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Gentianaceae - gentian family!

Cosmopolitan family of 80 genera and nearly 900 species. Herbs to small trees (in
the tropics) with opposite leaves.

CA (4-5) CO (4-5) A 4-5 G (2)

Flowers 4 or 5 merous; pistil superior of 2

carpels; parietal placentation; fruit capsular

Gentianaceae - gentian family! Gentianaceae - gentian family!

Gentiana is 5 merous, with plaits Gentianopsis procera - fringed gentian

between each petal lobe

Genus is 4 merous with fringed petals

Gentiana andrewsii - Bottle gentian

Gentiana puberulenta - Prairie gentian

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Gentianaceae - gentian family! Apocynaceae - dogbane family!

Mainly tropical family of trees and vines with
opposite leaves. Milky latex commonly
poisonous and source of medicinal drugs.

Vinca minor - periwinkle

Introduced ground cover, often spreading

Gentianella is 4-5
merous, without
fringe, and without
plaits between petal
lobes

Gentianella quinquefolia - stiff gentian

Gentianopsis crinita - fringed gentian

Apocynaceae - dogbane family! Apocynaceae - dogbane family!

CA (5) CO (5) A 5 G 2
CA (5) CO (5) A 5 G 2

Flowers 5 merous, small, and with 2 Fruits are follicles with cottony seeds for
separate carpels.
wind dispersal.

Apocynum androsaemifolium
Apocynum androsaemifolium

Spreading dogbane
Spreading dogbane

Apocynum sibiricum
Apocynum sibiricum

Hemp dogbane
Hemp dogbane

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Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family! Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family!

Now placed in Apocynaceae. Opposite leaves
generally (rarely whorled or alternate). Heavy
latex system of nasty compounds. Flowers often
in umbels; fruits of each flower 2 follicles.

Note 2 free carpels slightly fused at top

_______

CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2

Corona = hood + crest

Gynoestegium = A + G

Pollinia = pollen mass

Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family! Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family!

Unusual corona structure for nectar reward

Fusion of 5 stamens and top of gynoecium

_______
_______

CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2
CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2

Corona = hood + crest

Corona = hood + crest

Gynoestegium = A + G
Gynoestegium = A + G

Pollinia = pollen mass
Pollinia = pollen mass

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Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family! Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family!

Gland is attached to two pollinia

_______
_______

CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2
CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2

Corona = hood + crest

Corona = hood + crest

Gynoestegium = A + G
Gynoestegium = A + G

Pollinia = pollen mass
Pollinia = pollen mass

Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family! Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family!

“Las Vegas” strategy of pollination; but when
occurs, all ∞ ovules are fertilized. Typically
few follicles are produced per plant. Note
seeds with coma attached for wind dispersal.

Bee removing pollinia or inserting pollinia into stigmatic

cleft

_______

CA (5) CO (5) X 5 A 5 G 2

Corona = hood + crest

Gynoestegium = A + G

Pollinia = pollen mass
Asclepias amplexicaulis - Clasping milkweed

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Asclepiadaceae - milkweed family! Rubiaceae - coffee family!

Important & large family of trees/

shrubs in the pantropics

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly weed

Opposite or whorled leaves

Inter-petiolar stipules

All species in Wisconsin

are 4-merous; species in
Asclepias syriaca - Common milkweed
the tropics are largely 5- Coffea arabica - coffee

merous

Asclepias incarnata - Swamp milkweed

Galium - Bedstraw

Rubiaceae - coffee family! Rubiaceae - coffee family!

Opposite or whorled leaves

Inter-petiolar stipules

__

CA (4) CO (4) A 4 G (2)
Galium aparine - cleavers

All species in Wisconsin
are 4-merous; species in Cleavers and bedstraws are numerous; separated by
the tropics are largely 5- The family has inferior ovary.
number of whorled leaves and fruit type

merous

Galium - Bedstraw

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Rubiaceae - coffee family! Rubiaceae - coffee family!

Galium obtusum
Cephalanthus occidentalis - buttonbush

Wild madder

Only shrub in Wisconsin; restricted to riparian forest or
lake edges. Note “heads” of tiny flowers.

Galium lanceolatum - wild licorice

Rubiaceae - coffee family! Rubiaceae - coffee family!

Mitchella repens

Partridge berry, twin-berry

Note: paired flowers above

Houstonia caerula- azure bluets
with connate pistils; “twin”
Special concern
berry to right

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Solanaceae - nightshade family! Solanaceae - nightshade family!

• Large cosmopolitan family of alternate-leaved
herbs, vines, or shrubs with cyme inflorescences

• Important family for nasty compounds (and drugs)

Capsicum - pepper

• Important for source of foods (potato, tomato,
pepper)

Solanum - tomato & eggplant

Solanum dulcamara

Bittersweet

Solanaceae - nightshade family! Solanaceae - nightshade family!

Nicotiana tabacum

Atropa belladona
Brugmansia
Datura innoxia

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Solanaceae - nightshade family! Solanaceae - nightshade family!

Physalis alkekengi - Japanese lantern

Solanaceae - nightshade family! Solanaceae - nightshade family!

Solanum carolinense - Horse nettle

Solanum dulcamara - bitterweet

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Solanaceae - nightshade family! Solanaceae - nightshade family!

Physalis virginiana

Ground cherry

Note: calyx surrounding berry

Datura stramonium

Jimson-weed

Introduced, hallucinogenic
roadside weed

. . . also called thorn-
apple