Herbaceous Plant Family ID
There are several ways to identify a particular herbaceous plant. First and most
important, a good fresh specimen is needed. Plants are identified primarily by flowers
and seeds. Size and color of flowers as well as the number of their parts should be noted
along with the arrangement of the flowers on the plant stalks-in spikes, umbels, singly,
etc. The vegetative characteristics of the leaves, buds, and roots may also aid in
identification. The kind of sap, whether watery or milky; the shape of the leaves and
arrangement, whether alternate, opposite or whorled; the presence of petioles and stipules
should be noted.
If you know the plant is a member of a particular family, you have a good start to
identification.
Monocots
Araceae
family.
If the plant has a flower stalk with minute flowers in a spathe, check the arum
Equlscetaceae If a plant is leafless, with a straight, finely-ridged stem with joints at
regular intervals, check the horsetails
Liliaeeae If the flowers have parts in 3's and sepal and petals usually identical, check the
lily family.
Poaeeae, Cype,aceae, and Juncaceae
If the leaves are slender with parallel veins, check
the grasses, sedges and rushes. grasses have nodes, sedges have edges, rushes, usually
round have small, green, lily-like flowers and parts in 3' s
Dicots
Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
If flowers are tiny and in a broad, flat cluster at ends of stems
(compound umbels), check the parsley family. [usually hollow flower stalks]
Euphorbiaeeae, Papaveraceae, Apocynaceae and Asteraeeae If plant has milky juice,
check the spurge, dogbane, poppy families and a few in the sunflower family. [spurges
often have colored bracts, dogbanes have opposite leaves, tubular flowers with parts in
5's, poppies have petals in 4's with numerous stamens, and sunflowers: members of
dandelion subfamily have petals with parallel edges]
Amatanthaceae If plants have reddish stems, pokey flowers, and shiny black, red and
pale seeds, check the amaranthus
family.
Aristolochiaceae If plant is a low-growing dicot with tubular flowers and parts in 3' s,
check the birthwort family.
Asteraceae (Compositae) If the plant has a flower head with many small tube-like
flowers clustered on a common base, with perhaps an outer row of strap-shaped flowers,
check thesunflower family.
Boraginaceae, If plant stem and Jeaves ,are.bristly-hairy, check the borage family.
[flower parts in 5' s)
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Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) If plant hasalternate leaves and small four-part flowers in
white, yellow or purple, check the mustard family. [4 petals and 6 stamens: 4 tall, 2
short]
Campanulaceae
family.
If plant has bell-shaped flowers with parts in 5' s;check the harebell'
Caryophyllaceae If plant has opposite leaves that appear joined around swollen joints of
the plant stem, check the pink family. [flowers with split petal-ends and parts in 5's]
Caryophyllaceae If plant has round stem and leaves appear to be in whorls around plant
stem, check the pink family. [flowers with split petal-ends and parts in 5's]
.
Chenopodiaceae and Potulacaceae If plant has lens-shaped, black or dark brown, shiny
seeds; check thegoosefeot and purslane families. [goosefoot flowers with no petals;
purslane are succulent plants that grow in full sun with 2 sepals]
Convolvulaeeae .If the plant is vining with tubular, funnel-form flowers, parts in 5's..
sepals separate, petals united, check the morning-glory family.
Crassulaceae. If theplant is a small succulent with 3 or more simple pistils" check the
stonecrop family.
Cucurbitaeeae If the plant is vining with tendrils and has funnel-shaped flowers forming
large 3- or 4- celled fruit, check the gourd family.
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Dipsacaceae If the plant has aster-like blossoms with slightly irregular flowers, check
the teasel family.
Fabaceae (Leguminosae) If planthas compound leaves and flowers are typical pea
blossom shape, check the pea family. ["banner, wings, and keel," pea-like podsl
Fumariaceae If plant has irregular flowers with 2 sepals and 4 petals, check the
bleeding-beart family .:
Geranillceae If the plant has flower parts in 5;s with
stigma, check the geranium family.
a "stork's
bjU" pistil and a5-parted
.
Hydrophy/laceae lithe plant.is small and hairy with parts in 5's, united, check the
waterleaf family.
Hypericaceae If plant has yellow flowers with parts in 4' s or 5' s and opposite leaves
with clear dots, check the St. Johnswort family.
.
Lamiaceae (Labiatae) If plant has a square stem and leaves are opposite, check the mint
family. [usually aromatic]
.
Lobeliaceae If plant flowers are irregular with 2 petal lobes up and 3 down, check
lobelias. [actually subfamily of Companulaceae]
Malvaceae If the plants are mucilaginous and have flowers with 5 separate petals and
numerous stamens fused into a central column, check the mallow family.
Onagraceae If the plant has flower parts usually in 4's, including a 4-lobed stigma,
check the evening primrose family.
Oxalidaceae If the plant is small with shamrock leaves and flower parts, check the wood
sorrel family.
Plantaginaceae If plant appears to have leaves with parallel veins, but slender flower
stalks with small, greenish flowers with parts in 4' s, check the plantain family.
Polygonaceae If plant stem has a paper-like collar at the base of each leaf, check the
buckwheat family. [small flowers with colored sepals, no petals and often triangular
seeds]
Ranunculaceae If dicot plants have flowers with 3 or more hooked pistils, check the
buttercup family.
Rosaceae If the plant has flowers with 5 sepals and 5 petals with usually numerous
stamens and oval serrated leaves, check the rose family
Rubiaceae If plant has square stem, tiny, white, four-part flowers, and leaves are in
whorls around the plant stem, check the madder family. [fruits like small, green testicles]
Saxifragaceae If the plants are small with small flowers, parts in 5, plus an oblong pistil
with two styles, check the saxifrage family.
Scrophularaceae If flowers resemble those of snapdragon, check the figwort family.
[irregular flowers with 3 lobes down and 2 up, capsules with numerous seeds]
Solanaceae If the plant has alternate leaves and flower parts in 5' s with united sepals
and petals, check the nightshade family.
Urticaceae If the plant has squarish stems with opposite leaves and stinging hairs, check
the nettle family.
Verbenaceae If the plant has opposite or whorled leaves and flower parts in 5's, united
and slightly irregular, check the verbena family.
Violaceae If the plant has slightly irregularly pansy-like flowers and an exploding 3valved capsule, check the violet family.
Family members
#1 Lily: leeks, garlic, onions, asparagus, trillium, camas r iris, agave, aloe.
#2 Asters: lettuce, artichoke, goldenrods, tarragon, chamomile, daisy, tansy,
Sunflowers.
3. Euphorbia: spurges, poinsettia, castor bean( poisonous), ornamentals
#4 Rose: roses, strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, spireaea, ash .. hawthorne,
Fruits- plum, peaches, apricots, peaches, almonds, cherries, and apples.
#5 Mustards: radish ..alyssum, nasturtium, watercress, kale, cauliflower, brussel
Sprouts, bok choy, cabbage.
#6 Mint: basil, mints, salvias, monarda, nepeta, lamium, lavender, thyme,
Marjoram, rosemary, coleus.
#7 Apiaceae: fennel, parsley, dill, carrots, parsnip, celery, caraway, anise,
Water hemlock (poisonous)
#8 Legumes: peas, beans, lupine, clover, alfalfa, lotus (trefoil), nitrogen fixers
_Brooms, gorse. Woodies are mimosa, locust acacia, redbuds.
I
#9 Poa Grasses: corn, canary reed grass, lemon grass, phormiums, Cereal grains:
rice rye,
wheat,millet.