Cont. Families of dicots

Family Ranunculaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: dissected with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Calyx: posterior sepal may form spur, colored.
5. Corolla: polypetalous, may be 2 united inside the spur.
6. Androecium: Numerous  stamens, may be 15, spirally arranged.
7. Gynoecium: Superior ovary, apocarpous, may be 1 carpel, 1 locule, marginal placentation.

Family: Lauraceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate venation.
2. Aromatic odour present.

Floral characters:

3. Flower: Trimerous.
4. Perianth: undifferentiated into calyx nor corolla, petaloid.
5. Androecium: 12 stamens in 4 whorles, innermost staminodes, the third whorl bearing a pair of basal glandular protuberances.
6. Gynoecium: Superior ovary, 1 carpel, 1 locule, basal placentation.

Family: Papaveraceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Hispid plant.
2. Leaves: with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

3. Flower: Tetramerous.
4. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Calyx: two caducous (falling early) sepals.
6. Corolla: polypetalous, crumbled(duntellate-shape) petals.
7. Androecium: numerous free stamens.
8. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 2-∞ carpels, 1  locule, parietal placentation, capitate stigma.

Family: Cruciferae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: clasping with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Inflorescence: Corymboracemose.
3. Flower: Tetramerous.
4. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Corolla: polypetalous, each differentiated into claw and limb.
6. Androecium: 6 stamens, tetradynamous.
7. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 2 carpels, 2  locules, false septum, parietal placentation.

Family: Leguminosae, subfamily: Mimosoideae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: compound with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Inflorescence:  Head-like.
3. Flower: Pentamerous.
4. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Corolla: poly- or gamopetalous.
6. Androecium: 5-∞ free stamens.
7. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 1 carpel, 1 locule, marginal placentation.

Family: Leguminosae, subfamily: Caesalpinioideae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: compound with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Corolla: polypetalous, imbericate ascending.
5. Androecium: 5-10 stamens.
6. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 1 carpel, 1 locule, marginal placentation.

Family: Leguminosae, subfamily: Papillionoideae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: compound with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Corolla: polypetalous, imbericate descending, papilionaceous

                     corolla(standard,wings, keel).

5. Androecium: 10 stamens, united diadelphous 1,(9).
6. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 1 carpel, 1 locule, marginal placentation.

Family: Malpighiaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: compound with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Calyx: sepals with 2 or 1 external glands.
5. Corolla: polypetalous.
6. Androecium: 10 stamens connate at base, obdiplostemony.
7. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation.

Family: Tropaeolaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: peltate with reticulate multicostate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Calyx: posterior 3 sepals united forming spur, colored.
5. Corolla: polypetalous, the 3 anterior differentiated into claw & limb with  

                   corona.

6. Androecium: 8  stamens, obdiplostemony.
7. Gynoecium: Superior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation.

Family: Rutaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate venation.
2. Characteristic odour.

Floral characters:

3. Flower: Tetra- or pentamerous.
4. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Corolla: polypetalous.
6. Androecium: 8, 10, (∞) stamens, obdiplostemonous
7. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 4, 5, ∞ carpels, 4, 5, ∞  locules, axile placentation, basal gland.

Family: Sterculiaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate multicostate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Corolla: polypetalous, contorted (clockwise/anticlockwise).
5. Androecium: numerous stamens, united forming incomplete monadelphous staminal tube.
6. Gynoecium: Superior ovary, 5 carpels, 5 locules, axile placentation, red ovules.
7. Androgynophore present.

Family: Malvaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate multicostate venation.
2. Presence of mucilage.

Floral characters:

3. Flower: Pentamerous.
4. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Corolla: polypetalous, contorted (clockwise/anticlockwise) .
6. Androecium: numerous stamens, united forming complete monadelphous staminal tube.
7. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 10 carpels, 10 locules, axile placentation.

Family: Bombacaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate multicostate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Pentamerous.
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Corolla: polypetalous, contorted (clockwise/anticlockwise) .
5. Androecium: numerous stamens, united polyadelphous.
6. Gynoecium: superior ovary, 5 carpels, 5 locules, axile placentation, red ovules.

Family: Myrtaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves: with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Flower: Tetramerous or pentamerous  .
3. Perianth: differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Corolla: polypetalous.
5. Androecium: numerous stamens.
6. Gynoecium: inferior ovary, 3 carpels, 3 locules, axile placentation, single style.

Family: Apocynaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves opposite or whorled with reticulate venation.
2. Latex present.

Floral characters:

3. Pentamerous flower.
4. Perianth is differentiated into calyx and corolla.
5. Petals are Gamopetalous, forming corolla tube, contorted aestivation
6. 5  epipetalous stamens, closing the corolla, hairy.
7. Superior ovary, 2 carpels, 2 locules, axile placentation, (may be apocarpous), basal glandular disc is present.

Family: Bignoniaceae

Vegetative characters:

1. Leaves with reticulate venation.

Floral characters:

2. Pentamerous flower.
3. Perianth is differentiated into calyx and corolla.
4. Petals are Gamopetalous, forming corolla tube.
5. 5 epipetalous stamens, 4 fertile and 1 sterile (staminode).
6. Superior ovary, 2 carpels, 2 locules, axile placentation, basal glandular disc, bifid stigma.

Cont. Dicot orders

Order: Ranales

Hutchinson an Bessy consider Ranales the origin of Dicotyledoneae, but Engler put Ranales as the second order after Centrospermae. Ranales represents a link between Gymnospermeae & Angiospermeae from one side and Monocotyledoneae & Dicotyledoneae on the other side.

Key to families of order Ranales

A. Hydrophytes

      B. Latex present…….…………………..…..Nymphaceae

      BB. Latex absent………………..…….Ceratophyllaceae

AA. Terresterial

      C. Herbs…………………………………Ranunculaceae

      CC. Shrubs

                  D. Volatile oils present

                              E. Carpels more than one

                                          F. Fruits fleshy………..Annonaceae

                                          FF. Fruits dry…….…Magnoliaceae

                              EE. Carpel one ……..………….Lauraceae

                  DD. Volatile oils absent……………Berberidaceae

Key to families of order Rhoedales

A. Flower regular

            B. Gynophore present …………………..…Capparidaceae

            BB. Gynophore absent

                        C. K ₂, G _(2-∞) ......................................Papaveraceae

                                 (A _2: Fumeroideae, A _4: Hyperoideae, A _∞: Papaveroideae)

                        CC. K ₂₊₂, A ₂₊₄, G ₍₂₎ …………………Cruciferae

AA. Flower irregular

            D. Gynophore or Androgynophore present

                        E. Gynophore present …………….....Moringaceae

                        EE. Androgynophore present

                                    F. Androgynophore long….Capparidaceae

                                    FF. Androgynophore short…….Resedaceae

            DD. Gynophore or Androgynophore absent..Papaveraceae                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                  (Fumeroideae)

Key to families of order Rosales

A. Fruit legume...........................................................Leguminosae

             (Ө: Mimosoideae, %: Caesalpinioideae, % & papilionaceous corolla:

                 Papillionoideae)

AA. Fruite not legume

            B. A 4+4 ………………………………….…Crassulaceae

            BB. A 5+5 …………………………….........Saxifragaceae

            BBB. A 10+10+10 ………………………..……..Rosaceae

                              (Fruit dehiscent: Spiroideae, Fruit indehiscent, 

                               Flower epigenous: Pomoideae, Flower not so,

                        syncarpous: Prunoideae, Apocarpous: Rosoideae)

Key to families of order Geraniales

A. Flowers unisexual …………………………….Euphorbiaceae

AA. Flowers bisexual

            B. Sepals glanded …………………………Malpighiaceae

            BB. Sepals not glanded

                        C. Style single

                                    D. Stigma free

                                                E. A ₄₊₄ ……………Tropaeolaceae

                                                EE. Not so …………..Geraniaceae

                                    DD. Stigma simple

                                                F. Nectary glands present..Rutaceae

                                                FF. Nectary glands absent

                                                              ………..….Zygophyllaceae

                        CC. Style free

                                    G. Leaves simple ……………….Linaceae

                                    GG. Leaves compound ………Oxalidaceae

Key to families of order Sapindales

A. Stamens 10, one functional surrounded by 5 cushins, Fruite drupe or berry …..................................................…Anacardiaceae

AA. Stamens 5+5 fertile, climbing plants, Fruit capsule ………………………….………………………...…..Sapindaceae

Key to families of order Malvales

A. Androgynophore present ………………………Sterculiaceae

AA. Androgynophore absent

            B. Stamens numerous free or in bundles ………Tiliaceae

            BB. Stamens numerous united

                        C. Stamens monadelphous, pollen grains spiny           

                             …………………………..…………Malvaceae

                        CC. Stamens polyadelphous, pollens not spiny  

                                ………………………….……Bombacaceae

Key to families of order Myrtiflorae

A. Flower perigynous

            B. Petals present ……………………….……..Lythraceae

            BB. Petals absent …………………………..Thymelaceae

AA. Flower epigynous

            C. Sepals colored ………………………….….Onagraceae

            CC. Sepals green

                        D. Placentation parietal ……………......Punicaceae

                        DD. Placentation axile …...……….……Myrtaceae

Key to families of order Contortae

A. Flowers pentamerous, corona present at corolla throat, filaments reduced ……..........................................................….Apocynaceae

AA. Flolwers tetra- or pentamerous, corona absent, leaves silvery

            B. Stamens 2 epipetalous ...................……...……Oleaceae

            BB. Stamens 4 epipetalous ……………..……Loganiaceae

Key to families of order Tubiflorae

A. Stamens 5 epipetalous

            B. Staminode present ……………………….Bignoniaceae

            BB. All stamens fertile

                        C. Boragoid inflorescence, stiff hairs present

                             ………………………….……….Boraginaceae

                        CC. Not so

                                    D. Filaments hairy at base, plants climbing

                                          …….……..…………..Convolvulaceae

                                    DD. Not so

                                                E. Leaf base asymmetric, green

                                                    capitate sticky stigma..Solanaceae

                                                EE. Leaf base symmetric, stigma

                                                       branched …...…Polemoniaceae

AA. Stamens 2-4 epipetalous

            F. Placentation parietal ……………….…..Orobancaceae

            FF. Placentation axile

                        G. Style gynobasic ………………………Labiatae

                        GG. Style terminal

                                    H. Corolla tube curved …..….Verbenaceae

                                    HH. Corolla tube straight

                                                I. Placentation swollen

                                                  ………………....Scrophulariaceae

                                                II. Placentation not swollen, 2

                                                      bracteoles ………..Acanthaceae