Araceae Family







Monocots
Rhizomatous or tuberous herbs, produce adventitious roots
Usually contain calcium oxalate crystals and commonly have milky sap
Leaves
o often broad with netted venation
o simple or compound
o petiole of leaf has membranous sheathing base
Flowers
o has dense mass of apetalous flowers on central spadix
o often enclosed in leaf-like spathe which can be brightly colored
Fruit
o a berry, containing 1 to many seeds
examples of plants in this family
o Indoor foliage plants: Spathiphyllum, Epipremnum, Monstera
o Herbaceous plants: see our ID list
Araliaceae Family



Leaves
o alternate or on rare occasions opposite
o sometimes lobed
o palmately or pinnately compound
o the base of the petiole often sheathed and with small stipules present.
Flowers
o often in umbels or other types of clusters: rarely in heads, racemes or spikes
Fruit
o a berry or drupe that sometimes splits onto oneseeded segments
 Very similar to the Apiaceae and in the past included this
family
 There are often prickly or stellate hairs on the vegetative
parts
 Examples of plants in this family
o Indoor foliage plants: Hedera helix, Aralia house
plants
o Herbaceous plants: See ID list
Euphorbiaceae Family







Spurge family
Herbs, shrubs and trees, sometimes succulent and cactus-like
One of the largest families of plants with about 300 genera and 7,500 species
Milky sap
Leaves
o mostly alternate but may be opposite or whorled
o simple or compound
o sometimes highly reduced
o colored leaves (bracts) often mistaken as the flowers
Flowers
o specialized type of miniature inflorescence called a cyathium occurs in
about 1,500 of the species in the genera Euphorbia and Chamaesyce
o consists of a single female flower with a 3-lobed ovary surrounded by a
number of male flowers consisting of a single stamen each
o male cyathia may have colorful bracts that resemble petals (eg: Euphorbia
milii, crown of thorns)
o flowers all enclosed in cup-like structure (involucre)
examples of plants in this family
o
indoor foliage plants: Euphorbia pulcherrima, Euphorbia milii
o
herbaceous plants: castor bean, see ID list
Lamiaceae Family





At least 180 genera and more than 3,500 different species in this dicot family of
perennials and annuals.
Stems
o 4-sided, square
o Foliage
o aromatic
o opposite, simple and toothed
o if teeth are pointed, the plant tends to have a minty odor
o If teeth are rounded, plant does not have a minty odor
Flowers
o Form whorl on spike, sometimes appears as a head as in Monarda genus
Fruit
o Group of 4 one-seeded nutlets, enclosed by calyx
Examples of plants in this family
o herbs: spearmint, peppermint, sage, thyme, rosemary, patchouli
o ornamental plants: coleus, salvia, hyssop, catnip