Herbaceous Plant Families

Front 1

Acanthaceae

Back 1

- Royal Plant Family; 5-lobed; seeds born on little hooks; showy bracts

Front 2

Aizoaceae

Back 2

- Living Stone Family; fleshy leaves and stems; daisy flowers

Front 3

Alliaceae

Back 3

- Formerly of Liliaceae; perennial; aromatic leaves often onion-scented; umbel flowers; 3 carpel ovary

Front 4

Aloaceae

Back 4

- Formerly in Liliaceae; succulent perennials; 3-merous; fleshy leaves in a basal whorl

Front 5

Amaranthaceae

Back 5

- Scarious imbricate flowers; highly colored foliage

Front 6

Amaryllidaceae

Back 6

- Daffodil Family; storage organs; 3-merous; drought tolerant; strap leaves; trumpet flowers; inferior ovary

Front 7

Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

Back 7

- Carrot Family; flowers in umbels or cymes, weedy looking

Front 8

Apocynaceae

Back 8

- Dogbane Family; Funnel form flowers; milky sap; simple, opposite leaves

Front 9

Araceae

Back 9

- Aroid Family; spathe and spadix; entire lobed leaves

Front 10

Araliaceae

Back 10

- Ginseng Family; insignificant flowers; compound leaves; medicinal

Front 11

Asclepiadaceae

Back 11

- Milkweed Family; milky juice; waxy flower; frequently vine-like

Front 12

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Back 12

- Daisy Family; ray and disk flowers; one of the largest plant families; variable foliage

Front 13

Balsaminaceae

Back 13

-Balsam Family; 5-merous; simple leaves; elastically dehiscent capsule; irregular flowers

Front 14

Begoniaceae

Back 14

- Palmately lobed leaves; succulent stems and leaves; swollen nodes tinged in red

Front 15

Boraginaceae

Back 15

- Flowers in helicoiad cymes; foliage with coarse hairs; 5-merous; 4-lobed ovary

Front 16

Brassicaceae (Cruciferae)

Back 16

- Mustard Family; clawed, 4-merous flowers; cool-seasoned plants

Front 17

Buxaceae

Back 17

- Box family; usually shrubs; leathery foliage; 3-merous

Front 18

Cannaceae

Back 18

- Large entire leaves; pernating root system; stately; flowers in spikes

Front 19

Caryophyllaceae

Back 19

- Sheathing leaves; gray-green foliage; prominent nodes

Front 20

Cleomaceae

Back 20

- Formerly in Capparaceae; glandular, resinous; irregular flowers; silique fruit

Front 21

Clusiaceae

Back 21

- St. John’s Wort Family; foliage reveals dark spots when held up to a light source; sepals are clawed at the base

Front 22

Commelinaceae

Back 22

- Spiderwort Family; purple color; sheathing leaves; mucilaginous sap

Front 23

Convolvulaceae

Back 23

- Morning Glory Family; frequently a herbaceous vine; funnel-shaped flowers; 5-merous; twisted in the bud

Front 24

Crassulaceae

Back 24

- Succulent leaves and stems with a waxy bloom; clusters of star-like flowers; CAM plant

Front 25

Dipsacaceae

Back 25

- Teaseal Family; Pappus-like flowers; mounding heads

Front 26

Euphorbiaceae

Back 26

- Colorful bracts; milky juice

Front 27

Fabaceae (Leguminosae)

Back 27

- Pea Family; leaves pinnately compound; 5 irregular petals; pouch or papilionaceous flower; pod fruit

Front 28

Geraniaceae

Back 28

- Beaked fruit; variable foliage; may be highly scented

Front 29

Iridaceae

Back 29

- Iris Family; pernating rootstock; spike flowers; strap-like leaves

Front 30

Lamiaceae (Labiatae)

Back 30

- Mint Family; square stems; opposite leaves; spike flowers

Front 31

Liliaceae (Alliaceae)

Back 31

- Lily Family; strap-like leaves; fleshy roots; superior ovary; trumpet-like flowers

Front 32

Lobeliaceae

Back 32

- Lobelia Family; milky sap; leaves are alternate and simple

Front 33

Lythraceae

Back 33

- Crape Myrtle Family; petals have a crumpled appearance; leaves are simple and entire

Front 34

Nyctaginaceae

Back 34

- Four-O’clock Family; Flowers usually in bracts; simple leaves

Front 35

Onagraceae

Back 35

- Evening Primrose Family; 4 part flowers and 4 part stigma

Front 36

Plumbaginaceae

Back 36

- Leadwort Family; limestone or alkaline situations

Front 37

Polemoniaceae

Back 37

- Phlox Family; mostly annuals; 5-merous; ovary has 3 fused carpels

Front 38

Poaceae (Graminae)

Back 38

- Flowers in spikes, panicles, or racemes; parallel veins; linear, hollow stems

Front 39

Portulaceae

Back 39

- Purslane Family; glabrous, succulent leaves

Front 40

Primulaceae

Back 40

- Primrose Family; Salverform, 5-merous flowers; variable leaves

Front 41

Rosaceae

Back 41

- Rose Family; simple or compound leaves; numerous stamens; thorns; edible fruit

Front 42

Rubiaceae

Back 42

- Madder Family; petioles united at the base; fused petals; flowers may be quite variable

Front 43

Rutaceae

Back 43

- Citrus Family; aromatic; glossy foliage

Front 44

Saxifragaceae

Back 44

- Opposite leaves often lobed or toothed; showy flowers; similar to Rosaceae but not as many stamens or petals

Front 45

Scrophulariaceae

Back 45

- Snapdragon Family; square stems; leaves opposite, alternate or whorled; irregular flowers

Front 46

Solanaceae

Back 46

- Nightshade Family; alternate leaves; wheel-shaped flowers; 5-merous; edible and poisonous members

Front 47

Verbenaceae

Back 47

- Vervain Family; opposite leaves; irregular flowers; 4-5 fused petals; 2 lobed stigma

Front 48

Violaceae

Back 48

- Basal, simple leaves, irregular flowers, may be spurred