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Key 3

Dicot Herbs with Alternate, Simple Leaves

A. Plants lianous (vine-like)
B. Tendrils present
C.Leaves scabrous (like sandpaper), often unlobed among the flowers/fruits. Cayaponia racemosa
CC. Leaves relatively soft, uniformly palmately lobed ...................................... Melothria pendula
BB. Tendrils absent, plants climbing by twining
D. Flower clusters exposed, not enclosed by paired bracts; flowers large, more than 1.5 cm in diam.
E. Stamens exserted (extending beyond the corolla tube); corolla red .................................................................................................. Ipomoea hederifolia
EE. Stamens included within the corolla tube
F. Corolla white ................................................................. Ipomoea alba
FF. Corolla blue .............................................................. Ipomoea indica
DD. Flower clusters enclosed by a pair of 3-lobed bracts; flowers small, less than 1 cm in diam. ............................................................................................................ Dalechampia scandens
AA. Plants erect or prostrate and not lianous
G. Inflorescence elongate, spikes or racemes
H. Leaf margins entire
I. Flowers obscure, embedded surface of spike, less than 4 mm diam .................................................................................................... Piper psilorachis
II. Fowers attached above surface of spike, more than 8 mm diam .................................................................................................. Achyranthes aspera
HH. Leaf margins toothed
J. Bracts of terminal spike soft-hairy, appearing fuzzy ................... Acalypha alopecuroides
JJ. Bracts of terminal spike not hairy ............................................ Acalypha setosa
GG. Inflorescence solitary and axillary, or clustered in various ways, but never particularly elongate
K. Flowers and fruits minute (less than 5 mm) AND densely crowded in tightly congested clusters
L. Cyathia present (small, cup-like structures bearing at least one gland at the rim, enclosing several to 1-stamen staminate flowers and one central pistillate flower or fruit); plants with copious milky latex
M. Bracteal leaves below cyathia with prominent basal red patch ......................................................................... Euphorbia cyathophora
MM.Bracteal leaves below cyathia green or whitish, never red .......................................................................... Euphorbia heterophylla
LL.Cyathia absent
N. Stems creeping; individual flowers inconspicuous, sunken in a convoluted, obscurely 4-angled receptacle, not associated with obvious bracts ................................................................... Dorstenia contrajerva
NN. Stems erect; individual flowers visible, in bracteate clusters
O. Inflorescence soft, fuzzy, with prominent bristle-like sepals; bracts forming an involucre below each flower cluster (head) .......................................................... Pluchea symphytifolia
OO. Inflorescence dry, scarious, with chaffy bracts intermixed with the flowers ..................................... Alternanthera sp.
KK. Flowers and fruits greater than 8 mm in diam, well separated
P. Stems and leaves with prickles; petals fused .................... Solanum hirtum
PP. Stems and leaves smooth, without prickles; petals separate
Q. Petals yellow
R. Flowers on slender pedicels; plants not fleshy .. Gaya calyptrata
RR. Flowers sessile; plants fleshy ..................... Portulaca oleracea
QQ. Petals white ..................................................... Talinum triangulare