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Volume III (1980) - Flora of New Zealand Adventive Cyperaceous, Petalous & Spathaceous Monocotyledons
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Vegetative Key

KEY TO FAMILIES AND SOME GENERA, BASED MAINLY ON VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS

KEY TO FAMILIES AND SOME GENERA, BASED MAINLY ON VEGETATIVE CHARACTERS

† Treated in Vol. II. ζ See note below key.

Key

1
Plants aquatic (free-floating, or rooting and submersed, or emergent; submersed and floating leaves sometimes different)
2
Plants terrestrial, epiphytic or rupestral, some of damp places but not truly aquatic
38
2
Plants free-floating, occasionally rooting in marginal mud
3
Plants submersed or emergent, rooting in bottom mud
5
3
Plant body an undifferentiated platelet, to 4 mm long
LEMNACEAE
Plant body with evident leaves and stems
4
4
Petioles inflated, bladder-like: flowers 4–7 cm diam., bluish-purple
PONTEDERIACEAE
Petioles ± absent: flowers minute, on spadices within spathes: plants lettuce-like
Pistia
5
Plants submersed
6
Plants with floating leaves, or stems and leaves emergent
16
6
Leaves all basal
7
Leaves basal and cauline, or cauline only
10
7
Plants minute, ± tufted, 1–4 cm high: leaves without cross-veins or septa
8
Plants larger, > 8cm high: leaves with cross-veins or septa
9
8
Leaves sheathing
CENTROLEPIDACEAE
Leaves not sheathing
HYDATELLACEAE†
9
Leaves ribbon-like, translucent, with cross-veins
Vallisneria
Leaves filiform, not translucent, with transverse septa
Juncus
10
Leaf margins serrate or serrulate: leaves often translucent
11
Leaf margins entire (occasionally serrulate near apices): leaves not translucent
12
11
Leaf margins crimped
Potamogeton
Leaf margins not crimped
HYDROCHARITACEAE
12
Leaves in false whorls of 3–4 or opposite, serrulate near tip: stipules sheathing stem above lamina-base: sheath absent below lamina-base
Zannichellia†
Leaves alternate, floral leaves opposite or ± whorled, entire: sheaths present or 0 below lamina-base
13
13
Leaves without auricles but stipular sheaths tubular or ring of ± erect fibres at lamina-base: flowers bisexual; in long pedunculate spikes.
Potamogeton
Leaves with auricles: flowers 1–many, uni- or bisexual: inflorescences various
14
14
Leaf-tip rounded, 3-toothed; flowers 1–several, sessile or peduncles < 1 cm long in leaf axils, exposed unisexual
Lepilaena†
Leaf-tip rounded to ± truncate and toothed: flowers several–many, exposed or enclosed in spathe-like upper leaf sheaths, uni-or bisexual
15
15
Plants inter-tidal: fruits on spadix in spathe-like upper leaf sheaths: flowers unisexual
ZOSTERACEAE†
Plants of fresh or brackish water: fruits pedicellate, on spirally coiled peduncles to 30 cm long; flowers bisexual
RUPPIACEAE†
16
Leaves floating on water surface (underwater leaves often dissimilar)
17
Leaves and stems emergent
22
17
Leaves filiform to linear, grass like
18
Leaves broad, ovate to oblong
19
18
Ligule present, lamina > 0.5 cm wide
Zizania, Glyceria [GRAMINEAE]
Ligule 0, lamina < 0.2 cm wide
Scirpus
19
Leaves basal and cauline: flowers inconspicuous, on long pedunculate spikes from upper leaf axils
Potamogeton
Leaves all basal: flowers conspicuous
20
20
Leaves all similar: flowers yellow, ± 4 cm diam.
BUTOMACEAE
Underwater leaves of different form: flowers white, 1–several per scape
21
21
Flowers solitary on each scape
Ottelia
Flowers many, in 2 divergent spikes per scape
APONOGETONACEAE
22
Plants minute, 1–4 cm high: leaves all basal, linear-filiform
23
Plants > 10 cm high: leaves basal and/or cauline, or reduced to sheaths
24
23
Leaves sheathing
CENTROLEPIDACEAE
Leaves not sheathing
HYDATELLACEAE†
24
Leaves reduced to sheaths, with or without mucro
25
Leaves with evident laminae
27
25
Sheaths spaced along stems
RESTIONACEAE†
Sheaths ± all basal
26
26
Sheaths open: capsule many-seeded
Juncus
Sheaths closed: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
27
Leaves similar to stems
28
Leaves not similar to stems
29
28
Sheaths open: plants of saline waters: capsule many-seeded
Juncus
Sheaths closed: plants of fresh or brackish waters: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
29
Leaves with distinct petioles
30
Leaves without petioles
31
30
Leaves peltate, hastate or sagittate: flowers on spadices in showy spathes
ARACEAE
Leaves lanceolate to ovate-cordate: flowers rosy, in open pyramidal panicles
ALISMATACEAE
31
Leaves with internal transverse septa, sometimes evident externally
32
Leaves without internal transverse septa
34
32
Leaves keeled: flowers in dense globose clusters on a simple or branched rhachis
SPARGANIACEAE†
Leaves not keeled: inflorescences various
33
33
Leaves thick, spongy, 1–3 m × 1–3 cm: inflorescence cylindrical, dense, brown, 10–30 × 2.5 cm
TYPHACEAE†
Leaves ± thin, not spongy, < 30 × 0.5 cm: inflorescence never cylindrical, always open or glomerate
Juncus
34
Leaves equitant, distichous
35
Leaves not equitant
36
35
Leaves 1–3 m long, strongly fibrous, not snapped between fingers, margins dark
Phormium†
Leaves 0.5–1 m long, not strongly fibrous, can be snapped between fingers margins not dark
Iris
36
Leaves ± joined at junction of lamina and sheath, distichous: ligule present, usually projecting, or a fringe of hairs
[GRAMINEAE]
Leaves not joined at junction of lamina and sheath: ligule present or absent
37
37
Sheaths open: auricles present or 0: ligule 0: capsule many-seeded
JUNCACEAE
Sheaths closed: auricles 0: ligule present or 0: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
38
Plants without chlorophyll: leaves scale-like
39
Plants with chlorophyll: leaves present, or reduced to sheaths, or if scale-like cladodes leaf-like
40
39
Flowers actinomorphic, red
BURMANIACEAE†
Flowers zygomorphic, flower colours various
ORCHIDACEAE
40
Plants moss-like or cushion-forming, of mountain habitats, often of bogs
41
Plants not moss-like or cushion-forming, habitats various, lowland to subalpine
43
41
Junction of lamina and sheath with rounded shoulders, or truncate or lobed or auriculate: leaf tip obtuse: sheaths 3-, 5- or 7-nerverd
Oreobolus†
Lamina merging gradually into sheath; leaf tip acicular, acute or obtuse: sheath nerves obscure or ± coloured
42
42
Leaf tip acicular: leaves distichous, imbricate: hairs present or 0
CENTROLEPIDACEAE
Leaf tip obtuse, or if acute, leaves and sheaths hairy: leaves never distichous and imbricate
Luzula
43
Leaves reduced to sheaths, all ± basal or disposed along stems
44
Leaves with evident laminae, or if reduced to scales, then leaf-like cladodes present
46
44
Sheaths spaced along stems
RESTIONACEAE†
Sheaths all ± basal, with or without mucro (or short terete laminae)
45
45
Sheaths open: capsule many-seeded
JUNCACEAE
Sheaths closed: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
46
Leaves with onion smell
47
Leaves lacking onion smell
49
47
Flower 1 per scape
Ipheion
Flowers 2–many, umbellate
48
48
Plant with bulb: flowers white to pink, sometimes with bulbils or flowers entirely replaced by bulbils
Allium
Plant with thick rhizome: flowers violet-red: bulbils 0
Tulbaghia
49
Leaves similar to stems, ± terete
50
Leaves dissimilar to stems
54
50
Leaves hollow
51
Leaves solid or pith-filled
52
51
Leaf 1: plant tuberous
ORCHIDACEAE
Leaves several: plant with ± fleshy roots
Asphodelus
52
Sheaths closed: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
Sheaths open: fruit a capsule or follicle
53
53
Ligule present: fruit a follicle
JUNCAGINACEAE†
Ligule absent: fruit a capsule
JUNCACEAE
54
Leaves pinnate or palmate: plant arborescent
PALMAE
Leaves simple, rarely dissected: plant herbaceous, rarely arborescent
55
55
Leaves peltate, pedatisect; hastate or sagittate, petioles long, stout: flowers minute, within large showy spathes
ARACEAE
Leaves linear, lorate, ovate to oblong, sessile or not: flowers rarely in spathes
56
56
Plant a liane, climber or twiner
57
Plant erect to prostrate, not climbing or twining
60
57
Plant a root climber: leaves to 1 m × 2.5 cm, margins spinulose-serrate
PANDANACEAE†
Plant not a root climber: leaves various, margins entire
58
58
Leaves cordate, sinus deep: tuber large, to 1 m long
DIOSCOREACEAEζ
Leaves not cordate: tubers small, or plant rhizomatous
59
59
Stems cable-like, > 0.5 cm diam.: leaves green, ovate to oblong, 5–16 × 2–6 cm, or brown, sheathing, scale-like
SMILACACEAE†
Stems slender, < 0.5 cm diam.: leaves scale-like, with cladodes needle-like and in 1 plane, or falcate or ovate-lanceolate, to 3.5 cm long
Asparagus
60
Leaves with horny pungent tip
61
Leaves with acute or obtuse tips, never pungent
64
61
Inflorescence with bulbils: leaf margins entire or toothed
Furcraea
Inflorescence without bulbils: leaf margins entire or toothed
62
62
Leaf margins entire
Yucca
Leaf margins with horny teeth
63
63
Leaves with whitish oblong spots in ± transverse bands
Aloe
Leaves without whitish spots, sometimes with longitudinal yellow variegation
Agave
64
Plant arborescent, with ± woody trunk and crown of leaves
65
Plant herbaceous, occasionally woody below, but stems never trunk-like and leaves never in a crown
66
65
Leaf margins sharply serrate
Furcraea
Leaf margins entire
Cordyline
66
Leaves with indumentum of scales: plants often epiphytic: fruit a berry
LILIACEAE
Leaves without scales, glabrous or hairy: fruits various
67
67
Lower leaf surface ± uppermost through twisting of petiole
68
Leaf surfaces not reversed, petiole present or absent
69
68
Stems wiry, ± 4 angled: flowers white: fruit a berry
PHILESIACEAE?
Stems not wiry, ± terete: flowers not white: fruit a capsule with large cap
ALSTROEMERIACEAE
69
Leaves arising from pseudobulbs: plants epiphytic
ORCHIDACEAE
Leaves not arising from pseudobulbs: plants terrestrial, rarely epiphytic
70
70
Leaves 1: plant with corms, tubers or rhizomes
71
Leaves 2–many: underground parts various
72
71
Plant with corms: leaves tough, leathery: spathe-valves membranous
IRIDACEAE
Plant with small tubers or soft rhizomes: leaves soft, ± fragile: spathe-valves absent
ORCHIDACEAE
72
Leaves ± jointed at junction of lamina and sheath; ligule present, rarely 0
73
Leaves not jointed at junction of lamina and sheath, or sheath 0
74
73
Ligule usually projecting, or a fringe of hairs: flowers within glumes
[GRAMINEAE]
Ligule 0: flowers petaloid: stems often cane-like: plant usually epiphytic
ORCHIDACEAE
74
Leaves with internal longitudinal tubes and transverse septa often evident externally, often ± spongy and readily compressed
75
Leaves without internal longitudinal tubes or transverse septa (occasionally capillary cross-veins), not spongy
77
75
Leaves keeled: flowers in dense globose clusters on a simple or branched rhachis
SPARGANIACEAE†
Leaves not keeled and midrib not obvious: inflorescences various
76
76
Leaves thick, spongy, 1–3 m × 1–3 cm: inflorescence cylindrical, dense, brown, 10–30 × 2.5 cm
TYPHACEAE†
Leaves ± thin, not spongy, < 30 × 1 cm: inflorescence open or in clusters
JUNCACEAE
77
Leaves equitant, usually ensiform
78
Leaves not equitant
81
78
Keel of leaves scabrid: fruit a berry
Dianella†
Keel of leaf, if present, not scabrid: fruit a capsule
79
79
Leaves strongly fibrous, leathery, 1–3 m × 5–12 cm, tough and cannot be snapped transversely: rhizomes stout: scapes > 2 cm diam.
Phormium†
Leaves ± fibrous or not, can be snapped transversely: underground parts rhizomatous or cormous: scapes < 1.5 cm diam.
80
80
Plant cormous, occasionally rhizomatous: flowers subtended by 2, usually scarious spathe-valves
IRIDACEAE
Plant rhizomatous: leaves stiff, ensiform or lax, linear, channelled: flowers with 1, non-spathaceous bract
LILIACEAE
81
Ligule present, sometimes scarcely projecting: leaves often scabrid
82
Ligule 0: leaves scabrid or smooth
84
82
Ligule > 1.5 cm long: leaves lanceolate to oblong, to 50 × 15 cm, sessile or petiolate
ZINGIBERACEAE
Ligule < 0.5 cm long: leaves linear
83
83
Sheath open: leaves smooth: inflorescence a spiciform raceme
JUNCAGINACEAE†
Sheath closed: leaves smooth or scabrid: inflorescences various
CYPERACEAE
84
Leaf veins curved out and parallel at ± 45 angle from midrib in lower ⅔ of leaves: leaves large, ovate to oblong, to 45 × 25 cm
CANNACEAE
Leaf veins ± parallel to midrib, or solitary, or obscure
85
85
Leaves hairy or ciliate: stems hairy or glabrous
86
Leaves glabrous: stems glabrous or hairy
92
86
Leaves plicate, leathery, to 1 m × 7 cm, glabrous: stems stout, pilose: stem bases brilliant red when cut: roots red
HAEMODORACEAE
Leaves not plicate, texture various, 1–40 cm long, hairy or glabrous: stems hairy or glabrous
87
87
Leaves 2: plant tuberous: hairs gland-tipped
Aporostylis†
Leaves > 2: tubers absent: hairs eglandular
88
88
plant cormous: flowers 1 (–2): peduncles with 2 opposite subulate bracts
HYPOXIDACEAE
Plant not cormous: flowers several to many
89
89
Stems hairy: tufted annuals: leaves setaceous of filiform
90
Stems glabrous: plants perennial: leaves various
91
90
Leaf tip acicular: inflorescence a short, compact spike, ebracteate
CENTROLEPIDACEAE
Leaf tip not acicular: inflorescence a compound umbel, bracts leaf-like
Fimbristylis†
91
Leaf margins with long white hairs: plants tufted, grass-like: perianth glumaceous
Luzula
Leaf margins finely ciliate, at least in lower half: plants not grass-like: perianth of sepals and petals
COMMELINACEAE
92
Leaf margins scabrid
93
Leaf margins smooth
94
93
Flowers orange-red, 25–3.5 cm long, in dense terminal cylindrical recemes, 10–20 cm long
Kniphofia
Flowers green, brownish to reddish-brown, glumaceous, in spikelets in spikes, racemes, panicles or umbels
CYPERACEAE
94
Leaves minute, scale-like: cladodes needle-like, to 1.5 cm long, fascicled: fruit a berry
Asparagus
Leaves well developed, cladodes absent: fruits various
95
95
Plant with corms or bulbs
96
Plant with fibrous roots, fleshy roots, rhizomes or tubers or stolons
103
96
Plant with corms
97
Plant with bulb
100
97
Perianth-tube very long, emerging from ground level
98
Perianth-tube long, short or ± absent; flowers on evident aerial scape
99
98
Leaves appearing with flowers: flowers golden-yellow
Crocus
Leaves absent at flowering: flowers whitish to purple
Colchicum
99
Leaves compressed-cylindrical; flowers 1.5–2 cm long, purplish
Romulea
Leaves deeply channelled or folded: flowers 4–5 mm long, white
Iphigenia†
100
Flowers 1–3
101
Flowers > 3
102
101
Flowers with scarious spathe-valves
AMARYLLIDACEAE
Flowers without spathe-valves
Lilium
102
Flowers in umbels with scarious spathe-valves
AMARYLLIDACEAE
Flowers not in umbels
LILIACEAE
103
Plant with tubers, or fleshy or tuberous roots
104
Plant with fibrous roots, or rhizomes or stolons
106
104
Plant with fleshy roots: flowers yellow, in dense racemes
Bulbinella†
Plants with tubers
105
105
Flowers zygomorphic: seeds minute, dust-like
ORCHIDACEAE
Flowers actinomorphic: seeds black, > 1 mm long
Arthropodium†
106
Leaves linear to lorate
107
Leaves lanceolate, elliptic-oblong, or ± ovate
111
107
Rhizomes ± 5 cm diam.: leaves lorate, > 3.5 cm wide: flowers blue or white, in many-flowered umbels
Agapanthus
Rhizomes if present < 2 cm diam.: leaves linear, grassy: perianth-segments usually glumaceous
108
108
Flowers solitary
109
Flowers several to many
110
109
Leaves < 1 mm wide: tepals red-brown, glumaceous
Rostkovia†
Leaves 1.5–4 mm wide: tepals white to blue, not glumaceous
Herpolirion†
110
Sheaths open: fruit a capsule
JUNCACEAE
Sheaths closed: fruit a nut
CYPERACEAE
111
Leaves elliptic-oblong, ± distichous along stems: flowers in 2–4-flowered axillary racemes
Polygonatum
Leaves lanceolate to ovate, all basal: flowers in open panicles
112
112
Leaves plicate: roots brilliant red: flowers yellow
Wachendorfia
Leaves not plicate: roots not red: flowers white, lilac, or pink
113
113
Plant of damp places: leaves petiolate, in rosettes: flowers to 1 cm diam., pink or lilac
ALISMATACEAE
Plant of coastal rocks: leaves not petiolate, in tufts: flowers ± 2 cm diam., white
Arthropodium†

ζDioscorea alata L. was listed by Hooker Handbk N.Z. Fl. 1867, 762, as a naturalised plant. No specimens have been found.

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