APG has removed Capparidaceae and Cleomaceae from the
Brassicaceae clade (we will use this updated description - it also is the most common description)
Habit: Herbs w/ pungent watery juice
Leaves: Alternate, Simple, often dissected, Exstipulate.
Hairs: Pubescence of simple to stellate hairs
Inflorescence: Racemes (rarely solitary)
Flowers (overall): Perfect, Actinomnorphic, Bisexual
Calyx: 4 distinct sepals
Corolla: 4 distinct petals, arranged in a cross, elongate claw

Androecium: 6 stamens total, 4 long, 2 short (tetradynamous)
Gynoecium: 2 connate carpels, 2 stigmas, thick rim (replum) , false septum
Placentation: parietal
Fruit: Silicle, silique, often dehiscent at replum
Pollination regime: Bees, flies, butterflies, moths, beetles - gather nectar
Interesting Species: radish, mustard, horseradish cabbage, kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kohlrabi. Canola oil ( Brassica napus )
Other comments: Glucosinolates (mustard oil), hard key to species without fruit.
Gestalt: Cross shape, 4 long + 2 short filiments

Lobularia maritima, sweet alyssum. Note the typical 4-parted perianth, the androecium of 4 long and 2 short stamens, and the capitate stigma.

Fl: Perfect, actinomorphic, bisexual

We will focus mostly on the traditional "Malvaceae" (sub-family Malvoideae) but there are examples of "Bombaceae" (Kapok) and "Sterculiaceae" (Cacao) in the green house (big trees). "Tiliaceae" contains the Basswood tree,
Fremontodendron is a distinctive local "Sterculiaceae". The description below is for the sub-family Malvoideae but mostly applies to Fremontodendron as well.
Habit: Herbs, shrubs (mucilaginous sap)
Hairs: Stellate pubsence on leaves
Leaves: Alternate, Simple, Palmately lobed and/or Palmately veined. Stipulate
Inflorescence: Various, often subtended by bracts
Flowers (overall): Perfect, showy
Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic

Calyx: 3 - 5 sepals more or less united
Corolla: 5 free petals, often united at base and to staminal tube.
Androecium: Numerous monodelphous stamens (staminal tube)
Gynoecium: 1 to many carpels (often 5), connate, ovary superior, capitate or lobed stigma
Placentation: axile
Fruit: Schitzocarp (splits into segments) or capsule
Pollination regime: Bees, wasps, ants, flies, , moths, birds, bats - nectar reward.
Interesting Species: Hibiscus, Marshmallow, Okra, Cotton [Cacao, Cola, Kapok,
Gestalt: Monodelphous stamens, Palmate lobed leaves, Stellate pubsence on leaves

Napaea sp.
Iliamna sp .

Cotton

Okra (Hibiscus esculentus)

Habit: Herbs
Leaves: Simple, Opposite, Alternate, Whorled or Basal
Inflorescence: Various
Flowers (overall): Bisexual, tubular, pinwheel or reflexed
Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic
Calyx: 5 connate sepals
Corolla: 5 connate petals, imbricate (overlaping)

Androecium: 5 epipetalous stamens, opposite petal lobes
Gynoecium: 5 connate carpels, Heterostylous, ovary superior
Placentation: free-central
Fruit: capsule
Pollination regime: Showy flowers insect pollinated
Interesting Species: Dedecatheon, Primula, Trientalis, Anagalis
Gestalt: Showy flowers, 5-5-5-5, Opposite epipetalous stamens, imbricate petals

Pinwheel flower
Epipetalous opposite stamens

Tubular flower
Epipetalous opposite stamens

Fruit a capsule

Trientalis sp .

Habit: Herbs (shrubs)
Leaves: liner or various
Inflorescence: Various
Flowers (overall): Bisexual
Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic (slight irregularity)
Calyx: 5 united sepals, transparant membrane
Corolla: 5 united petals, pinwheel

Androecium: 5 epipetalous stamens, altenate petal lobes, sometimes exserted, blue pollen common
Gynoecium: 3 united carpels, ovary superior, 3 stigmas (rarely 2)
Placentation: axile
Fruit: Capsule
Pollination regime: Bees, flies, beetles, butterflies, moths, birds, bats.
Other comments: Lots of species in the arid SW, 1/2 the species are in
CA.
Gestalt: 5-5-5-3 united, 3 stigmas, stamens attached at multiple levels alternate epipetaqlous stamens, colorful corollas

Epipetalous stamens
Opposite.
Blue pollen
Pin wheel flower

Exserted stamens, blue pollen

3 sigmas

Pin wheel flower
Linear leaves
3 stigmas

Habit:Trees or shrubs, often in acidic soil
Leaves: Alternate, simple, exstipulate, often evergreen
Roots: often with mycorrhizal fungi
Inflorescence: Solitary, racemes (various others)
Flowers (overall): Bisexual, Urn shaped or showy bell/funnel shape
Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic to slightly zygomorphic
Calyx: 4-5 united sepals
Corolla:4-5 connate petals (sometimes distinct)

Androecium: 8-10 mostly distinct staments, opening by apical pores
Gynoecium: 4-5 connate carpels, superior or inferior ovary
Placentation: Axile
Fruit: Capsule, drupe or berry
Pollination regime: bees, wasps (sometimes birds)
Other comments: Connate petals but stamens more numerouis than corrola lobes, not epipetalous
Interesting Species: Rhododendron, Manzanita, Salal, Madrone, Blueberry,
Huckleberry
Gestalt: Woody or shrubby, alternate leaves, Urn shape or showy bell or funnel shape flowers, stamens distinct, terminal pores on anthers ("shotgun")

Inferior ovary sepals

Habit: Nongreen saprophytic or parasitic herbs
Leaves: Reduced to scales
Inflorescence: Solitary to capitate
Flowers (overall): Bisexual, Actinomorphic
Calyx: 2-6 sepals
Corolla: 3-6 connate or distinct petals
Androecium: 6-12 distinct stamens
Gynoecium: 4-6 connate carpels, Superior ovary, capitate stigma
Interesting Species: Snow plant (blood red spike), Indian pipe (waxy white)
Gestalt: White, yellow, brown or fleshy herbs lacking chlorophyll, scaley leaves.

Habit: Perennial herbs, N. Temperate forest
Leaves: Alternate to whorled, evergreen
Flowers (overall): Bisexual
Floral Symmetry: Actinomorphic
Calyx: 4-5 sepals
Corolla: 4-5 distinct petals (sometimes united at base)
Gynoecium: 4-5 connate carpels, 5 lobed stigma, Superior ovary
Interesting Species: 4 genera Chimaphilla, Moneses, Pyrola, Orthilia
Other comments: White flowers in summer. N. temperate forest floor, Arctic
Gestalt: White flowers in summer. N. temperate forest floor, Arctic, evergreen