Important plant families

302, class 8

Anacardiaceae…

the sumac family

what are some exs and characteristics of anacardiaceae fam

ex. cashews, pistachios, mangos, poison ivy, poison oak, sumacs, family with over 600 species

characteristics:

• Habit: tree, shrub, and lianas

• Leaves: compound

• Inflorescence: inconspicuous

• Reproduction: dioicous

• Fruits: drupes

• Resin ducts exude gums/resin that turn black when exposed to O2, and are skin irritants (like urushio

what is the holly family

aquifoliaceae

what plants are in the holly familiy?

american holly, yaupon

characteristics of the aquifoliaceae fam

• Habit: trees or shrubs

• Leaves: alternate, usually evergreen and sometimes toothed

• Inflorescence: usually a cyme or umbel

• Flowers lack nectary disks

• Reproduction: dioecious

• Fruits: drupes (though they look like berries) • Ilex wood is valuable for woodworking

asteraceae family

sunflower/daisy family

characteristics of the asteraceae fam

One of the largest plant families (THE largest) • >25,000 species

• Habit: variable

• Leaves: variable (but usually simple)

• Inflorescence: always a head of ray and disc florets subtended by an involucre of bracts

• Reproduction: synecious (disc florets bisexual, ray florets unisexual)

• Fruits: achene

what are important tribes in the asteraceae fam 

• anthemideae

• astereae

• eupatorieae

• heliantheae

  • sencioneae 

what is the goosefoot fam?

chenopodiaceae

what plants are in the chenopodiaceae fam

saltbush, halogenton, russian prickly thistle

characteristics of the goosefoot family? 

• Habit: variable

• Leaves: usually alternate and flat

• Inflorescence: usually inconspicuous

• Reproduction: monoecious

• some are dioicous like Atriplex

• Fruits: achene

• common in deserts and saline soils