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Taxonomy

Genera

Abies

Trees evergreen, crown usually spirelike to conic, sometimes flat to round topped in age. Bark initially thin, smooth, bearing resin blisters, in age furrowed and/or flaking in plates. Branches whorled, irregular internodal branches occasionally produced by epicormic sprouting (growing from a dormant bud) ; short (spur) shoots absent; leaf scars prominent, ± circular to broadly elliptic, flush with twig surface, slightly depressed, or slightly raised evenly all around. Buds ovate or oblong, resinous or not, apex rounded or pointed. Leaves borne singly, persisting 5 or more years, spirally arranged but often proximally twisted so as to appear either 1-ranked (pointing up like toothbrush bristles) or 2-ranked, sessile, typically constricted and often twisted above the somewhat broadened base, sheath absent; leaves on vegetative branches flattened, frequently grooved adaxially, usually notched to rounded at apex; leaves on fertile branches sometimes appearing 4-sided, upright, sharp-pointed to rounded at apex; resin canals 2. Cones borne on year-old twigs. Pollen cones grouped, ovate or oblong-cylindric, leaving gall-like protuberances after falling, yellow to red, green, blue, or purple. Seed cones maturing in 1 season, erect, ovoid to oblong-cylindric or cylindric, not falling whole but scale by scale, cone axis persisting as an erect "spike" on branch; scales shed individually, fan-shaped, lacking apophysis and umbo; bracts included to exserted. Seeds winged, the wing-seed juncture bearing resin sac; cotyledons 4--10. x =12.^[1] [more]

At least 517 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Abies.

More info about the Genus Abies may be found here.

Acer

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

More info about the Genus Acer 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.

Agave

Plants short-stemmed pachycauls, perennial, often flowering after 8-20+ years, monocarpic or polycarpic, acaulescent or caulescent, scapose, forming succulent rosettes on thick, fibrous-rooted crowns, often rhizomatous. Stems aboveground, unbranched or, less often, branched. Leaves evergreen in rosette; blade light green to green and occasionally with lighter patterns of white (€œcross-zoned€�) or imprinted with white (€œbud-prints€�), linear-lanceolate to ovate, firm to rigid, often thick and fleshy, margins entire, filiferous, or armed with marginal teeth and short to long, sharp-pointed apical spine. Scapes, with inflorescences, much exceeding foliage. Inflorescences terminal atop a semiwoody stalk, spicate, racemose, or paniculate, open to dense, bracteate, occasionally bulbiferous, with flowers borne singly, in pairs, or in umbellike clusters of 2-40+ on peduncles or the lateral branches borne by the peduncle. Flowers protandrous, erect or recurved, showy; perianth mostly yellow, infrequently whitish or reddish, funnelform to tubular; tepals 6, connate basally into tube atop a typically constricted neck; limb lobes erect or curved, equal to unequal in length and/or width, linear to oblong or deltate, often papillate at recurved or hooded apex; stamens 6, exserted, attached atop or within perianth tube; filaments mostly filiform; anthers versatile, linear; ovary inferior, greenish at anthesis, 3-locular, succulent, thick-walled, ovules numerous; style subulate; stigma 3-lobed, glandular, capitate, papillate. Fruits capsular, oblong to ovoid, mostly thick walled and fleshy, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds black, flattened, obovoid, becoming globose distally. x = 30 (5 large, 25 small) .^[2] [more]

At least 1,050 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Agave.

More info about the Genus Agave may be found here.

Albizia

Unarmed trees or shrubs; leaves compound bipinnate, petiolar and jugal glands more or less conspicuous, stipules setaceous, obsolete or rarely papery. Inflorescence pedunculate globose heads, arranged racemosely. Flowers sessile or pedicellate, bisexual. Calyx gamosepalous, dentate or shortly lobed. Corolla gamopetalous, funnel shaped, petals connate beyond the middle. Stamens generally indefinite, connate at the base or high up into a tube; filaments elongated, white, rose or rarely purple, anthers small, eglandular. Ovary shortly stipitate or sessile; style filiform, stigma capitate or minute. Pod broadly linear, thin, compressed, dehiscent or not; continuous inside the valves and without pulp within. Seeds ovate or orbicular, compressed, funicle filiform.^[3] [more]

At least 317 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Albizia.

More info about the Genus Albizia may be found here.

Allamanda

Shrubs erect or trailing. Leaves whorled, with axillary glands. Flowers large, in terminal or seemingly axillary corymbs. Calyx deeply divided, without basal glands. Corolla yellow, funnelform, narrow part with fringed scales, limb campanulate, lobes overlapping to left. Stamens inserted at narrow part of corolla; filaments very short; anthers narrowly oblong, base rounded, coherent with pistil head; disc cup-shaped, obscurely 5-lobed or entire, fleshy, thick. Ovary 1-loculed, with two parietal placentae; ovules numerous. Style filiform; pistil head thick, with a membranous, reflexed rim, apex conical, shortly 2-lobed. Capsules globose, glabrous, sharply spiny, 2-valved. Seeds numerous, imbricate, compressed, winged or with a membranous margin; radicle short.^[4] [more]

At least 57 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Allamanda.

More info about the Genus Allamanda may be found here.

Alocasia

Characters as those of Colocasia but with the following differences: Plants with well developed elongated rootstocks, basal lobes of leaves acute and basal placentation. Ovules and seeds few.^[5] [more]

At least 224 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Alocasia.

More info about the Genus Alocasia may be found here.

Alstonia

Trees or shrubs, latex present. Branches whorled, mostly 4 or 5 together. Leaves whorled, rarely opposite; lateral veins numerous, ending in a marginal vein. Cymes terminal, usually 1-5 in thyrses or compound umbels, terminal. Flowers white, yellow, or pink. Calyx without glands inside, lobes connate at base. Corolla salverform, tube cylindric, dilated in distal half, pubescent inside, lobes overlapping to right or left. Stamens included, inserted near or above middle of corolla tube; anthers ovate, free from pistil head, not caudate; disc absent or of scales. Ovaries 2, distinct or connate, ovules numerous. Follicles 2, free or connate. Seeds oblong or linear, long bearded at both ends; endosperm thin; cotyledons up to twice as long as radicle.^[6] [more]

At least 137 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Alstonia.

More info about the Genus Alstonia may be found here.

Amsonia

Herbs annual or perennial, erect, with latex, without stolons. Leaves alternate, membranous. Cymes thyrsoid or corymbose, terminal. Flowers blue or bluish. Sepals narrowly acuminate, usually without glands. Corolla blue or bluish, salverform; tube cylindric, dilated above middle, villous inside; lobes overlapping to left. Stamens inserted inside dilated portion of corolla tube; anthers ovate or oblong, free from pistil head, base rounded. Carpels united by a filiform style; ovules numerous, biseriate on each placenta. Pistil head with a basal membranous appendage. Follicles 2, cylindric-fusiform, erect. Seeds cylindric, end obliquely truncate; coma absent.^[7] [more]

At least 55 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Amsonia.

More info about the Genus Amsonia may be found here.

Anechites

At least 7 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Anechites.

More info about the Genus Anechites may be found here.

Argyranthemum

Subshrubs or shrubs, 10-80+[-150] cm. Stems usually 1, procumbent to erect, usually branched, glabrous [hairy]. Leaves mostly cauline; alternate; petiolate or sessile; blades ± obovate [oblong to lanceolate or linear] (bases sometimes ± clasping), [0](1-) 2-3-pinnately lobed (lobes cuneate to linear), ultimate margins dentate [entire], faces glabrous [hairy]. Heads radiate [discoid], borne singly or in open, corymbiform arrays. Involucres hemispheric or broader, [6-]10-18[-22+] mm diam. Phyllaries persistent, 28-45+ in 3-4 series, distinct, oblanceolate or ovate to lance-deltate or lanceolate (not keeled abaxially), unequal, margins and apices (stramineous to brown) scarious (tips of inner often ± dilated). Receptacles convex to conic, epaleate. Ray florets 12-35+, pistillate, fertile; corollas usually white, sometimes yellow or pink, laminae ± ovate to linear. Disc florets [50-]80-150+, bisexual, fertile; corollas yellow [red, purple], tubes ± cylindric (not basally dilated, ± gland-dotted), throats campanulate, lobes 5, deltate (without resin sacs). Cypselae dimorphic: outer (ray) 3-angled, each angle usually ± winged (wings not spine-tipped) ; inner (disc) compressed-prismatic (± quadrate, sometimes 2 angles winged, wings not spine-tipped) ; all ± ribbed or nerved, faces usually glabrous, sometimes gland-dotted between ribs (pericarps without myxogenic cells or resin sacs; embryo sac development bisporic) ; pappi 0 (cypselar wall tissue sometimes produced as teeth, crowns, or oblique tubes similar in texture to cypselar wings). x = 9.^[8] [more]

At least 355 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Argyranthemum.

More info about the Genus Argyranthemum 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.^[9] [more]

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

More info about the Genus Asplenium may be found here.

Atropanthe

Subshrubs or perennial herbs, glabrous. Rhizomes thick. Stems erect, terete or angled, di- or trichotomously branched. Leaves mostly paired, petiolate, entire. Inflorescences solitary flowers axillary or lateral on stems. Flowers nodding, 5-merous, zygomorphic. Pedicel elongate. Calyx tubular-campanulate or somewhat urceolate, slightly inflated, somewhat bent, 15-veined, with 5 main veins; lobes subequal. Corolla slightly zygomorphic, tubular-campanulate, twice as long as calyx, 15-veined; lobes subequal, quincuncial in bud. Stamens inserted in corolla tube, unequal, shorter than or equaling corolla; filaments pubescent at base; anthers dehiscing longitudinally. Disc ringlike, indistinctly lobed. Ovary 2-locular. Fruiting pedicel hardly thickened. Fruiting calyx inflated at base, contracted below apex but open, abruptly inserted on pedicel and easily detached from it after drying. Fruit a globose capsule. Seeds rectangular, somewhat compressed, netted.^[10] [more]

More info about the Genus Atropanthe may be found here.

Berberis

Shrubs or subshrubs, evergreen or deciduous, 0.1-4.5(-8) m, glabrous or with tomentose stems. Rhizomes present or absent, short or long, not nodose. Stems branched or unbranched, monomorphic or dimorphic, i.e., all elongate or with elongate primary stems and short axillary spur shoots. Leaves alternate, sometimes leaves of elongate shoots reduced to spines and foliage leaves borne only on short shoots; foliage leaves simple or 1-odd-pinnately compound; petioles usually present. Simple leaves: blade narrowly elliptic, oblanceolate, or obovate, 1.2-7.5 cm. Compound leaves: rachis, when present, with or without swollen articulations; leaflet blades lanceolate to orbiculate, margins entire, toothed, spinose, or spinose-lobed; venation pinnate or leaflets 3-6-veined from base. Inflorescences terminal, usually racemes, rarely umbels or flowers solitary. Flowers 3-merous, 3-8 mm; bracteoles caducous, 3, scalelike; sepals falling immediately after anthesis, 6, yellow; petals 6, yellow, nectariferous; stamens 6; anthers dehiscing by valves; pollen exine punctate; ovary symmetrically club-shaped; placentation subbasal; style central. Fruits berries, spheric to cylindric-ovoid or ellipsoid, usually juicy, sometimes dry, at maturity. Seeds 1-10, tan to red-brown or black; aril absent. x = 14.^[11] [more]

At least 1,382 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Berberis.

More info about the Genus Berberis may be found here.

Betula

Trees or shrubs, to 30 m; trunks often several, branching excurrent, becoming deliquescent. Bark of trunks and branches dark brown to chalky white, smooth, often exfoliating; lenticels dark, prominent, sometimes horizontally expanded. Wood nearly white to reddish brown, light and soft to moderately heavy and hard, texture fine. Branches, branchlets, and twigs nearly 2-ranked; young twigs differentiated into long and short shoots, sometimes with taste and odor of wintergreen. Winter buds sessile, slender, terete, apex acute; scales several, imbricate, smooth. Leaves mostly on short shoots, nearly 2-ranked. Leaf blade ovate to deltate, elliptic, or nearly orbiculate, 0.5--10(--14) × 0.5--8 cm, thin, margins doubly serrate or serrate (or crenate to shallowly round-lobed in dwarf northern species) ; surfaces glabrous to tomentose, sometimes abaxially resinous-glandular. Inflorescences: staminate catkins mostly terminal on branchlets, solitary or in small racemose clusters, formed previous growing season and often exposed during winter, expanding with leaves; pistillate catkins proximal to staminate catkins, mostly solitary, erect, ovoid to cylindric, firm; scales and flowers crowded, enclosed within buds during winter, expanding with leaves. Staminate flowers in catkins 3 per scale; stamens (1--) 2--3(--4), filaments divided below anthers, nearly to base. Pistillate flowers (1--) 3 per scale. Infructescences erect or pendulous; scales usually deciduous with release of fruits (although persisting into winter in a few species), (1--) 3-lobed, thickened or leathery but not woody. Fruits samaras, lateral wings 2, moderately wide to broad, membranaceous. x = 14.^[12] [more]

At least 589 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Betula.

More info about the Genus Betula may be found here.

Bomarea

Bomarea is one of the two major genera in the plant family Alstroemeriaceae. Most occur in the Andes. Several species are occasionally found as garden plants. [more]

At least 197 species and subspecies belong to the Genus Bomarea.

More info about the Genus Bomarea may be found here.

Callisia

Herbs, perennial or rarely annual. Roots thin, rarely tuberous. Leaves spirally arranged or 2-ranked; blade sessile. Inflorescences terminal and/or axillary, cyme pairs (often aggregated into larger spikelike or paniclelike units), cymes <