keys to the vascular plants of east texas - Botanical Research ...

318 KEY TO MONOCOTS
48. Plant an emergent perennial with distinctly petioled leaves and rounded-
truncate or often cordate-based leaf blades; flowers in a slender spike subtended
by a spathe; perianth violet-blue, bilaterally symmetrical, the upper
lobe with a central 2-lobed yellow-green or yellow spot _________________ (Pontederia)
Pontederiaceae
48. Plant not as above.
49. Perianth segments dissimilar, of more than one type (some petaloid,
some sepaloid); leaf bases usually sheathing; flowers bilaterally or radially
symmetrical, often subtended by 1- or 2-bracted, leaf-like spathes;
plants from fibrous or tuberous roots ________________________ Commelinaceae
49. Perianth segments usually all similar (all petaloid) OR in a few species
some petaloid and some sepaloid; leaf bases usually not sheathing;
flowers radially symmetrical, not subtended by leaf-like spathes; plants
often from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms [PLANTS WITH SUPERIOR OVARIES PRE-
VIOUSLY TREATED IN A BROADLY CONCEIVED POLYPHYLETIC LILY FAMILY].
50. Leaves (actually leaf-like bracts) in a single whorl of 3 at summit of
the stem; flower 1 per plant __________________________ (Trillium) Trilliaceae
50. Leaves alternate or basal, or if whorled then in more than 1 whorl;
flowers 1 to numerous per plant.
51. Perianth very large, 55–180 mm long, orange to orange-red,
yellow, or white.
52. Leaves alternate or whorled along the stem; flowers 1–few
in an umbel-like cluster at the end of a leafy stem, orange
red with purple spots OR white __________________ (Lilium) Liliaceae
52. Leaves basal; flowers at the end of a naked scape, predominantly
orange or yellow, sometimes with patterns but
never spotted __________________ (Hemerocallis) Hemerocallidaceae
51. Perianth smaller, 40 mm or less long, variously colored.
53. Inflorescence with a basal involucre of a sheathing bract(s);
flowers solitary, umbellate, or in head-like inflorescences;
plants sometimes with onion or garlic odor.
54. Filaments separate; perianth white to yellowish, pink,
or red, 12 mm or less long ___________________________ Alliaceae
54. Filaments united; perianth lavender-blue or white with
pale blue tinge, 16–28 mm long.
55. Flower(s) single, rarely 2, subtended by 2 partly or
wholly united bracts; filaments without bifid apical
appendages; perianth white with pale blue
tinge, the lobes with a darker central line and
brownish tinge on back; plant with onion or garlic
odor ________________________________ (Ipheion) Alliaceae
55. Flowers 1–6(–9), the inflorescence subtended by
3 or 4 separate bracts; filaments with bifid apical
appendages forming a crown between the anthers;
perianth, including lobes, lavender-blue;
plant without onion odor ______ (Androstephium) Themidaceae
53. Inflorescence bractless or flowers individually bracted;
flowers solitary, racemose, paniculate, or corymbose; plants
without onion odor.
56. Inflorescences axillary (= arising from axils of the
leaves) or apparently so, with 1–9(–15) flowers per inflorescence;
plant with an erect-arching leafy stem OR
stem with numerous finely dissected leaf-like branches.