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The Salicaceae, the willow family, has the following charateristics:

1. Diversity: Contains around 56 genera and over 1,000 species.
2. Habitat: Found in temperate and subtropical regions around the world, often near water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and streams.
3. Deciduous Trees and Shrubs: Most species are deciduous, shedding their leaves seasonally. They can range from small shrubs to large trees.
4. Simple Leaves: Often alternate.
5. Catkins: Produce clusters of flowers called catkins, which often appear before or with the leaves in spring.
6. Dioecious or Monoecious: Salicaceae species can be either dioecious, meaning male and female flowers are borne on separate plants, or monoecious, meaning both male and female flowers are found on the same plant.
7. Wind-Pollinated: Flowers are typically wind-pollinated, lacking showy petals or attractive scent.
8. Cultural Importance: Often cultivated for erosion control and for their flexible branches used in basket weaving. Also cultivated for timber production, papermaking, and as ornamental trees.
9. Adaptations to Moist Environments: Many species have adaptations to moist environments, such as the ability to tolerate waterlogged soil or even grow in aquatic habitats.
10. Chemical Properties: Some species contain salicylates, compounds related to aspirin, which can have medicinal properties.

Jepson key to Salicaceae

Video describing identification of willows

Characteristics of the Liliaceae, or Lily family:
Bulbs or Rhizomes: Perennial herb from membranous bulb or scaly rhizome. These underground storage organs allow the plants to survive adverse conditions and produce new shoots when conditions become favorable.
Stem: underground or erect, branched or not. 
Leaf: basal or cauline, alternate, subopposite, or whorled. 
Inflorescence: raceme, panicle, umbel-like or not. 
Flower: 6 Sepals and petals in 2 generally petal-like whorls, often showy; stamens 3 or 6, filaments free or fused to perianth, anthers attached at base or near middle; ovary usually superior, style 1, entire or 3-lobed. 
Fruit: capsule or berry. 
Seed: 3 to many, flat or angled, brown to black.
Chemical composition: some species contain chemical compounds of medicinal or toxicological importance, such as alkaloids, glycosides, or other secondary metabolites.
Habitat: Liliaceae plants are found in a variety of habitats, including temperate and subtropical regions. They can be found in grasslands, woodlands, and even desert environments.

Jepson video showing a member of the Liliaceae

Jepson key to the family

Click here for Jepson YouTube video

Click here for Jepson key to family

The Onagraceae, the evening primrose family, has the following characteristics:

1. Flowers: four petals and sepals, radial symmetry, bisexual.
2. Inflorescence: clustered in spikes, racemes, or panicles, though some species may have solitary flowers.
3. Sepals and Petals: Petals are larger and more colorful than the sepals.
4. Stamens: twice as many stamens as petals. The stamens are arranged in two whorls, with the outer whorl having twice as many stamens as the inner whorl.
5. Ovary: usually inferior, situated below the attachment of other floral parts.
6. Fruit: capsule, which splits open to release numerous small seeds.
7. Habitat: temperate and subtropical regions. Often found in moist or wet areas such as marshes, riverbanks, and along streams, but some species can also tolerate drier conditions.
8. Importance: Some species are cultivated as ornamental plants for their attractive flowers. Some species have medicinal or culinary uses.
9. Notable Genera: The Onagraceae family includes several notable genera such as Oenothera (evening primroses), Epilobium (willowherbs), and Fuchsia (fuchsias).
10. Adaptations: Many Onagraceae species have adaptations for pollination by nocturnal insects, such as moths, due to their evening blooming habits. Some species also have specialized floral structures to accommodate specific pollinators.

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)