Year: 2024

Characteristics of the Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family:

1. Herbaceous or shrubby habit: wide range of growth forms, from low-growing ground covers to tall shrubs.
2. Alternate leaves: Leaves are typically alternate (though sometimes opposite or whorled), simple, and often hairy. The hairs can be quite noticeable and are often stiff or bristly.
3. Inflorescence: Usually a scorpioid cyme. Sometimes racemes, or helicoid cymes. The inflorescences can be compact or elongated, depending on the species.
4. Flower characteristics: Typically bisexual and have five sepals and five fused petals, forming a distinctive tubular or funnel-shaped corolla. The flowers often have a prominent throat and may be blue, pink, purple, white, or yellow.
5. Fruit: The fruit is usually a schizocarp, which splits into four nutlets or mericarps when mature. These nutlets often have spines or prickles.
6. Chemical composition: Many species contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which can be toxic to humans and animals if ingested.
7. Ecological diversity: Found in various habitats worldwide, including temperate, subtropical, and tropical regions.
8. Medicinal importance: Borage (Borago officinalis) is cultivated for its edible leaves and flowers, and some species are used as dyes and in traditional medicine.

Jepson video

Jepson key to family

Characteristics of the Cucurbitaceae (Cucumber or Squash Family):
• Herbaceous vines
• Coiling tendrils for climbing
• Alternate leaves, typically palmately lobed
• Most species have unisexual flowers, meaning individual plants produce either male or female flowers. Some species produce both male and female flowers on the same plant.
• Five petals, often fused
• Fleshy fruits, such as cucumbers, melons, pumpkins, squash, and gourds
• Extensive hybridization, leading to a wide array of cultivars with diverse traits, flavors, and appearances.

Check out this Jepson YouTube Video on the Cucurbitaceae.

Jepson key to the Cucurbitaceae

Characteristics of the Scrophulariaceae (the figwort family):
• Growth form: Trees, shrubs, or herbs
• Leaves: Opposite or spiral, simple, without stipules
• Inflorescence: Spike, raceme, or thyrse
• Flowers: Bilaterally symmetrical, superior ovary, 2 or sometimes 3 carpels, axile placentation
• Calyx: Fused sepals, 4-5
• Corolla: Fused petals, usually 5, often bilabiate, sometimes spurred
• Stamens: 2-5, sometimes with staminodes
• Fruit: Capsule, berry, or drupe
• Habitat: Terrestrial or aquatic

Link to Jepson eflora key

Link to video discussing both the Scrophulariaceae and the Plantaginaceae

Plantain or Speedwell Family

Here are some characteristics of the Plantaginaceae:

1. Herbaceous Perennials: Most members lack woody stems and persist for multiple growing seasons.
2. Simple Leaves: Typically simple, often arranged alternately along the stem, vary in size and shape but are often lanceolate or ovate
3. Inflorescence: Spikes, racemes, or panicles. Terminal or arise from the leaf axils.
4. Bisexual Flowers
5. Symmetry: Usually exhibit bilateral symmetry
6. Corolla: Often fused into a tubular shape with four or five lobes at the apex.
7. Superior Ovary
8. Fruit Type: Capsule containing numerous small seeds.
9. Ecological Importance: Food sources for various insects and animals.
10. Habitat Diversity: Wide range of habitats, including grasslands, woodlands, meadows, and disturbed areas.

The family encompasses a wide variety of plants, ranging from common roadside weeds to ornamental garden flowers, and includes species with both medicinal and culinary uses.

Link to Jepson video showing characteristics

Link to Jepson eflora key to Plantaginaceae

The Phrymaceae, or lopseed family, is distinguished by the following:

• Habitat: Diverse, including moist or wet areas such as streambanks, meadows, and woodland areas.
• Leaves: Simple and opposite
• Inflorescence: Spike or raceme, or solitary, axillary flowers
• Flowers: Often bilaterally symmetrical, consist of five united sepals and 5 fused petals
• Stamens: 2-4 and often unequal in length
• Fruits: Capsule, achene, or berry
• Genera: Includes Mimulus and Diplacus

Link to Jepson video

Link to Jepson key to the family

Some characteristics of the Grossulariaceae (current or gooseberry) family:

1. Leaves: Typically alternate and palmately lobed or compound. They may have serrated margins.
2. Flowers: Usually 5 sepals and 5 petals; hypanthium tube exceeding ovary
3. Inflorescence: Raceme or cyme.
4. Fruit: Berry, often with multiple seeds. In some species, the berries are edible and are used to make jams or consumed fresh.
5. Habitat: Forests, meadows, and rocky slopes.
6. Genus: Ribes (currants and gooseberries) is the only genus, as Grossularia is no longer an active genus name. There are 120 species.
7. Culinary Importance: Edible berries.
8. Distribution: Temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Link to key to Ribes (Jepson)

The Anacardiaceae, or Cashew Family, has the following characteristics:

• Leaves: Typically alternate, rarely opposite. Usually pinnately compound, sometimes trifoliate.

• Resin Ducts: produce aromatic compounds.

• Inflorescence: Flowers are often arranged in panicles or spikes.

• Flowers: Regular, bisexual, and usually small. Sepals and petals are usually five in number.

• Fruit: Drupe, which is a fleshy fruit with a single seed enclosed by a hard endocarp.

• Toxicity: Some members of the family produce oils that can cause skin irritation. An example is the presence of urushiol in poison ivy, poison oak, and poison sumac.

• Importance to Humans: Many important food plants belong to this family, including cashew (Anacardium occidentale), pistachio (Pistacia vera), and mango (Mangifera indica).

• Distribution: The family is widespread and found in tropical and subtropical regions.

• Genera: California genera in the Anacardiaceae family include Malosma, Rhus, Pistacia, and Toxicodendron.

• Growth forms: The family is diverse, containing trees, perennial herbs, and shrubs.