Contains 21 genera and 47 accepted taxa overall.
This family is completely databased for all specimens.
Characteristics
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
Dicot
-
Classification
CARYOPHYLLALES
CARYOPHYLLACEAE
Genera
| Genus | Common Name | Taxa Count | Herbarium Specimens | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agrostemma | CORN COCKLE | 1 | ||
| Arenaria | SANDWORT | 3 | ||
| Atocion | 1 | |||
| Cerastium | CHICKWEED | 4 | ||
| Dianthus | PINK | 1 | ||
| Drymaria | DRYMARY | 1 | ||
| Geocarpon | 1 | |||
| Gypsophila | BABYSBREATH | 1 | ||
| Paronychia | NAILWORT | 9 | ||
| Polycarpaea | POLYCARPAEA | 1 | ||
| Polycarpon | MANYSEED | 1 | ||
| Sabulina | 1 | |||
| Sagina | PEARLWORT | 1 | ||
| Saponaria | SOAPWORT | 1 | ||
| Scleranthus | KNOTGRASS | 1 | ||
| Silene | CATCHFLY | 8 | ||
| Spergula | SPURRY | 1 | ||
| Spergularia | SANDSPURRY | 1 | ||
| Stellaria | CHICKWEED | 6 | ||
| Stipulicida | STIPULICIDA | 2 | ||
| Vaccaria | SOAPWORT | 1 |
Identification Key
1. Stipules present, 2 interpetiolar and connate or 4 per node, white to silvery to tan to green, scarious, filiform, bristle-like, or broad
2
1. Stipules absent
8
2. Petals absent (sepals may be petaloid); fruit a 1-seeded utricle
2. Petals 5 (rarely absent or 3); fruit a many-seeded capsule
3
3. Leaves predominantly basal (often absent at maturity), cauline leaves scale-like with long internodes, the plant nearly leafless on the stem
3. Leaves cauline (and sometimes basal), not scale-like, the plant appearing leafy
4
4. Cauline leaf blades elliptic, obovate, ovate, or orbicular, mostly 2-25 mm wide
5
4. Cauline leaf blades linear, 0.2-1.3 mm wide
6
5. Stems often long-creeping and sometimes rooting at distant nodes; leaf blade broadly ovate to orbicular; petals divided (often nearly to the base) into 2 or 4 lobes
5. Stems generally not rooting at distant nodes; leaf blade elliptic to obovate; petals undivided
6. Larger leaf blades 0.8-2(2.5) cm long; flowers densely compact in the inflorescence dense, pedicels scarcely apparent; style 1
6. Larger leaf blades 2-6 cm long; flowers spaced and individually obvious in the inflorescence, pedicels conspicuous; styles 3 or 5
7
7. Leaves densely clustered of 8-15 at the main stem nodes; styles, stigmas, and capsule valves 5
7. Leaves mostly in pairs along the main stem nodes; styles, stigmas, and capsule valves 3
8. Sepals free (rarely connate at the base)
9
8. Sepals connate for most of their length
14
9. Flowers subsessile; sepals present (greenish) 1-4 mm long; petals absent; fruit a 1-seeded utricle
9. Flowers usually pedicellate; sepals present; petals present or absent; fruit a many-seeded capsule
10
10. Petals bilobed or 2-fid(4-fid), divided at least ⅕ or more of the petal length, or petals absent
11
10. Petals unlobed, the apex obtuse to rounded (rarely notched), or petals absent
12
11. Capsules cylindric, dehiscing by apical teeth
11. Capsules ovoid, dehiscing ¼ or more of the length of the fruit by valves
12. Capsules dehiscing by 6 apical teeth; stigmas 3
12. Capsule dehiscing ¼ or more of the length of the fruit by 3-5 valves; stigmas 3-5
13
13. Sepals 2.5-5 mm long; petals 5-11 mm long; capsule valves 3-4; stigmas 3-4
13. Sepals and petals 1-3 mm long; capsule valves 4-5; stigmas 4-5
14. Calyx subtended by 4 involucel bracteoles subequal to the calyx
14. Calyx not subtended by bracteoles
15
15. Calyx and petals 1-4 mm long
15. Calyx and petals 6-62 mm long
16
16. Calyx 25-62 mm long, lobes longer than tube
16. Calyx 6-28(-40) mm long, lobes usually shorter than or subequal to the calyx tube
17
17. Styles 3 or 5, occasionally 4 (absent in staminate flowers); fruit valves 3-5 or splitting into 6-10 teeth
18
17. Styles 2(3); fruit valves usually 4
19
18. Plant glabrous; seeds rugose
18. Plant glabrate, pubescent, or glandular; seeds rugose, papillate, tuberculate, or reticulate
19. Plants perennial; pedicels 1-6 mm long; calyx tubes terete; coronal appendages 2
19. Plants annual; pedicels (5)10-30(55) mm long; calyx tubes 5-angled or keeled; coronal appendages absent