a woody plant that at maturity is 13 ft. or more in height, with a single trunk at least 3 inches in diameter at breast height (4.5 ft. ), un-branched for at least several feet above the ground, and having a more or less definite crown.
Define Dendrology.
The Study of trees
By definition, how does a shrub differ from a tree?
A shrub is a smaller and usually exhibit several erect, spreading, or prostrate stems with a general bushy appearance
How many trees are north of Mexico? How many are considered important as forest trees?
270
200
What is a forest cover type? Give examples.
forest stands or cover types consisting of a plant community made up of trees and other woody vegetation, growing more or less closely together.
Global
United States
Eastern US
What is classification?
Ordering of items into groups having common characteristics, and into a hierarchy of successively more inclusive groups
Involves two processes: grouping and ranking
Plant classification is a system of hierachical categories. List this system starting with the largest, most inclusive category down to the smallest, most specific category.
Division (or Phylum)
Class
Subclass
Order
Family
Genus
Species
What is a phylogeny?
A taxon at any level should represent one evolutionary line evolved from a common ancestor
In scientific nomenclature, the complete description or name of a tree or plant species consists of three parts. Name them.
1. a generic name
2. a specific epithet
3. the full or abbreviated name of the person, or persons, who originally published the name and description, or made a later change
Why would nomenclature change? Two reasons.
Two valid reasons for change:
1. nomenclatural (to bring the name into
compliance with the rules of nomenclature)
2. taxonomic (evidence reflects the need for a
change in classification)
Name three tree characters that can be used to identify a tree.
Tree ID takes into account the whole tree in its natural setting; geographic area, habitat, form, bark, twig,
leaves, taste or aroma, flowers and fruits or cones
Natural variation can make tree ID challenging. Name the two types of variation discussed in lecture and define them.
Intrinsic – originating within the
individual or species;
extrinsic – originating from outside; or
coming from another species.
Species are not always homogeneous. Infact, two trees of the same species can be different. True or false?
developmental plasticity: changes that are under stronger
genetic control (change from a juvenile leaf form to a mature form)
abnormal(mutational): ultimate source of all genetic
variation, most are minor
chromosomal: changes in chromosome number in
trees may or may not be correlated with morphological differences
ecotypic: an ecotype or ecological race is a distinct morphological or physiological form or population resulting form selection by a distinct ecological condition; it has adapted genetically to factors of its local habitat
clinal: a character gradient correlated
with a geographical or ecological gradient
reproductive
speciational:
basically, ecotypes or
populations become genetically isolated and continue to diverge genetically;
primary mode of species formation
Types of Intristic Variation Reproduction
“outcrossing” – xenogamy: crossing between individual plants
“inbreeding” – autogamy: selfing within a single, bisexual flower; and geitonogamy: crossing between flowers of one plant. Leads to less variation within a population, more differences among populations of a species
“Apomixis”: a specialized mechanism that is a substitution of an asexual process for the normal sexual reproduction.
-vegetative apomixes – root sprouts, quaking aspen; and
-agamospermy - the asexual formation of a seed in certain trees like hawthorn or serviceberry.
What are the types of Extrinsic Variation?
Hybrid
Introgressive: occurs when the hybrid backcrosses with one or both of the parental species; transfers genes and character states from one species into another
What is habitat?
A particular combination of environmental factors or conditions that allow a species to grow, develop, successfully compete and reproduce
Derived from soils, climate, physiography and biota present at the site
What do soils do?
Provide moisture, required growth elements
Support
Physical characteristics
Chemistry
What is physiography?
Elevation, slop, aspect, land shape and land-water interface
In terms of physiography, define 'aspect' and briefly state why it can be important in dendrology.
Define 'tolerance' as used in dendrology, and briefly state why it is an important concept for dendrolgy.
Tolerance is reaction to light, reaction to competition, ability to complete life history under cover of a forest
A tolerant tree survives and grows under forest competition
Cheif characteristics of trees usually influence the selection of their common names. Name two examples of characteristics that influence common names.
What is reproductive morphology?
Any structure involved with reproduction of the species
Primary basis for classification of seed plants because most stable characters
Often unavailable when observing trees – borne in crown, usually lasting for a short period of time
Female reproductive features
Ovule (contains egg)
Male reproductive features
Pollen grain (carries sperm)
Physical morphology is considered the primary basis for classification of seed plants. True or False?
True
What are the tree parts of the leaf?
Stipule, blade (lamina), petiole
Complete flower
all four parts (sepals, petals, stamens, pistils)
Flowering
The process of floral maturation reaching the point where pollination is possible.
Incomplete flowers
One or more missing or modified parts
Imperfect Flowers
have only one sex, can be monoecious or dioecious
Dioecious, examples
having imperfect flowers or cones on separate trees; “two houses”; holly, ginko, boxelder
Monoecious, examples
having both male and female flowers or cones on the same tree; “one house”; most conifers, oaks, hickories
Perfect flowers, examples
contain both male and female structures; may be called synoecious or homoecious;
examples: dogwood, cherry
Seed:
Ripened ovule (usually with embryo)
Fruit
Ripened ovary
Simple fruit
From a single ovary in a flower
Compound fruit:
Formed from serveral seperate ovaries that stay together when they mature
Dehiscent fruit
the natural bursting open at maturity of a fruit or other reproductive body to release seeds or spores
Indehiscent fruit
not opening spontaneously at maturity to release seeds
Corymb:
Flat-topped raceme
Head
Flat- topped spike
Umbel
Raceme with elongated pedicels
Panicle
Compound inflorescence
Spike
Flowers sessile
Is pollen type a characteristic of a family, genus or species?
Yes to all.
Pollination in gymnosperms
transfer of pollen from the pollen sac to the ovule (cones)
Pollination in angiosperms
transfer of pollen from the anther to the stigma
What are the three mechanisms of pollination?
Wind (anemophily)
Insect (entomophily)
Bird (ornithophily)
What is a flower?
a modified, determinate short shoot with a central stem axis (receptacle), highly modified sterile leaves (peranth) and reproductive leaves
Dispersal mechanisms of seeds
Anemochory- wind
Zoochory- animals
Autochory/ballochory- projected out
Barochory: weight/gravity
Hydrochory: water
1. Endo-zoochory
2. Exo-zoochory
3. Syn-zoochory
1. Eaten
2. Carried on
3. Beneficial to both - squirels
Describe one way to distinguish a compound leaf from a simple leaf.
What are the three types of leaf arrangements (phyllotaxy)
Alternate, opposite, whorled
What are the 4 types of venation?
Pinnate, palmate, parallel, dichotomous
What are the general features of the leaves?
Apex, base, margin
What are the three types of leaf margins?
Entire, toothed or lobed
Epigeal:
Cotyledons rise above ground by elongation of the hypocotyl
seed germination
Hypogeal:
Cotyledons are storage structures below ground; plumule rises above ground
seed germination
What are the three general parts of the lamina that exhibit distinct, discernable characteristics for IDing trees?
Define vegetative morphology and breifly state why it's important for dendrology.
Vegetative morphology characteristics include physical charachteristics we can see such as leaves, twigs, etc... It is important because we can see them year round unlike hte reproductive features whcih can only be seen at certain times of the year.
Define tree habit, excurrent, and decurrent. Give one example of each.
Habit: Tree shapes can be characteristic, Open grown vs Forest grown, Value-(economic vs. aesthetic), Crown
Excurrent: with a central dominant trunk, symmetrical, spirelike crown. Many gymnosperms, yellow-wood, some poplars
Deliquescent/decurrent: repeatedly forked stems; most trees (palm, yucca)
What is range and why is it important in dendrology? What is a range map and why is it useful in dendrology?
Range is the boundaries where certain tree species are found. It is importnat to dendrology because it allows us to more accurately determine tree species.
A range map shoews us where a tree species is likely to grow and survive. It is important because it includes gaps and chan how us where the species is most likely to exist and survive.
The surface of a leaf can exhibit characters useful for ID. Name three:
Veination, texture, thickness
Spines
Modified leaves or stipules
Prickles
Modiefied epidermal tissue on leaf or twig
Thorns
modified stem tissue
Why are twigs important for ID
Because of buds, leaf scars, stipule scars, vascular bundle scars, pith, color, taste, odor, presence or absense of cork, spur shoots, spines/thorns/prickles and pubescence.
What is community? What is formation?
Formation is a broader scale. One or more plant communities exhibiting a definite structure or life form and occupying similar habitats.
Name two types of roots.
Taproot (woody plants)
Fibrous root
What are leaves?
Primary synthetic organ
What is an obligate wetland species? What is a facultative species/ upland species?
Tree bark can vary not only within a species but by the age of tree, tree vigor, location and even on different parts of an individual tree. As a result bark is not considered a particularly useful or primary character for ID. True or False.
False.
Name two types of buds commonoly found on the twigs of trees.
Axillary and terminal
Deciduous? example.
Drops leaves in fall
Red maple
Evergreen? example.
Keeps leaves generally all year, sheffing them once every other year or longer
Pine
Marcescent? Example.
Drops leaves in spring ( keeps them through winter) - Drop in spring because they are pushed off by new buds.
What is New Jersey's state tree?
Northern Red Oak
What 4 principals did Darwin establish?
Evolution exists
Evolutionary change is gradual
Natural selection is the primary mechanism for evolution
Millions of species arose from a common ancestor through speialization
Variation can occur where?
Between (species variation)
Within (species variation)
Genetic variation
Environmental influence
What bird is Darwin famous for studying?
Finches
Where did Darwin Study these birds?
Galapagos Islands
Ernst Haeckels Tree of life contained what three branches
Animals
Plants
Protista
Evolutionary trees are made with what four modern methods?
DNA
Morphology
Anatomy
Genomic data
Apomorphy (synapomorphy)
Shared dervived character
Who said, "Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny?"
Ernst Haeckel
What is the definition of evolution?
Evolution is change over time
Homoplasy
Similar character states resulting from parallel or convergent evolution or reversal
Polyphyletic
Incudes decendants from two or more ancestors
What information does a phyogenetic tree represent?
What is a monophyletic group?
A common ancestor and all of it's decendents.
Are the dicots a monophyletic group?
No
What is convergance?
When two species evolve similar traits
Give an example of convergance.
The cacti in the American deserts and the cacti in African deserts.
The first "trees" were what? What was there major evolutionary feature?
Lycopods and giant horsetails
Xylem and phloem
The second major group of trees is what? what was there major evolutionary feautres?
Woody gymnosperms (conifers, cycads and ginkgos)
Real wood and seed
How do angiosperms differ from gymnosperms in terms of evolution?
Angiosperms evolved to have seeds hidden in carpels (fruits) while gymnosperm seeds remained naked and in cones
Are dicots paraphyletic or monophyletic? What are monocots?
Dicots are paraphyletic
Monocots are monophyletic
Today's trees all originated from the same single ancestor. True or False.
False
Humans are more closely related to fish than sharks. True or false.
True
Name three plant families with trees.
Sapindaceae, Fagaceae, Roseaceae
Life has tree domains, there are no longer five kingdoms. True or false.
True
Name a family that contains many toxic and allergenic plants.
Anacardiaceae
Name a poisonous/allergenic plant.
Toxicodendron radicans (posion ivy)
Are trees monophyletic? Explain.
No
What is the most exconomically imporant group of gymnosperms?
Conifers
Phylogeny can be defined as evolutionary relatedness. True or false.
True
In an evolutionary tree, a clase is a branch or group of branches. True or false.
True
Diaspore
Dispersed portion of seed/fruit
Dicots
2(4) cotyledons, leaf venation not parallel (pinnate, palmate), flower parts in 4,5s, vascular bundles form a ring around central pith.
Monocots
1 cotyledon, mostly parallel, flower parts in threes, vascular bundles scattered throughout stem
Trees occur in ____ of the dicot subclasses and in ______ of the monocot subclasses
All , 3
Which family has leaves: alternate, simple, usually entire margined, stipulate - which enclose the (usually) large buds
Magnoliaceae
Which family has flowers that are large, entomophilous,
actinomorphic, usually perfect, solitary, terminal or axillary; perianth of showy sepals (in 3s), stamens many, laminar, carpels many distinct
Magnoliaceae
Which family has fruit that are cone-like aggregates of follicle or samaras
Magnoliaceae
What are the two classes in Mangoliaceae
Magnolia
Liriodendron
Which family and class is this?
Unlobed, entire, apex not truncate, deciduous or persistent- Stamens introrse, receptacle elongate- Aggregate of fleshy follicles, seeds with bright scarlet aril
Magnoliaceae Manolia
Which family and class is this?
Nearly orbicular, 4-6 lobed,entire, apex truncate, deciduous, yellow in fall- Stamens extrorse- Aggregate of dry samaras
Magnoliaceae Liriodendron
Annonaceae is the ______ family
Custard-Apple
Which family is this?
Leaves:
alternate, simple, estipulate, entire, aromatic, distichous (in one plane)
Flowers: solitary, before leaves, entomophilous,
perfect, regular, perianth tepaloid in 3s, stamens many, 3 carpels
Fruit: berry or aggregate of berries; seeds large; often the appearance of a fleshy cone
Annonaceae
What is the family class species and common name for Entire, elliptical, apex and base acuminate, pale below
Sepals maroon-brown, nodding, pollinated by carrion flies (bad smell)
Fruit: fleshy berry, yellow-brown; 3-6”
long; smooth-skinned; large, shiny brown oblong seeds
Asimina triloba (pawpaw)
What family is this?
Leaves: alternate, simple, often glandular-punctate, estipulate, often aromatic, persistent or deciduous
Flowers: small, perianth tepaloid in 3s; stamens in 3s, anthers opening via valves, carpel one with usually one ovule
Fruit: Drupe (or 1-seeded berry)
Lauraceae
What Family and Class is this?
Coriaceous, pungent-spicy, entire
Small yellow, before leaves
Acrid, yellow-purple drupe up to 1”
sp. in western US in family; large tree; valued hardwood
Lauraceae Umbellularia
What family and class is this?
Persistent, coriaceous, entire, smell of “bay
leaf” (not true bay) Small, yellowish
Blue-black drupes
Cabinets, boats, avocados
Lauraceae Persea
What family, class and species is this? Common name?
Variable, 0-3 (-5) lobed Imperfect, dioecious,
fragrant
Blue-black drupe on long golf-tee-like, reddish pedicel
3 sp.
Furniture wood
Lauraceae Sassafras albidum
What family, class, species is this? Common name?
Entire, simple; smell of benzene when crushed
Small, yellowish, dioecious, benzene
red (yellow) drupes
Lauraceae Lindera benzoin
Spicebush
What family is this?
Leaves: alternate, bases dilated or stipulate
Flowers: sepals and petals imbricated in bud, usually in 3s; stamens opposite petals, anthers opening by valves or lids at apex, carpel one
Fruit: Berry or capsule
Berberidaceae
What family and class is this?
Prickly shrubs, wood yellow
Leaves: Normal ones on spur shoots, can be up to 3 (-9)-lobed, grade into spines
Flowers: sepals 6, petals 6 (yellow), stamens 6, stigma circular depressed
Fruit: 1-few-seeded berry
Baraberaceae Berberis
Dentate
A leaf margin with teeth that point outwards
Distichous
Leaves all in one plane
Imbricate
With regard to bud scales, overlapping
Pinnate
Feather-like, witha central axis and lateral branches
Serrate
A leaf margin with sharp teeth pointing foward
What family is this?
Leaves: opposite, on short spur shoots (with flowers) palmately-veined, crenate-serrate (“leaves like Cercis”–redbud)
Flowers: dioecious, on short spur shoots before leaves, no perianth, anthers red, styles purple
Fruit: many-seeded pod-like capsule; seeds small winged
Cercidiphyllaceae
What phyllum, class and subclasses is the "catkin bearing" group?
Magnoliaphyta Manoliopsida Hamamelidea
Which families are in the phyllum magnoliaphyta, class magnoliopsida, subclass hamaelidae, order hamamelidales?
Plantanaceae (sycamores and planes)
Hamamelidaceae (witch hazel and sweetgum)
Which family is this?
Bark: peeling, variable colored
Leaves: petioles enlarged at base, enclosing lateral bud, stipules large leaf-like, encircling twig; blade palmately veined, 3-7 lobed,
Flowers: imperfect, monoecious, anemophilous, in separate globose heads.
Fruit: multiple of achenes
Platanaceae
Which tree is this? Name family, genus, species and common name.
leaves: 4-8” dia., broadly ovate to orbicular; 3-5-lobed, broad, shallow sinuses; sinuately toothed; acuminate; cordate to truncate base; stout petioles, hollow at base; yellow to brown in fall
fruit: ¾ - 1 ¼ “ dia., borne singly on 3-6”slender
penduncles; persistent into winter
bark: brownish on young branches; becoming mottled and showing brown, green, white through exfoliation; lower trunks of older trees brown and scaly
Lumber, veneer, wood pulp.
Platanaceae Platanus occidentalis-sycamore
Which tree is this? Name family, genus, species and common name.
commonly planted ornamental
hybrid between P. occidentalis and
P. orientalis (Oriental plane)
- appearance similar to P. occidentalis
except bark more olive-green, leaves generally smaller, with longer, narrower lobes and fruit heads may occur in twos and threes rather than singly
Platanaceae Platanus xcerifolia
Which family is this?
Leaves: Alternate, simple, stipulate, often with stellate hairs
Flowers: perfect or imperfect (monoecious), anemophilous, entomophilous, calyx 4,5 parted or 0, petals 4,5 or 0, stamens 4,5 or more, carpels 2 fused (1 pistil) with 2 celled ovary, 1 or more ovules in each cell.
Fruit: 2-celled capsule, single or multiple
Hamamelidaceae
Which family is this?
Leaves: Alternate, simple, stipulate, margins rarely entire, usually serrate or dentate
Flowers: monoecious, anemophilous, entomophilous,
aggregated in terminal racemes (male), or globular heads
Fruit: non-fleshy, dehiscent, capsule; globular, hard, dry multiple capsules
Altingiaceae
Which family and genus is this?
Habit: Tree
Lvs: Palmately lobed and veined
Flwrs: Imperfect, monoecious
Fruit: Globose multiple (“gumball”)
Scaly buds
Important commercial hardwood
Altingaceae Liquidambar
Which family and genus is this?
Habit: Shrub or small tree
Lvs: Unlobed, pinnately veined
Flwrs: Perfect
Fruit: Born singly
Naked buds
"water diviners”, astringent made from bark
Hamamelis
Which families are in phyllum Magnoliaphyta, class Magnoliopsida, subclass Hamamelidae, Order Urticales?
Ulamaceae (elms)
Moraceaee (mulberry, fig)
Which family is this?
Lvs: Alternate, simple, stipulate, serrate, inequilateral
(oblique) at base
Flwrs: Perfect or imperfect (monoecious), anemophilous, calyx 4-9 lobed or parted, corolla none, stamens 4-6; ovary superior, styles 2, ovule 1
Fruit: Samara, drupe, or nut
Ulmaceae
Which family, and genus is this?
Lvs: Usually doubly serrate with strongly oblique leaf base, numerous parallel veins
Flwrs: Perfect
Fruit: Samara
Commercial hardwood
Ulmaceae Ulmus
Which family and genus is this?
Lvs: Entire or single serrate, slightly oblique leaf base, 3 nerved at base
Flwrs: Perfect or imperfect
Fruit: Drupe
Wood used for lumber
Ulmaceae Celtis
What family and genus is this?
Lvs.: altn., simple, ovate to oblong-ovate; 1.25-2.5”long,
.75-2.0” wide; long-pointed, singly serrate w/sharply long-teeth; 8-14 pairs of veins; strongly oblique base; dark green and somewhat rough above, glabrous below
Flwrs: Imperfect
Fruit: Drupe
Bark: smooth, reddish-brown, heavily lenticelled when
young; later exfoliating and mottled gray, green, orange or brown
Common ornimental tree
Ulmaceae Zelkova
Which family is this?
Lvs: alternate, simple, stipulate, often lobed; sap milky to clear
Flwrs: imperfect, plants monoecious or dioecious, sepals 4, petals 0, stamens 4, carpels 2-fused
Fruit: Multiple (syncarp) of drupes or achenes
Orange inner bark
Moraceae
Which family and genus is this?
Stems unarmed
Lvs: crenate-serrate, unlobed or 2-/3-lobed, palmately
veined, not densely hairy; milky juice in young leaf petiole
Style: deeply divided
Carpellate (pistillate) catkins; fruit cylindric, resembles blackberry
Silkworm industry
Moraceae Morus
Which family and genus is this?
Stems unarmed
Lvs: toothed and/or lobed, palmately veined, often densely hairy
Style: undivided
Carpellate (pistillate), catkins and fruit globose
Moraceae Broussonetia
What family and genus is this?
Stems armed
Leaves: entire
Dioecious
Fruit: large globose, multiple of drupes
Monotypic genus
Moraceae Maclura
What family and genus is this?
Stems unarmed
Leaves: entire or lobed (rarely toothed)
Monoecious (rarely dioecious)
Fruit: smaller, pear- shaped multiple enclosed in perianth
(fig)
Moraceae Ficus
What family is this? Hint: Corkwood family
Lvs: alternate, entire, hairy on veins above, strongly pubescent below
Flwrs: Imperfect (dioecious), catkins
Fruit: dryish drupe
Bark: reddish brown with lighter lenticels
Lightest wood in U.S.
Leitneriaceae
What family is this? Hint: Walnut and Hickory family
Lvs: alternate, pinnatelycompound, estipulate, often aromatic
Flwrs: imperfect, usually monoecious,
calyx 3-6 lobed, corolla absent, subtended by bract (involucre); male aments drooping; pistillate in few flowered spikes or solitary.
Fruit: hard nut encased in a woody to slightly soft dehiscent or indehiscent “husk”.
Juglandaceae
What family and genus is this?
Flwrs: Staminate aments unbranched
Fruit: Nut with husk indehiscent and without sutures
Twig: Pith chambered (after first year)
Juglandaceae Juglans
What family and genus is this?
Flwrs: Staminate aments 3-branched
Fruit: Nut with husk usually dehiscent along sutures
Twig: Solid and homogenous
Heavy, strong, shock-resistant wood
Important for wildlife
Pecan is most important nut tree in U.S.
Juglandaceae Carya
Which family is this? Hint Wax-Myrtle Family
Generally in swamps or on dry sandy soils; temperate and warmer regions
“Nitrogen-fixers”- take nitrogen from air and add to soil
Lvs: simple, alternate, yellow- orange or black resin dots, usually aromatic, entire or toothed margins.
Flowers: imperfect, (plants dioecious or monoecious) in
short, inconspicuous aments appearing in spring
Fruit: variable, commonly a drupe
Myricaceae
Which family is this? Hint Beech and oak family
Leaves: persistent or deciduous, often marcescent,
alternate, simple, stipulate, short-petioled
Flowers: ane- or (partially) entomophilous, uni- or
bisexual aments or heads, imperfect, monoecious, 4-8-lobed calyx, 4-8 stamens, ♀flower: calyx adnate to ovary; ovary 3 (6)-celled, 1 style/cell, each with 1 or 2 ovules (only one
matures)
Fruit: nut(s) enclosed wholly or partially by a cupule (bur, cup or cap)
Fagaceae
Which family and genus is this?
Deciduous persistent, thin to coriaceous
♂ aments pendant; ♀ stiff
Acorn, rounded, solitary, cup with imbricate scales, maturing first or second year
Fagaceae Quercus
What family and genus is this?
Persistent, coriaceous ♂, ♀, bi, in rigid-flexible spikes (aments)
Acorn, rounded, solitary, cup with long slender strongly reflexed scales, maturing second year
Lithocarpus (tan oak)
Which family and genus is this?
Deciduous, thin to slightly coriaceous
In erect uni-, bisexual spikes rigid or flexible
Nut angular, 1-3 within a bur with stiff, sharp, branched spines, with simple hairs; maturing first season
Fagaceae Castanea
Which family and genus is this?
Deciduous, thin to slightly coriaceous
♂ in heads; ♀ in short (2-4 flowered) spikes
Nut
3-angled, 2 within bur with weak unbranched
spines; maturing first year
Fagaeceae Fagus
Arcuate
Pinnate venation in which the entire secondary veins narrowly arch upward towar the apex
Punctate:
Dotted with depressions or colored dots, generally glands
Reniform
Kidney- shaped; wider than long with a broad heart bease
Serrualate
Minutely serrate
Unifoliate
A leaf having only a single leaflet, usually desribed as simple.
What family is this? Leaves:
deciduous, alternate, simple, stipulate
Flowers: imperfect, monoecious, anemophilous, ♂
aments preformed (except occasionally Carpinus),
pendant; ♀ aments stouter, spikelike
or headlike; each flower subtended by bracts; calyx present or absent; corolla absent
Fruit: nut or nutlet often subtended or enclosed by bracts
Betulaceae
What family and genus is this? Hint: nirtogen fixers
Leaves: ovate, oval, obovate; irregularly serrate or dentate, 3-ranked
Flowers: staminate aments preformed in racemose
clusters of 3-5, pistillate aments often preformed in clusters of 2-3; early spring flowering
Fruit: small, compressed, laterally-winged samara borne in persistent semi-woody ament; chestnut brown
Betulaceae Alnus
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: mostly ovate, oval or triangular; serrate or doubly-serrate, dentate or lobed
Flowers: staminate aments preformed in clusters of 2 or 3; pistillate aments solitary, individual flowers naked, in clusters of three
Fruit: very small, laterally-winged samara borne in erect or pendent ament, with 3-lobed leathery bracts deciduous with fruit
Betulaceae Betula
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: alternate, doubly-serrate, distichous
Flowers: monoecious, appearing in spring with leaves
Fruit: ribbed, 1/3-inch nutlet
subtended by a 3-lobed, leafy bract
Usually poorly formed understory tree, twisted, fluted trunk, dark bluish-gray smooth bark
Betulaceae Carpinus
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: distichous, oval to broadly elliptical, doubly serrate, more or less pubescent on both surfaces
Flowers: unisexual aments maturing in spring
Fruit: fairly large nut, enclosed by leafy bracts
Betulaceae Corylus
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: ovate to oblong, doubly serrate, thin, tough, rough to touch,pubescent below
Flowers: 1-2-inch aments; male appearing in fall, persisting through winter; female in spring, monoecious
Fruit: small nutlets each enclosed in tan, bladder-like sac, several forming a loosely imbricate, pendent, racemose cluster
Betulaceae Ostrya
What family is this?
Habit: Small trees or shrubs, nitrogen-fixing
Leaves: minute, scale-like, whorled, connate
Flowers: anemophilous, imperfect, monoecious or dioecious, staminate in aments, pistillate in heads
Fruit: samaras in cone-like multiples
Casuarinaceae - the beefwood family
What family is this?
Leaves: reduced to spines or absent, photosynthesis largely by the succulent stem (cladophyll);spines and barbed bristles (glochids)
arise from swollen areas (areoles).
Flowers: showy, insect, bird/ bat pollinated, solitary, perianth tepaloid
Fruit: many-seeded berry, edible
Cactaceae
What family is this?
Leaves: deciduous or persistent, non-aromatic, simple alternate, entire or serrulate, estipulate
Flowers: solitary, large, perfect, entomophilous, 5 sepals, 5 petals, many stamens, pistil single
Fruit: capsule or berry (only in Eurya)
Theaceae- the tea family
What family is this?
Leaves: generally simple, alternate, often palmately
lobed or compound & palmately veined, margin may be entire; when dentate, veins end at tip of each tooth; often distichous, stipulate, sometimes with oblique bases; may have some hairs
Flowers: commonly in axillary inflorescences, uni- or bisexual, generally actinomorphic, ane- and entomophilous, often associated w/conspicuous bracts
Fruit: a capsule, schizocarp, drupe, berry, or nut-like
Malvaceae- the mallow family
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: large (native sp.) to small (non-native sp.) ovate to rotund; coarsely, sharply serrate with cordate
and/or oblique leaf bases; glabrous upper surface, axillary tufts of hairs to densely tomentose below; yellow to orange fall color
Flowers: ane- and entomophilous, petals white-pale yellow, some stamens (in native sp.) modified into petaloid staminodes; borne in few-flowered cymes on narrow, leaf-like bract; appear late spring when leaves nearly mature
Fruit: small, indehiscent grayish tomentose globose nut
clustered on long pedicel to a short-petioled, long, persistent, foliaceous bract
Twigs: green to red; zigzag; terminal buds lacking; lateral buds inequilateral, mucilaginous, usually 2 or 3 visible, green or reddish scales; stipular scars prominent
Bark: green, grayish-green young trees; later gray to brown, breaking up into narrow ridges
Malvaceae Tilia
What family is this?
Habit: Halophytes, xerophytes, with slender upright, spreading or drooping branches resembling Juniperus
(juniper)
Leaves: Simple, alternate, small scale-like, appressed against stem, salt glands, persistent or deciduous; many branches fall with leaves
Flowers: small, showy, perfect, entomophilous,
white-pink, 4 or 5 –merous, in slender racemes, spikes, panicles; spring and summer
Fruit: small capsule; seeds hairy, windblown
Tamaricaceae- Tamarisk family
What is the genus inside Tamaricaceae?
Tamarix
What family is this?
Leaves: simple, alternate, deciduous, stipulate; petioles often glandular
Flowers: imperfect, dioecious, ane- or entomophilous,
both sexes in separate aments appearing before leaves, each flower subtended by a bract, staminate flowers 1-many stamens; pistillate
flowers with 2-4, 2-lobed stigmas
Fruit: 1-celled, 2-4-valved capsule with comose seeds wind-dispersed late spring or early summer; must be kept moist or lose viability, rapid germination 24-48 hours under ideal conditions
Salicaceae- Willow family
Not a 'timber-contributing group'
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: Simple, alternate or rarely subopposite,
distichous, narrowly lanceolate to elliptical; entire or finely to coarsely toothed, short-petioled or sessile
Flowers: appear before leaves; aments ascending, individual flowers (both sexes) with a basal nectar gland and densely pubescent, entire-margined bract; ane- and
entomophilous
Fruit: 2-valved, 1-celled capsule; cottony, silky-haired seeds
Twigs: slender to stout, glabrous to pubescent, range from red, orange, yellow, green, purple to brown; lenticillate;
terminal buds absent; laterals appressed, w/single scale fused into a cap or w/free overlapping margins
Salicaceae Salix
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: ovate to deltate; crenate-serrate, dentate, or lobed; usually with long, compressed petioles
Flowers: drooping aments appearing before leaves;individual flowers (both sexes) solitary inserted on a disk and subtended by pubescent, fimbriate-margined bract; anemophilous
Fruit: 2-4-valved capsule containing a number of tufted seeds, shed in large numbers
Twigs: stout to slender; mostly olive-brown to lustrous reddish brown; glabrous or pubescent; terminal bud present, laterals nearly same size
What genus is this? Species? Common name?
Upright shrub to 10 feet Erect
clusters of white flowers very conspicuous in late summer; spicy, sweet fragrance
Capsules persistent into winter with flower’s former style still protruding from center
Clethra alnifolia (sweet pepper bush)
What family is this?
Habit: Shrubs, some trees, often able to grow on poor soils
Leaves: deciduous or persistent, alternate (rarely opposite, whorled), simple, estipulate
Flowers: perfect, mostly sympetalous,
5-parted, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, entomophilous
Fruit: capsule, berry, drupe
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: persistent, coriaceous, entire to finely toothed, dark green, pale below
Flowers: white, urn-shaped, drooping terminal panicles in spring
Fruit: an orange-red drupe
Bark: dark reddish brown, dividing into thin scaly plates
Eriacaeae Arbutus
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: lanceolate-elliptic, serrulate
especially towards apex; petiole and midrib (on leaf underside) hairy; sour tasting; dark red to scarlet or yellow in fall
Flowers: white, urn-shaped on elongated terminal panicles; valued for honey
Fruit: gray capsules erect on panicle (infructescence)
Bark: longitudinally furrowed, blocky on large trees
Small to medium-sized tree, 50’, 12”dbh; moderately intolerant
Eriaceae Oxydendrum - sourwood
What family and genus is this?
Habit: shrubs or small trees
Leaves: evergreen or deciduous, alternate (sometimes appearing in pseudowhorls), entire or toothed
Flowers: showy, entomophilous, perianth 5-lobed, calyx minute, corolla showy, anthers open by terminal pores
Fruit: capsules, seeds scale-like
Leaves: persistent, leathery, oblong;
Flowers: large, showy, white to pink terminal clusters, late spring
Fruit: elongated, sticky capsule with many extremely small seeds
Common large shrub, small tree; thickets
Eriaceae Rhododenron
What Family and genus is this?
Leaves: alternate, opposite, whorled, entire usually coriaceous
Flowers: perianth 5-parted, calyx deeply lobed, corolla rotate, crateriform, shallowly-lobed, stamens 10, the short anthers at first fitting into sacs in corolla
Fruit: ovoid-globose capsule indented at top
Eriaceae Kalmia (laurel)
What family and genus is this?
Huckleberries
Leaves
with yellow-glandular, glistening dots
Fruit
with ca. 10 hard seeds
Eriaceae Gaylussacia
What family and genus is this?
Blueberries, cranberries, deerberries
Leaves
with no yellow glands
Fruit
with many tiny seeds
Eriaceae Vaccinium
What family is this?
Habit: trees, shrubs with milky sap
Leaves:
alternate, simple, usually estipulate, entire, coriaceous, often with cross-shaped hairs, evergreen or deciduous
Flowers:
small, perfect, in clusters, white, entomophilous, perianth
4-12-merous, connate, stamens 3-many, 2-many carpellate
Fruit:
berry with 1-several large seeds
Sapotaceae
What family and genus is this?
Leaves: on spur (sometimes spiny) branches, tardily deciduous, elliptic-ovate, base cuneate, entire, dark green above, gray-rusty hairy below
Flowers: bell-shaped, on long pedicles
Fruit: elliptical, black berry with only one seed developed
Sapotaceae Bumelia
What family is this?
Leaves: alternate, simple, entire, estipulate, venation finely reticulate (visible on underside)
Flowers: perfect or imperfect (if imperfect usually dioecious), small actinomorphic, perianth 3-7
parted, each connate, stamens 3-many, entomophilous
Fruit:
plump berry with large, flat seeds, edible, calyx attached
Wood:
hard and dark
Ebenaceae
What species is in Ebenaceae?
Ebenaceae Diospyros virginiana- persimmon
What family is this?
Habit:
shrubs or small trees
Leaves:
alternate, simple, estipulate, usually stellate hairs
Flowers:
white, perfect, regular, perianth 4-8 distinct or connate, stamens 4-many, usually epipetalous, carpels 3-5 connate, entomophilous
Fruit:
capsule, dry-fleshy drupe (rarely samara)
Bark:
usually resinous
Styracaceae- storax family
What family and genus is this?
Habit:
shrub or small tree
Perianth
4-merous, calyx almost completely adherent to ovary
Fruit:
winged
Styracaceae Halesia- silverbell
What family and genus is this?
Habit: shrubs
Perianth
5-merous, half of the calyx adherent to the ovary,
Fruit: dry, not winged
