What’s a dichotomous key?
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- Group 1Lycophytes, Monilophytes
- Group 2Gymnosperms
- Group 3Monocots
- Group 4Woody angiosperms with opposite or whorled leaves
- Group 5Woody angiosperms with alternate leaves
- Group 6Herbaceous angiosperms with inferior ovaries
- Group 7Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries and zygomorphic flowers
- Group 8Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, and 2 or more distinct carpels
- Group 9Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, connate petals, and a solitary carpel or 2 or more connate carpels
- Group 10Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, distinct petals or the petals lacking, and 2 or more connate carpels
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- Dichotomous Key
- Gentianaceae
Gentianaceae
See list of 10 genera in this familyReference: Gillett (1963).
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1a. Leaves of the stem reduced to scales 0.5–4.5 mm long; flowers 2.5–4 (–7) mm long; lobes of the corolla imbricate in bud
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1b. Leaves of the stem foliaceous [Fig. 669], (5–) 10–150 mm long; flowers 5–55 mm long; lobes of the corolla convolute in bud
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3a. Style absent, the stigmas decurrent on the sides of the ovary along the carpel sutures; stamens epipetalous; anthers basifixed
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3b. Style present, the stigmas elevated above the ovary; stamens free from the petals; anthers versatile
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2b. Corolla tubular, funnelform, campanulate, or salverform, with lobes shorter than the basal, connate portion
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5a. Style evident, slender; corolla salverform, red-purple to pink to nearly white; anthers becoming spirally coiled
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6a. Inflorescence a panicle-like or corymb-like cyme; style slightly bifid, divided for a short distance below the stigma lobes; stigma lobes semicircular to bluntly triangular from side view, fleshy; capsules narrow-cylindrical
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6b. Inflorescence a spike-like cyme; style not divided beneath the stigma lobes; stigma lobes flabellate from side view, only slightly fleshy; capsules ellipsoid
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5b. Style absent, inconspicuous, or short and stout; corolla cylindric, funnelform, or campanulate, blue to white or green to purple-green; anthers not spirally coiled
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7a. Lobes of the corolla with conspicuous, basal spurs in the larger flowers; corolla green to purple-green
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7b. Lobes of the corolla lacking spurs; corolla blue to white
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8a. Sinuses of the corolla folded or plaited, often of a color or texture different from those of the corolla lobes; plants perennial; calyx with a continuous membrane or rim on the inside at the summit; nectary glands located at base of ovary
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8b. Sinuses of the corolla neither folded nor plaited, of a color and texture similar to those of the lobes; plants annual or biennial; calyx without a membrane or with a membrane confined to the base of each sinus; nectary glands located at base of corolla
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9a. Margins of the corolla lobes conspicuously fringed in the apical portion [Fig. 667]; corolla 35–55 mm long, usually 4-merous; ovules covering much of the inner surface of the ovary; calyx with a membrane on the inside at the base of each sinus; seeds papillose
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9b. Margins of the corolla lobes not fringed; corolla 10–23 mm long, commonly 5-merous; ovules confined to bands along each of the 2 sutures of the ovary; calyx without an internal membrane; seeds smooth
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Show photos of: Each photo represents one genus in this family.