Plant Systematics Lab Practical

Polypodium virginianum

Monomorphic, long creeping rhizome, phyllopodia present. Indument: small scales at base of stipe and on rachis abaxially. Pinna with obtuse apices. Round, exindusiate sori with sporangiasters

Asplenium trichomanes

lithophyllic, rhizome is short creeping and scales clathrate, monomorphic, sori are linear along veins, indusium borne on one side (towards the leaf margin)

Asplenium rhizophyllum

rhizome erect or compact, monomorphic, indument: deltate scales at base, club-shaped hair distally. Frond: cordate base with long tapering apex. Sorus in medial position w/ round obtuse ends. Proliferous buds on fronds

Polystichum acrostichoides

indument: brown scales throughout, each pinna bears an acroscopic auricle, hemidimorphic, has round sori that then become a dense mat of sporangia of distal pinnae, indusium peltate

Dryopteris intermedia

petiole and rhizome covered in scales, plant covered in glandular hairs. Fronds: basal basiscopic pinnules, monomorphic, sorus is round and medial. Indument: reniform with glandular hairs

Dryopteris marginalis

scales in dense tuft at petiole base, monomorphic, sorus are on margin, indusium is smooth and reniform. frond has leathery texture

Epilithic

grows on the surface of rocks

Phyllopodia

persistant petiole base, a bump on the rhizome where next frond will grow

Exindusiate 

no indusium

sporangiasters

non-reproductive thing in sorus

lithophytic

grows on rocks

clathrate

refering to scales: cells have thin, transparent surface walls and thickened lateral walls

acroscopic auricle

on side closest to apex (or pointing towards apex). enlarged lobe at base of the pinna

peltate indusium 

umbrella-shaped indusium, grows out of sorus and protects it 

glandular hairs

hairs that can secrete oils or other substances

basal basiscopic pinnules

basal pinnule of lowest pinna is shorter than the adjacent pinna 

reniform

bean shaped

Diphasiastrum digitatum

Leaves microphyllous, monomorphic in 4 ranks, fused but with free tips, pedunculate, yellow strobilus

Decodon verticillatus

Stem bases spongy-inflated and woody, tristylous, pedicels longer than hypanthia, calyx persistent

Andromeda polifolia var. latifolia

leaves estipulate, petiolate, mucro at apex, coriaceous, strongly glaucous, marigin revolute. Flowers pendulous, corolla urceolate 

Larix laricina

coniferous, deciduous tree, platey bark, needles clustered at tip of short shoots, has cones, no umbo

Sarracenia purpurea

leaves spiral, thick, modified into hollow cylindrical pitchers w/ an elongate keel and a terminal, retrorse hairs internally, carpels connate

Tristylous

3 different style lengths and stamens in 2 unequal series complementary to style length in each flower

Pedicel

the stalk that attaches to an individual flower

Persistant calyx

sepals remain attached and don’t fall off after flowering

Pedunculate

with stalks, not sessile

Strobilus

cylindrical fertile cone that bores sporangia, which contain spores

Monophyletic

a group composed of a common ancestor and all of its descendants

Microphylls

leaves only have a single, central vein, and are always sessile (no stalk or petiole)

Coriaceous

leaves feel leathery

Glaucous

covered with a grey-blue-or white waxy coating that can be rubbed off

Revolute

leaf margin curves adaxially

Urceolate 

urn-shaped

Umbo

referring to if cone has a pointy tip or not

Retrorse

hairs directed backwards (downward)

Zanthoxylum americanum

stems and leaves have spines (leaves have paired spines), leaves crenate with pellucid dots. Flowers dioecious, inflorescence is a compact cluster of flowers

Quercus macrocarpa

leaves undulate margins, often pinnatifid, adaxially dark green and glabrous, abaxially pale and densely tomentose. Monoecious, has largest acorns of any oak

Cyperus squarrosus

clump forming, stem is 3-sided and glabrous, leaves basal and flat to v-shape in a cross section. Inflorescence are clustered (6-20 spikelets and 2-3 bracts at base of clusters)

Sparganium eurycarpum 

Stem is erect, leaves basal and triangular in cross section. Fruit is aggregate of pyramidal achenes (triangle shape), inflorescence is apical and axillary spherical heads 

Butomus umbellatus

Aquatic, rhizomatous, survives in water up to 10ft, leaves are 3-sided and basal (floating or submerged), leaves very sharp

Dioecious

male and female plants, a plant either has staminate or pistillate flowers.

Pellucid dots

full of ethereal oils

Tomentose

stellate hairs (star shaped hairs)

Spikelet

flower of Cyperaceae

Rachilla

stalk of the central spikelet

Vitis riparia

liana, leaves simple and alternate, lobed, dentate margins, tendrils, abaxial surface of leaves hairy, leaf shape varies w/ climbing/trailing leaves. compound receme

Equisetum hyemale

photosynthetic stems, monomorphic, terminal strobilus made up of sporangiophores, has green photosynthetic spores with elaters

Symphyotrichum novae-angliae

stem covered in glandular hairs, leaves sessile, ciliate, and auriculate and has glandular hairs. Inflorescence capitula, phyllaries with stalked glands, involucre campanulate. Disk flowers (have connate fusion) and ray flowers

Reynoutria japonica

quickly colonizes via rhizome, stems: glabrous and zigzagging and swollen nodes, inflorescence is axillary spikes or panicle, fruit is winged achene

Penthorum sedoides

spreads via stolon, stem had indument, inflorescence is terminal cymes, flower actinomorphic, ovary partially inferior, fruit aggregate

glabrous

smooth, no hairs or scales

Glandular hairs

produce oils, protecting against predators 

Ciliate

having straight, erect hairs on a margin or ridge

Auriculate

ear shaped appendage at the base of the leaf

capitula

flower head

Campanulate 

bell shaped

phyllaries with stalked glands

phyllaries are leaf like structures (bracts) at the base of the flower head.

Strobilus

reproductive structure that bears spores or seeds

Sporangiophores

bare sporangia underneath

Elaters 

spore appendages that expand allowing for better wind dispersal and coil when humid, 

Circumboreal

in sandy places

Abaxial

underside of the leaf

Impatiens capensis

flowers are orange parianth, stem has no indument (no hairs or scales), leaves are ellipsoid shape with weakly serrate margins

Amorpha fruticosa

Fruit is a legume, leaves are odd-pinnate (extra leaf at tip of leaf) and leaf midrib extends as small mucro (point)

Cephalanthus occidentalis

Leaves are opposite or whorled, interpetiolar stipules, fruits are buoyant for water dispersal. Inferior ovary

Apocynum cannabinum

Produces white latex/milky sap when broken, cells with laticifers, seeds are comose, paired follicles

Polygonum articulatum

Nearly leafless, has ocrea (a fused sheathing stipule), has swollen nodes

legume

dry fruit derived from a single carpel that opens along two seams

perianth

= calyx (sepals)& corolla (petals), the outer part of the flower (nonreproductive parts)

laticifers

cells that contain latex

comose

a tuft of hair is attached to the seed for wind dispersal

paired follicles

single carpel that opens along a single seam

Ocrea

a fused sheathing stipule

inferior ovary

when the ovary is present below the attachment point of the other flower parts

Solanum dulcamara

Leaves: alternate simple to compound, petals purple and reflexed, buzz-pollinated, fruit: axile placentation. Variants not recognized in latest monograph

Laportea canadensis

stem: indument (hairs), flowers: actinomorphic, imperfect 4-5 merous (5 for staminate) and single ovary, fruit is an achene. Stings (formic acid stored in trichomes

Matteucia struthiopteris

ascending to erect rhizome, fertile fronds go from green to brown, stem has scales, deep groove on abaxial stripe

Acer negundo 

Leaves: deciduous, pinnately compound, and paler abaxialy. Inflorescence: receme. Flower: imperfect and dioecious, superior ovary. Fruit: samaroid schizocarps

Humulus japonicus

retroflexed prickles and bracts at petiole base. Palmately lobed, dentate. Flower: dioecious and no petals, female is short catkin and hairy bracts, male is panicle 5-merous. Fruit: achene, apical placentation

Onoclea sensibilis

Stem: long, creeping rhizome. Leaves: once-pinnate to pinnatifid, dimorphic, anastomosing veins, winged rachis/midrib, 2 vascular bundles.

Rhus hirta

needle-shaped acicular hairs. Fruit: red, hairy drupe, animal dispersal (birds). Leaves: pinnate, red petiole and rachis covered in hairs. Radial, 5-merous flowers, superior ovary

Sicyos angulatus

Stem: covered in needle shaped (acicular) hairs. Branched tendril, lobed palmate leaves. Imperfect flowers, inferior ovary. Fruit: prickly capsule (animal dispersal)

Carya ovata

Tree, bark is plated. Pinnately compound w/ obovate leaves. Inflorescence: ament, unisexual. Flower: no petals or sepals, have bracts. Inferior ovary. Fruit: nut (1-seeded), w/ thick exocarp, enclosed in a husk

Thuja occidentalis

Tough, stringy bark. Mature leaves, 4-ranked: (1 dorsal, 1 ventral and 2 latera). dorsal leaves with large resinous glands. Ovulate cones, winged seeds

Ament

Raceme w/ apetalous (no petals) flowers that droop toward the ground

Staminate

has stamen only (which produce pollen)

Pistillate

has pistils only (female parts)

Pinnatifid 

when the leaf blade isn’t cut all the way to the midrib

Dimorphic

fertile and sterile leaves

anastomosing veins

net-like veins

spore

individual reproductive unit

Sporangium 

the case that contains the spores

Sorus

collection of sporangia; usually appearing as a dark spot on the lower surfaces of the leaves

axile placentation

seeds attached along central column in carpel

reflexed

pointing away

buzz-pollinated

pollinated by vibrations of a bee

actinomorphic

flower, capable of being divided by more than one line passing through middle of flower

Stipe

petiole of a fern

Pinna(e)

leaflet of a fern