Angiosperms and Gymnosperms Botany Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering plant taxonomy, floral and fruit morphology, angiosperm families (Eudicots & Magnoliids), and gymnosperm groups.

Eudicots

A major clade of flowering plants (true dicots) characterized by having $2$ seed leaves (cotyledons) and tricolpate pollen.

Stipules

Leaf-like appendages attached at the base of the petiole on some flowering plants.

Carpel

The female reproductive structure of a flower, consisting of a stigma, style, and ovary containing ovules.

Fruit

A mature ovary enclosing seeds, produced exclusively by flowering plants.

Pome

A fleshy fruit derived from a hypanthium, containing multiple seeds (e.g., an apple).

Berry

A simple fleshy fruit containing more than $1$ seed without a stony inner layer.

Drupe

A simple fleshy fruit containing a single seed enclosed within a hard, stony pit (endocarp).

Legume

A dry fruit originating from a single carpel with one compartment that opens along two lines, containing seeds arranged in a single row.

Follicle

A dry fruit originating from a single carpel with one compartment that opens along only one line.

Samara

A small, dry, one-seeded fruit possessing a flattened wing-like membrane for wind dispersal.

Aggregate Fruit

A fruit formed from the fusion of multiple separate ovaries belonging to a single flower.

Multiple Fruit

A fruit formed from the combined ovaries of multiple distinct flowers within an inflorescence.

Dioecious

The plant reproductive condition in which distinct male and female organs are borne on separate individual plants.

Monoecious

The plant reproductive condition in which separate male and female flowers or cones are borne on the same individual plant.

Gymnosperms

Vascular plants whose seeds are not enclosed within an ovary, borne on separate structures (usually cones), and typically having simple, needle-like or scale-like leaves.

Megasporophylls

Leaf-like structures that produce female sporangia and seeds, which in Cycadaceae remain unorganized into a compact cone.

Dichotomous Venation

A leaf venation pattern where veins repeatedly fork into equal pairs, characteristic of Ginkgo biloba.

Pulvinus

A region of swollen cells located at the base of petioles or leaflets in Fabaceae that enables movement in response to light, stress, or nightfall.

Valvate Anthers

Anthers that open by hinged flaps or valves to release pollen, found in families such as Lauraceae and Berberidaceae.

Tendrils

Slender, curly stem or leaf structures on climbing vines that wrap around support objects to aid climbing.

Hypericaceae

A family of herbs and shrubs with simple, opposite, entire leaves containing translucent resin dots, showy yellow flowers with numerous stamens, and capsule fruits used medicinally for depression.

Hypericum hypericoides

St. Andrew's cross; a species in Hypericaceae characterized by simple opposite leaves and yellow four-petaled flowers.

Salicaceae

The willow family; dioecious woody plants growing near water, featuring simple alternate leaves with stipules, male and female catkins, hairy-seeded capsules, and serving as the original source of aspirin.

Salix nigra

Black willow; a native tree with linear leaves green on both sides, round pith, one bud scale, and caducous stipules.

Salix caroliniana

Carolina willow; a species featuring linear leaves that are white underneath and persistent stipules.

Populus deltoides

Eastern cottonwood; a Salicaceae tree featuring broad triangular leaves, deeply grooved bark, angled/pentagonal pith, and multiple bud scales.

Fabaceae

The legume family; plants with alternate compound leaves, stipules, pulvini, nitrogen-fixing root nodules, and single-carpel legume fruits.

Albizia julibrissin

Silktree; a non-native Fabaceae tree with bipinnately compound leaves whose small leaflets fold up, puffball flowers, and flat papery legumes.

Gleditsia triacanthos

Honeylocust; a Fabaceae tree equipped with branched thorns, pinnate and bipinnately compound leaves, and long, soft-hairy, curly legumes.

Cercis canadensis

Eastern redbud; a Fabaceae tree featuring simple cordate leaves, dark zig-zag twigs, pink-purple flowers, and short flat legumes.

Gymnocladus dioicus

Kentucky coffeetree; a Fabaceae tree with bipinnately compound leaves, thick legumes, and bark with curly, peeling chips.

Robinia pseudoacacia

Black locust; a Fabaceae tree with pinnately compound leaves, paired stipular spines, deeply grooved bark, oval leaflets, and short flat legumes.

Cladrastis kentukea

Yellowwood; a Fabaceae tree featuring pinnately compound leaves with alternate leaflets and smooth zig-zag twigs.

Magnoliaceae

A family of trees featuring simple alternate leaves, stipules encircling the twigs, large solitary flowers with numerous parts, and aggregate fruits arranged on an elongated axis.

Magnolia grandiflora

Southern magnolia; an evergreen tree with thick, glossy, entire leaves with rusty-haired undersides, producing an aggregate of follicles with arillate seeds.

Liriodendron tulipifera

Tuliptree / tulip poplar; a tall, straight tree with smooth, uniquely $4$-lobed leaves, producing an aggregate fruit composed of winged samaras.

Annonaceae

A mostly tropical family characterized by alternate simple entire leaves, no stipules, naked buds, $3$-merous flowers, and aggregate berry fruits.

Asimina triloba

Pawpaw; Missouri's state fruit tree in Annonaceae, featuring long rusty-hairy naked terminal buds, obovate-lanceolate leaves, and large edible aggregate berries.

Lauraceae

The laurel family; aromatic woody plants with alternate simple leaves, valvate anthers, and drupe fruits, including bay leaves, cinnamon, and avocado.

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras; an aromatic Lauraceae tree with green smooth twigs, variably lobed leaves with smooth margins, and small blue drupes borne on red pedicels.

Lindera benzoin

Northern spicebush; an aromatic Lauraceae shrub featuring simple, alternate, entire leaves and red ovoid drupes.

Berberidaceae

The barberry family; spiny shrubs or herbs with yellow inner wood, valvate anthers, and berry fruits.

Berberis thunbergii

Japanese barberry; a spiny shrub featuring modified-leaf spines, short shoots, small spoon-shaped alternate leaves, and red ovoid berries.

Ranunculaceae

The buttercup family; mostly herbaceous plants characterized by having numerous stamens and aggregate fruits composed of achenes or follicles.

Clematis

Virgin's bower; the main woody genus in Ranunculaceae, consisting of vines or subshrubs with opposite compound leaves and aggregate fruits of feather-tailed achenes.

Platanaceae

The sycamore family; monoecious trees with alternate simple palmately lobed leaves, stipule scars encircling the twig, subpetiolar buds, peeling multicolored bark, and bristly spherical multiple achenes.

Platanus occidentalis

American sycamore; a native tree species in Platanaceae.

Altingiaceae

The sweetgum family, represented by Liquidambar styraciflua, featuring alternate simple palmately lobed leaves, monoecious spherical flower heads, beaked $2$-carpeled multiple capsules, and yielding storax resin.

Hamamelidaceae

The witch hazel family; shrubs or small trees with alternate simple leaves with rounded teeth, hairy stalked naked buds, $4$ long petals, and capsule fruits used to make witch hazel astringent.

Hamamelis vernalis

Ozark witchhazel; a native Hamamelidaceae shrub featuring pink-centered flowers that bloom early in the year.

Grossulariaceae

The currant family, represented by Ribes missouriense, comprising shrubs with alternate, serrate, palmately lobed leaves, epidermal spines or prickles, and edible berries.

Vitaceae

The grape family; woody vines possessing tendrils, alternate simple or compound leaves, brown twigs, and fleshy berry or drupe fruits.

Vitis

Grape; a Vitaceae genus of vines featuring simple palmately lobed leaves, brown pith, tendrils, and fruit arranged in panicles.

Ampelopsis cordata

Heartleaf peppervine; a Vitaceae vine featuring cordate leaves, white pith, broad inflorescences, and drupe-like berries.

Parthenocissus quinquefolia

Virginia creeper; a Vitaceae vine with palmately compound leaves, tendrils modified into adhesive suckers, and dark berries.

Celastraceae

The staff-tree family; plants featuring simple serrate leaves and colorful capsule fruits containing arillate seeds.

Euonymus atropurpureus

Wahoo; a native Celastraceae small tree featuring green stems, opposite leaves, and smooth magenta capsule fruits.

Euonymus fortunei

Wintercreeper; an invasive evergreen trailing vine in Celastraceae with white capsules containing orange arils.

Euonymus alatus

Burningbush; a Celastraceae shrub featuring prominent corky-winged stems and small deciduous leaves displaying bright red fall foliage.

Celastrus scandens

American bittersweet; a native woody vine in Celastraceae with brown stems, alternate simple leaves, and colorful orange/red arillate fruits.

Cycads

A group of dioecious gymnosperms characterized by unbranched trunks, large pinnately compound leaves borne in a crown, and microsporophylls organized into strobili.

Ginkgo biloba

Maidenhair tree; the single surviving species of Ginkgoaceae, a dioecious gymnosperm tree with fan-shaped leaves, dichotomous venation, and fleshy, foul-smelling female seeds used to support blood circulation.

Ephedraceae

A gymnosperm family (Ephedra) of desert shrubs or vines with jointed photosynthetic stems, whorled scale-like leaves, striate pollen, and fleshy cones; source of the asthma medication ephedrine.

Taxaceae

The yew family (Taxus); dioecious shrubs or trees with alternate flat needles and solitary seeds surrounded by a fleshy red aril; source of the anti-cancer drug Taxol.

Pinaceae

The pine family; monoecious resinous conifers featuring needle leaves, woody female cones with $2$ seeds per scale, and winged pollen; economic source of pine nuts and turpentine.

Pinus strobus

Eastern white pine; a Pinaceae tree characterized by soft needles arranged in fascicles of $5$ and long, unarmed woody cones.

Pinus echinata

Shortleaf pine; Missouri's only native pine species, possessing needles in fascicles of $2$ or $3$ and small egg-shaped cones with prickly scales.

Picea

Spruce; a Pinaceae genus featuring square needles attached to persistent woody pegs (sterigmata) and papery-scaled cones, without fascicles.

Picea pungens

Blue spruce; a Pinaceae tree featuring stiff, glaucous blue-green needles and medium-sized cones with papery, jagged scales.

Tsuga canadensis

Eastern hemlock; a Pinaceae conifer featuring short, flat, rounded needles and small woody cones.

Cedrus

True cedar; a Pinaceae genus of evergreens featuring dense clusters of needles borne on short shoots and large, upright woody cones.

Cupressaceae

The cypress family; evergreen or deciduous conifers with opposite, whorled, or alternate scale-like or needle-like leaves, and peltate scales producing $1$ to $15$ ovules per scale.

Juniperus virginiana

Eastern redcedar; an evergreen Cupressaceae tree with opposite or whorled scale-like leaves and fleshy blue glaucous cones; used as a flavoring for gin.

Taxodium distichum

Bald cypress; a swamp-dwelling Cupressaceae tree featuring aerial root knees, alternate deciduous branchlets with distichous flat needles, and woody globose cones.

Metasequoia glyptostroboides

Dawn redwood; a deciduous Cupressaceae tree native to China featuring opposite, distichous, flat needles and woody oval cones.

Podocarpaceae

A mostly tropical conifer family featuring spirally arranged flat linear-lanceolate leaves, dioecious female cones with a fleshy receptacle, and containing the only parasitic conifer.

Araucaria heterophylla

Norfolk Island pine; an ornamental conifer species in the family Araucariaceae.

Compound Female Cone

The female reproductive structure of conifers, in which woody seed scales represent modified branches.