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

57. Leaves reduced to scales only; main stem with numerous finely dissected branches; fruit a
KEY TO MONOCOTS 319
red berry ______________________________________________________ (Asparagus) Asparagaceae
57. Leaves well-developed, lanceolate-elliptic to broadly elliptic, to 15 cm long and 7 cm wide;
main stem unbranched or once-forked into 2 branches; fruit a dehiscent capsule or a blueblack
berry.
58. Flowers solitary, apparently axillary; perianth parts free; fruit a dehiscent capsule _________ (Uvularia)
Colchicaceae
58. Flowers in (1–)2–9(–15)-flowered axillary inflorescences; perianth parts fused nearly to
tips; fruit a blue-black berry ________________________________ (Polygonatum) Convallariaceae
56. Inflorescences at the tip of the aerial scape or stem, with 1–very numerous flowers per inflorescence;
plant with leaves all or mostly basal (except stems leafy in Maianthemum, which has
flowers 50–250 per inflorescence).
59. Flower solitary; leaves 2 _______________________________________________ (Erythronium) Liliaceae
59. Flowers in racemes, corymbs, or panicles; leaves more than 2.
60. Tepals connate for ca. 1/2 or more of their length, forming a basal tube.
61. Perianth wrinkled and roughened externally (appearing mealy or farinose); plant
from a short thick rhizome ______________________________________ (Aletris) Nartheciaceae
61. Perianth smooth externally; plant from a bulb ____________________________ Hyacinthaceae
60. Tepals separate or nearly so.
62. Stem leafy, the 5-13 conspicuous leaves alternate along most of the stem, the stems
without a cluster of basal leaves; tepals < 2 mm long ________ (Maianthemum) Convallariaceae
62. Stem essentially without leaves, the leaves all basal or at least mostly so; tepals 2.3–
17 mm long.
63. Tepals adnate in their lower portions to ovary; ovary with 1 style ___________ (Ophiopogon)
Convallariaceae
63. Tepals free from ovary; ovary with 1 OR 3 styles.
64. Ovary with 3 styles, these distinct (= separate to base) or connate basally
(in 1 species); plants from rhizomes or bulbs.
65. Pedicels each with 3 minute connate bracts just below the flower (and
well above pedicel base); styles connate basally into column 1/4–2/3
their length; scape minutely glandular-pubescent below inflorescence
_________________________________________________ (Triantha) Tofieldiaceae
65. Pedicels without 3 minute connate bracts just below the flower (bracts
various, typically at pedicel base); styles distinct; scape not glandularpubescent
(either glabrous or floccose pubescent) ______________ Melanthiaceae
64. Ovary with only 1 style (however, the stigma can be 3-lobed); plants from
bulbs or corms but never rhizomes.
66. Perianth yellow to yellow-orange, (7.5–)10–15(–17) mm long; plants
from corms ____________________________________ (Echeandia) Anthericaceae
66. Perianth white, greenish white, light blue, blue-violet, or yellow, but if
yellow only 4.5–7 mm long; plants from bulbs ___________________ Hyacinthaceae