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Taxonomy

Genera

Acer

At least 2,630 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Acer.

More info about the Genus Acer may be found here.

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.

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.

Canna

Herbs, rhizomatous, 1--2[--5] m, forming small to large monotypic stands. Leaves green [bronze or magenta in hybrids and cultivars], often glaucous [lanuginose]; blade narrowly ovate to narrowly elliptic, 20--70 cm ´ 15--30 cm, base gradually or abruptly tapered, apex acute to acuminate. Inflorescences: peduncles green [magenta], often glaucous; bracts green [magenta], often glaucous; primary bracts to 30 cm, secondary bracts to 20 cm; floral bracts 0.5--3 ´ 0.3--1.5 cm, papery. Flowers nearly sessile, subtended by pedicel bract; sepals usually green [magenta], often less than half size of petals; petals sharply reflexed or not, green or brightly colored, 4--15 cm, generally shorter than staminodes; staminodes pale yellow to deep crimson red; labellum 3--9 ´ 4--10 cm; ovary green [magenta]. Capsules brown, 1.5--6 ´ 2--4.5 cm, warty, becoming papery. Seeds 5--25[--75] per capsule, medium to dark brown or black, 4--10 ´ 4--8 mm.^[3] [more]

At least 1,051 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Canna.

More info about the Genus Canna may be found here.

Chrysanthemum

Annual or rarely perennial erect herbs, with fibrous roots. Leaves alternate, oblong or obovate, uppermost sometimes simple and entire, lower mostly 2-3-pinnatisect or 1-2-pinnatifid, with apex 2-3-partite, the margin lobed or dentate towards the semi-amplexicaule base. Capitula radiate, heterogamous, solitary, terminal or 2-5 per branch in lax corymbs, with peduncles often thickened toward apices. Involucre 2-3(-4) -seriate, phyllaries many-nerved, imbricate. Receptacle convex, without scales or paleae. Ray-florets pistillate, with yellow or sometimes white, apically 2-3-fid ligules, fertile. Disc-florets hermaphrodite, tubular, the corolla tube laterally expanded, 5-lobed, lobes with central resin sacs. Cypselas dimorphic and sometimes compressed, thick-walled, those of the ray-florets triquetrous or winged, disc cypselas mostly laterally flattened, narrowly winged adaxially, or cylindrical, 10-ribbed or angular, all epappose.^[4] [more]

At least 4,031 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Chrysanthemum.

More info about the Genus Chrysanthemum may be found here.

Delphinium

Herbs, perennial, from fasciculate roots or rhizomes. Leaves basal and/or cauline, petiolate, petioles gradually to abruptly shorter on distal leaves; basal leaves usually larger than cauline; cauline leaves alternate. Leaf blade deeply palmately divided, round to pentagonal or reniform, margins entire or lobes apically crenate or lacerate, lobes of basal blades wider and fewer than those of cauline blades. Inflorescences terminal, 2-100(-more) -flowered racemes (occasionally branched, thus technically panicles), 5-40 cm or more; bracts subtending inflorescence branches; pedicels present or absent; bracteoles (on pedicels) subopposite-subalternate, not forming involucre. Flowers bisexual, bilaterally symmetric; sepals not persistent in fruit, 5; upper sepal 1, spurred, 8-24 mm; lateral sepals 2, ± ovate to elliptic, 8-18 mm; lower sepals 2, similar to lateral sepals; upper petals 2, spurred, enclosed in upper sepal, nectary inside tip of spur; lower petals 2, plane, ± ovate, ± 2-lobed, clawed, 2-12 mm, nectary absent; stamens 25-40; filaments with base expanded; staminodes absent between stamens and pistils; pistils 3(-5), simple; ovules 8-20 per pistil; style present. Fruits follicles, aggregate, sessile, ± curved-cylindric, sides prominently veined or not; beak terminal, straight, 2-4 mm. Seeds dark brown to black (often appearing white because of air in seed coat cells), rectangular to pyramidal, often ± rough surfaced. x = 8.^[5] [more]

At least 1,864 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Delphinium.

More info about the Genus Delphinium may be found here.

Doronicum

Perennials, 10-60(-90) [-150+] cm (rhizomes sericeous at nodes [glabrous or glabrate]). Stems usually 1, erect. Leaves basal and cauline; alternate; petiolate (petiole bases sometimes dilated, clasping) or sessile; blades palmati-pinnately or pinnately nerved, elliptic, lanceolate, ovate-orbiculate, or ovate [oblong, pandurate, spatulate], margins entire or crenate to denticulate, faces glabrous or arachnose to pilose, sometimes glandular-pubescent (especially along veins). Heads radiate, borne singly or in corymbiform arrays (peduncles often glandular-pubescent). Calyculi 0. Involucres campanulate to hemispheric or broader, 22-40 mm. Phyllaries persistent, 21-30+ in 2-3+ series, erect to spreading, distinct or nearly so, lanceolate to lance-linear or subulate, equal to subequal, margins seldom scarious (often ciliate). Receptacles convex to hemispheric, smooth or foveolate (pilose), epaleate. Ray florets [13-]21-40+ (more in horticultural doubles), pistillate, fertile; corollas yellow. Disc florets [50-]100-250+, bisexual, fertile; corollas yellow, tubes shorter than to equaling funnelform throats, lobes 5, erect or recurved, lance-deltate to lance-linear (lengths to 5 times widths) ; style branches: stigmatic areas continuous, apices rounded to truncate. Cypselae flattened, broadly obovate, 5- or 10-ribbed, glabrous or hairy; pappi persistent, usually of 40-60, white or stramineous, barbellulate bristles (in 1-2 series), sometimes 0 in ray florets (e.g., D. pardalianches). x = 30.^[6] [more]

At least 182 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Doronicum.

More info about the Genus Doronicum may be found here.

Duranta

Shrubs. Leaves opposite or whorled, simple, margin entire or serrate-dentate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal racemes; bracts small. Calyx 5-veined, 5-dentate, persistent. Corolla 2-lipped, lower lip 3-lobed and largest, upper lip 2-lobed. Stamens 4, short, inserted above middle of cylindric corolla tube, obscurely didynamous. Ovary 8-locular; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous. Style club-shaped; stigma nearly oblique. Drupes equaling or shorter than calyx, with 2-seeded pyrenes.^[7] [more]

At least 126 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Duranta.

More info about the Genus Duranta may be found here.

Freesia

Herbs, perennial, from corms. Corms tunicate, conic, ca. 10 mm diam.; tunics fibrous; fibers fine, pale, reticulate. Stems simple or branched. Leaves several, sometimes prostrate; blade plane, lanceolate [ensiform or oblong]. Inflorescences spicate, secund, usually strongly flexed basally, ± horizontal, several-many-flowered; bract green [pale straw colored], coriaceous or membranous. Flowers often strongly fragrant, zygomorphic; tepals connate into tube, mostly white or yellow, sometimes pink or red, subequal, outer whorl slightly larger than inner; perianth tube cylindric or funnel-shaped, short or long proximally, abruptly expanded into short to long tube or flared distally; stamens asymmetrically disposed, unilateral; anthers usually parallel; style arching over filaments, dividing into 3 filiform branches. Capsules irregularly globose, usually rugose. Seeds several per locule, globose, without wings; seed coat light to dark brown, hard, shiny. x = 11.^[8] [more]

At least 109 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Freesia.

More info about the Genus Freesia may be found here.

Fuchsia

Fuchsia is a genus of flowering plants, mostly shrubs and can grow long shoots, which were identified by Charles Plumier in the late 17th century, and named by Plumier in 1703 after the German botanist Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566). The English vernacular name Fuchsia is the same as the scientific name. [more]

At least 4,998 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Fuchsia.

More info about the Genus Fuchsia may be found here.

Geranium

Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves usually alternate, stipulate, variously divided. Peduncles (1-) 2-flowered. Flowers often showy, regular, usually 5-merous. Petals alternating with 5 nectiferous glands. Stamens (5-) 10, staminodes occasional. Carpels usually 5, adnate, separating septifragally from the central axis at maturity. Ovary 5-lobed. Fruit schizocarpic, of 5 mericarps which remain attached to an elastically coiling stylar axis upwards; mericarps without apical pits.^[9] [more]

At least 1,834 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Geranium.

More info about the Genus Geranium may be found here.

Heuchera

The genus Heuchera includes at least 50 species of herbaceous perennial plants in the family Saxifragaceae, all native to North America. Common names include alumroot and coral bells. They have palmately lobed leaves on long petioles, and a thick, woody rootstock. The genus was named after Johann Heinrich von Heucher (1677–1746), an 18th century German physician. [more]

At least 699 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Heuchera.

More info about the Genus Heuchera may be found here.

Hypericum

[Trees or] shrubs, subshrubs, or perennial herbs, glabrous or with simple hairs, with translucent ("pale") and often opaque, black or reddish ("dark") glands, laminar (immersed and sometimes abaxial) and marginal or intramarginal. Leaves opposite [or whorled], sessile or short petiolate, venation pinnate to palmate [or rarely dichotomous], margin entire or gland-fringed. Inflorescence cymose. Flowers bisexual, homostylous [or heterostylous], stellate or cupped. Sepals 5 and quincuncial or rarely 4 and decussate, unequal or equal, free or partly united. Petals (4 or) 5, contorted, golden to lemon yellow [or rarely white], abaxially sometimes tinged or veined red, persistent or deciduous after anthesis, usually asymmetric. Stamens in [4 or]5 fascicles, free and antipetalous, or some united to form apparently 4 or 3 fascicles with compound fascicle(s) antisepalous, or irregular and apparently not fasciculate, persistent or deciduous, each single fascicle with up to 70[-120] stamens; filaments slender, free from nearly base [or to 2/3 united] or apparently completely free; anthers small, dorsifixed or ± basifixed, dehiscing longitudinally, with gland on connective; sterile fascicles (fasciclodes) absent [very rare]. Ovary 3-5-loculed with axile placentae or ± completely 1-loculed with (2 or) 3[-5] parietal placentae, each placenta with [2 or] few to many ovules; styles (2 or) 3-5, free or partly to completely united, ± slender; stigmas small or ± capitate. Fruit a septicidal capsule or rarely ± indehiscent, valves often with oil-containing vittae or vesicles. Seeds small, often carinate or narrowly unilaterally winged; testa variously sculptured, not arillate [very rarely carunculate]; embryo slender, straight, with distinct slender cotyledons.^[10] [more]

At least 1,740 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Hypericum.

More info about the Genus Hypericum may be found here.

Ilex

Usually dioecious shrubs or trees. Leaves coriaceous, often spinose and shiny above; stipules caducous. Flowers 4-5-merous, bisexual or unisexual with vestigial remains of either sex. Corolla rotate. Style absent or obsolete, stigma lobed. Drupe fleshy, pyrenes 2-5, rarely more.^[11] [more]

At least 2,050 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Ilex.

More info about the Genus Ilex may be found here.

Kinepetalum

More info about the Genus Kinepetalum may be found here.

Lavandula

Plants small shrubs, rarely herbs. Verticillasters 2-10-flowered, in crowded terminal spikes; bracteoles small or absent. Flowers short pedicellate or subsessile. Calyx ovoid-tubular to tubular, slightly dilated in fruit, straight, 13-15-veined, 2-lipped; upper lip entire, protracted into an appendage; lower lip equally (2-) 4-toothed, teeth narrower than those of upper lip. Corolla blue or purple; tube exserted, throat ± dilated; limb 2-lipped, upper lip 2-lobed, lower 3-lobed. Stamens 4, included, anterior 2 longer; anther cells apically confluent. Style inserted at ovary base, apex 2-cleft, lobes flattened, ovate, connate. Nutlets smooth, shiny, each with a basal-dorsal areole.^[12] [more]

At least 524 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Lavandula.

More info about the Genus Lavandula may be found here.

Lavatera

Herbs or shrubs. Leaves long petiolate; leaf blade deeply cordate, palmately 5-7-lobed. Flowers solitary, fascicled, or arranged in terminal racemes. Epicalyx lobes 3-6, connate basally. Calyx campanulate, 5-lobed. Corolla various colored, rarely yellow; petals 5, base clawed, apex emarginate or truncate. Filament tube with anthers near apex. Ovary 7-25-loculed; ovules 1 per locule, erect; style branches as many as locules; stigmas decurrent, filiform. Fruit a flattened-globose schizocarp, persistent style base swollen, conical or disk-shaped; mericarps 7-25, semicircular-wedge-shaped, lateral margins rounded, sides smooth or reticulate, abaxially smooth, glabrous or ± pubescent. Seeds reniform, glabrous, free from