Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center

Southern Wetland Flora


Key to Groups of Wetland Plants in South


1. Ferns or horsetails, reproducing by spores, not seeds Group 1
1. Plants reproducing by flowers and seeds Go To 2
2. Plants woody, either trees, shrubs, or vines Go To 3
2. Plants herbaceous; stems not woody Go To 4
3. Trees and Shrubs Group 5
3. Woody vines Group 9
4. Monocots; leaves usually with parallel veins; flower parts usually in 3's or multiples of 3's Go To 5
4. Dicots; leaves usually with net veins; flower parts usually in 4's or 5's or multiples thereof Go To 7
5. Flowers without sepals and petals, each flower subtended by a scale, with all the flowers arranged in spikelets Go To 6
5. Flowers with sepals and petals (green or brown in Juncus), or borne on a spadix, but not arranged in spikelets Group 4
6. At least one or more scales at the base of each spikelet not subtending a flower; stems never triangular Group 2
6. All the scales of a spikelet subtending a flower; stems sometimes triangular Group 3
7. At least some of the leaves compound; that is, divided into distinct leaflets Group 6
7. None of the leaves compound Group 8
8. Most or all the leaves opposite or whorled Group 7
8. Most or all the leaves alternate and/or basal Group 8


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Page Last Modified: August 3, 2006