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Taxonomy

Genera

Aconitum

Herbs, perennial, from tubers or elongate, fascicled roots. Leaves basal and cauline, proximal leaves petiolate, distal leaves sessile or nearly so; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade palmately divided into 3-7 segments, ultimate segments narrowly elliptic or lanceolate to linear, margins incised and toothed. Inflorescences terminal, sometimes also axillary, 1-32(-more) racemes or panicles, to 28 cm; bracts leaflike, not forming involucre. Flowers bisexual, bilaterally symmetric; sepals not persistent in fruit; lower sepals (pendents) 2, plane, 6-20 mm; lateral sepals 2, round-reniform; upper sepal (hood) 1, saccate, arched, crescent-shaped or hemispheric to rounded-conic or tall and cylindric, usually beaked, 10-50 mm; petals 2, distinct, bearing near apex a capitate to coiled spur, concealed in hood, long-clawed; nectary present, on spur; stamens 25-50; filaments with base expanded; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistils 3(-5), simple; ovules 10-20 per pistil; style present. Fruits follicles, aggregate, sessile, oblong, sides prominently transversely veined; beak terminal, straight, 2-3 mm. Seeds deltoid, usually with small, transverse, membranous lamellae. x =8.^[1] [more]

At least 1,259 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Aconitum.

More info about the Genus Aconitum may be found here.

Agapanthus

Agapanthus ("Lily of the Nile") is a genus of flower plants with six to ten species depending on how the different species are classified. They are all herbaceous perennial plants native to South Africa. They have been placed either in the family Alliaceae, or separated into their own monogeneric family Agapanthaceae (e.g. Indices Nominum Supragenericorum Plantarum Vascularium). [more]

At least 514 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Agapanthus.

More info about the Genus Agapanthus may be found here.

Aliceara

× Aliceara, abbreviated in trade journals Alcra, is an intergeneric hybrid between the orchid genera Brassia, Miltonia and Oncidium (Brs x Milt x Onc). [more]

At least 4 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Aliceara.

More info about the Genus Aliceara may be found here.

Allium

Herbs, perennial, scapose, from tunicate bulbs, with onion odor and taste. Bulbs solitary or clustered, dividing at base, or on rhizomes, reforming annually; outer coats generally brown or gray, smooth, fibrous, or with cellular reticulation (generally important in identification) ; inner coats membranous. Leaves generally withering from tip by anthesis, usually persistent, 1-12, basal; blade usually linear, terete, channeled, or flat (carinate in A. sativum, A. praecox, A. tuberosum, A. rotundum, A. neapolitanum, A. triquetrum, A. unifolium, and A. lacunosum), straight or ± falcate (coiled or circinate in A. nevadense and A. atrorubens), broader in A. victorialis and A. tricoccum, not petiolate (except in A. tricoccum and A. victorialis) . Scape usually persistent, terete or flattened. Inflorescences umbellate, flowering centripetally (centrifugally in A. schoenoprasum), sometimes replaced totally or partially by bulbils, subtended by spathe bracts; bracts conspicuous, ± fused, usually 3+-veined, equaling pedicel except in some introduced species, membranous. Flowers erect (pendent in A. triquetrum) ; tepals 6, in 2 similar whorls, ± distinct, petallike, usually becoming becoming dry and persisting; stamens 6, epipetalous; filaments in all but 1 native species broad at base, fused into ring (some introduced species and A. victorialis appendaged), linear, generally glabrous (A. rotundum and A. hoffmanii papillose to ciliate proximally) ; anthers and pollen variously colored; ovary superior, 3-lobed, sometimes crested with processes, 3-locular, usually 2 ovules per locule (6-8 in A. nigrum), crest processes 3 or 6, smooth except in A. haematochiton, A. sharsmithiae, and A. lacunosum; style 1; stigma capitate to ± 3-lobed; pedicel erect or spreading (lax in A. triquetrum) . Fruits capsular, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds black, obovoid, finely cellular-reticulate, cells smooth or minutely roughened, with 1-8 papillae, without caruncle except in A. triquetrum. x = 7, 8, 9.^[2] [more]

At least 2,758 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Allium.

More info about the Genus Allium may be found here.

Alstroemeria

Herbs, perennial, from fascicles of fusiform tubers. Stems mostly simple; fertile stems to 1 m or more; sterile stems shorter, more leafy. Leaves alternate; petiole often twisted so as to invert leaf; blade parallel-veined, linear to ovate, margins entire. Inflorescences terminal, umbellate [or 1-flowered]. Flowers slightly zygomorphic; tepals 6, distinct, red, orange, purple, green, or white, frequently spotted, to 5 cm; stamens 6, inserted on perianth base, declinate, usually unequal; ovary inferior; style slender; stigma 3-lobed, filiform. Fruits capsular, 3-valved, dehiscence loculicidal.^[3] [more]

At least 774 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Alstroemeria.

More info about the Genus Alstroemeria may be found here.

Andromeda

Andromeda could refer to: [more]

At least 238 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Andromeda.

More info about the Genus Andromeda may be found here.

Antennaria

Antennaria is a genus of about 45 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Asteraceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with one species (A. chilensis) in temperate southern South America; the highest species diversity is in North America. Common names include catsfoot or cat's-foot, pussytoes and everlasting. [more]

At least 244 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Antennaria.

More info about the Genus Antennaria may be found here.

Armeria

Plants herbs, perennial, scapose, acaulescent; taprooted, rootstocks branched, woody. Leaves in basal rosettes, sessile; blade linear to linear-spatulate [lanceolate], narrowed or straight to base, margins entire. Scapes glabrous or densely pubescent, sometimes rugose, enclosed by tubular leafless sheath at apex. Inflorescences solitary, apical, dense hemispheric heads of scorpioid cymes, each surrounded by involucre of scarious bracts. Pedicels absent or present (short). Flowers monomorphic or dimorphic (in pollen and stigma characteristics) ; calyx 10-ribbed, funnel-shaped; tube usually pubescent on ribs only or all around, rarely glabrous, limbs membranaceous, awned or not; petals slightly connate basally, white to deep purple; filaments adnate to base of corolla; anthers included; styles 5, free, hairy proximally; stigmas linear, papillate or smooth. Fruits dry, enclosed in persistent calyces, dehiscing transversely. x = 9.^[4] [more]

At least 567 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Armeria.

More info about the Genus Armeria may be found here.

Arnica

Perennials, 5-100 cm (rhizomes relatively long and thin; caudices woody, relatively short and thick). Stems erect, simple or branched. Leaves basal (sterile basal rosettes often present) and/or cauline; mostly opposite (usually 1-10 pairs, distalmost sometimes alternate and usually smaller) ; petiolate or sessile; blades mostly cordate, deltate, elliptic, lanceolate, linear, oblanceolate, oblong, obovate, ovate, or spatulate, margins entire or toothed (usually dentate, denticulate, or serrate, sometimes crenate or slightly lobed), faces glabrous, hirsute, hispidulous, pilose, puberulent, scabrous, tomentose, villous, or woolly, often stipitate-glandular as well. Heads radiate or discoid, borne singly or in cymiform or corymbiform arrays. Involucres campanulate, hemispheric, or turbinate, mostly 6-20+ mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, 5-23 in (1-) 2 series. Receptacles convex, smooth or pitted, epaleate. Ray florets 0, or 5-22, pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow to orange. Disc florets 10-120, usually bisexual and fertile (functionally staminate in A. dealbata) ; corollas usually yellow, rarely cream, tubes shorter than funnelform throats, lobes 5, ± deltate (anthers usually yellow, purple in A. lessingii and A. unalaschcensis). Cypselae (gray or brown to black) ± conic, fusiform, or obovoid-cylindric, nerves 5-10(-20), faces hairy, glandular, or glabrous; pappi usually persistent, of 10-50 white or stramineous to tawny, fine, barbellate or subplumose to plumose bristles (0 in A. dealbata). x = 19.^[5] [more]

At least 316 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Arnica.

More info about the Genus Arnica may be found here.

Artemisia

Annuals, biennials, perennials, subshrubs, or shrubs, 3-350 cm (usually, rarely not, aromatic) . Stems 1-10+, usually erect, usually branched, glabrous or hairy (hairs basi- or medifixed) . Leaves basal or basal and cauline; alternate; petiolate or sessile; blades filiform, linear, lanceolate, ovate, elliptic, oblong, oblanceolate, obovate, cuneate, flabellate, or spatulate, usually pinnately and/or palmately lobed, sometimes apically ± 3-lobed or -toothed, or entire, faces glabrous or hairy (hairs multicelled and filled with aromatic terpenoids and/or 1-celled and hollow, dolabriform, T-shaped) . Heads usually discoid, sometimes disciform (subradiate in A. bigelovii), in relatively broad, paniculiform arrays, or in relatively narrow, racemiform or spiciform arrays. Involucres campanulate, globose, ovoid, or turbinate, 1.5-8 mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, 2-20+ in 4-7 series, distinct, (usually green to whitish green, rarely stramineous) ovate to lanceolate, unequal, margins and apices (usually green or white, rarely dark brown or black) ± scarious (abaxial faces glabrous or hairy) . Receptacles flat, convex, or conic (glabrous or hairy), epaleate (except paleate in A. palmeri) . Ray florets 0 (peripheral pistillate florets in disciform heads usually 1-20, their corollas filiform; corollas of 1-3 pistillate florets in heads of A. bigelovii sometimes ± 2-lobed, weakly raylike) . Disc florets 2-20(-30+), bisexual and fertile, or functionally staminate; corollas (glabrous or ± hirtellous) usually pale yellow, rarely red, tubes ± cylindric, throats subglobose or funnelform, lobes 5, ± deltate. Cypselae (brown) fusiform, ribs 0 (and faces finely striate) or 2-5, faces glabrous or hairy (not villous), often gland-dotted (pericarps sometimes with myxogenic cells, without resin sacs; embryo sac development monosporic) ; pappi usually 0 (coroniform in A. californica and A. papposa, sometimes on outer in A. rothrockii) . x = 9.^[6] [more]

At least 1,625 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Artemisia.

More info about the Genus Artemisia may be found here.

Asplenium

Roots fibrous, not proliferous or proliferous and producing tiny plantlets. Stems erect, rarely long-creeping; scales basally attached, clathrate. Petioles not articulate. Blades 1--4-pinnate, of diverse size and shape. Indusia present. x = 36.^[7] [more]

At least 3,012 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Asplenium.

More info about the Genus Asplenium may be found here.

Aucuba

Trees or shrubs, 1 10 m tall; branches with conspicuous leaf scars, often pubescent when young, glabrous when old. Leaf blade usually green or sometimes variegated with yellow, yellowish, or white spots, variable, from lanceolate to obcordate, pubescent or glabrous, veins raised abaxially, often impressed adaxially, lateral veins usually connected before reaching margin, extending to apex of marginal teeth, margin serrate, glandular serrate, or dentate, rarely entire. Staminate inflorescences (2 ) 7 15 cm, paniculate or racemose-paniculate, pyramidal, or cylindrical. Carpellate inflorescences panicles, shorter, 1 5 cm. Flowers: calyx lobes minute, triangular or slightly orbicular; petals free, valvate, purplish red, yellow, or green, oblong or ovate, apex acuminate or caudate. Staminate flowers: filaments awl-shaped; anthers dorsifixed, rarely versatile, locules 2, rarely locule 1, dehiscing by longitudinal slits; floral disk fleshy, slightly 4-lobed. Carpellate flowers; sepals and petals articulate at base of ovary, subtended by 1 or 2 bracteoles. Fruit cylindrical or ovoid. 2n = 16, 32.^[8] [more]

At least 80 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Aucuba.

More info about the Genus Aucuba may be found here.

Azorella

Azorella t. minima [more]

At least 140 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Azorella.

More info about the Genus Azorella may be found here.

Begonia

Perennial succulent herbs, rarely subshrubs. Stem erect, frequently rhizomatous, or plants tuberous and either acaulescent or shortly stemmed, rarely lianoid or climbing with adventitious roots, or stoloniferous. Leaves simple, rarely palmately compound, alternate or all basal; blade often oblique and asymmetric, rarely symmetric, margin often irregularly serrate and divided, occasionally entire, venation usually palmate; petiole long, weak; stipules membranous, usually deciduous. Flowers unisexual, plants monoecious, rarely dioecious, (1 or) 2-4 to several, rarely numerous, in dichotomous cymes, sometimes in panicle, with pedicels and bracts. Staminate flower: tepals 2 or 4 and decussate, usually outer ones larger, inner ones smaller; stamens usually numerous; filaments free or connate at base; anthers 2-celled, apical or lateral; connectives extended at apex, sometimes apiculate. Pistillate flower: tepals 2-5(-10) ; pistil composed of 2-5(-7) carpels; ovary inferior, 1-3(-7) -loculed; placentae axile or parietal; styles 2 or 3(or more), free or fused at base, forked once or more; stigma turgid, spirally twisted-tortuous or U-shaped, capitate or reniform, setose-papillose. Capsule dry, sometimes berrylike, unequally or subequally 3-winged, rarely wingless and 3- or 4-horned; seeds very numerous, pale brown, oblong, minute, testa reticulate.^[9] [more]

At least 3,797 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Begonia.

More info about the Genus Begonia may be found here.

Brassica

Herbs annual, biennial, or perennial, rarely subshrubs or shrubs, often glaucous. Trichomes absent or simple. Stems erect or ascending, simple or branched, leafy or rarely leafless. Basal leaves petiolate, rosulate or not, simple, entire, dentate, lyrate-pinnatifid, or pinnatisect. Cauline leaves petiolate or sessile, base cuneate, attenuate, auriculate, sagittate, or amplexicaul, margin entire, dentate, or lobed. Racemes ebracteate, elongated in fruit. Fruiting pedicels ascending, divaricate, or reflexed. Sepals ovate or oblong, erect, ascending, or rarely spreading, base of lateral pair saccate or not. Petals yellow, rarely white or pink; blade obovate, spatulate, or rarely oblanceolate, apex obtuse or emarginate; claw distinct, subequaling or longer than sepals. Stamens 6, tetradynamous; anthers ovate or oblong, obtuse at apex. Nectar glands 4, median and lateral, rarely 2 and lateral. Ovules 4-50 per ovary. Fruit dehiscent siliques, linear or rarely oblong, terete, 4-angled, or latiseptate, sessile or shortly stipitate, segmented; valvular segment dehiscent, 4-46-seeded, longer than terminal segment, smooth or torulose, valves with a prominent midvein and obscure lateral veins; terminal segment seedless or 1(-3) -seeded; replum rounded; septum complete, translucent or opaque, veinless or with a distinct midvein; style obsolete or distinct; stigma capitate, entire or 2-lobed. Seeds uniseriate or rarely biseriate, wingless, globose or rarely oblong, plump or rarely slightly flattened; seed coat reticulate,