower)

Argemone PAPAVERACEAE (term to know: alkaloid)

WEEK 4

Persicaria POLYGONACEAE (term to know: ochrea)

Typha TYPHACEAE

Anemopsis SAURURACEAE (term to know: Magnoliid)

Mentha LAMIACEAE

Juncus JUNCACEAE (term to know: auricle)

WEEK 5

Sicyos CUCURBITACEAE (terms to know: inferior ovary, tendril)

Menodora OLEACEAE

Mollugo MOLLUGINACEAE (term to know: whorled)

Polanisia CLEOMACEAE

Portulaca PORTULACACEAE (term to know: circumscissile)

Clematis RANUNCULACEAE

WEEK 6

Cheilanthes PTERIDACEAE (terms to know: sorus/sori, homosporous)

Nasturtium BRASSICACEAE (terms to know: silique)

Lemna LEMNACEAE (term to know: utricle)

Zannichellia ZANNICHELLIACEAE

Marsilea MARSILEACEAE (term to know: heterosporous)

WEEK 7

Maclura MORACEAE (term to know: multiple of drupes)

Salvia LAMIACEAE (term to know: stipitate glandular= golf balls on tees!)… and NO credit for anyone who switches the “i” and the “v” and calls it saliva!!

Ericameria ASTERACEAE (terms to know: pappus, disc flower, discoid head)

Aloysia VERBENACEAE

Mimosa FABACEAE (term to know: stipular spines)

WEEK 8

Ceanothus RHAMNACEAE (term to know: thorn)

Agastache LAMIACEAE (term to know: didynamous)

Silene CARYOPHYLLACEAE (terms to know: anthocyanins/betalains)

Delphinium RANUNCULACEAE

Arceuthobium SANTALACEAE (formerly Viscaceae) (term to know: haustoria)

Note: The family name always ends in –aceae. If you switch the genus and the family you will NOT get credit!