Field Key to VCR Plant Species
Subsection XV. Herbaceous Plants with Opposite or Whorled Leaves
not having Lobes or Teeth
- 1a. Leaves whorled.
- 2a. Leaves fleshy; stems prostrate to ankle-high.
- 3a. Leaves paddle-shaped; flowers in leaf axils, pink or red, purplish within.....Sea Purslane, Sesuvium mariimum
(SSVMRT).
- 3b. Leaves short but more rounded than above; flowers whitish.....Coast Bacopa/Water Hyssop, Bacopa monnieri
(BCPMNN).
- 2b. Leaves not fleshy.
- 4a. Leaves mostly in whorls of 3 or 4.
- 5a. Leaves oval, usually hairy, 1-3 cm. long; flowers distinctly stalked.
- 6a. Flowers white; fruits purple, not bristly.....Coast Bedstraw, Galium hispidulum
(GLMHSP).
- 6b. Flowers greenish-white to purple; fruits bristly.....Hairy Bedstraw, Galium pilosum
(GLMPLS).
- 5b. Leaves narrow, not hairy, sometimes slighly toothed; flowers white
in a flattish-topped terminal cluser; clusters of smaller leaves often
growing in axils.....Hyssop-leaved Boneset, Eupatorium hyssopifolium
(EPTHYS).
- 4b. Leaves mostly in whorls of 5 or 6; stalked white flowers growing from axils.
- 7a. Flowers with 3 or 4 regular parts; leaves lance-shaped or oblong;
flower stalks straight; weak stem.....Clayton's Bedstraw, Galium tinctorium
(GLMTNC).
- 7b. Flowers with 5 regular parts; leaves widest near the tips; flower
stalks long; stems prostrate.....Carpetweed, Mollugo verticillata
(MLLVRT).
- 1b. Leaves mostly in pairs.
- 8a. Leaves fleshy, narrow, cylindrical; flowers pink or white; matted or weak stems.....Saltmarsh Sand Spurry, Spergularia marina
(SPRMRN).
- 8b. Leaves no fleshy.
- 9a. Plant with milky juice.
- 10a. Stem erect; bell-shaped or tubular greenish-white flowers
(to 0.5 cm.) in terminal cluslers; oblong or egg-shaped leaves,
lower ones rounded at their bases; seed pods long and narrow,
in pairs.....Indian Hemp, Apocynum cannabinum
(APCCNN).
- 10b. Stem sprawling, smooth, often red; leaves red-blotched and
occasionally finely toothed flowers insignificant, mostly
growing in axils.....Seaside Spurge, Euphorbia polygonifolia
(EPHPLY).
- 9b. Plant without milky juice.
- 11a. Trailing or creeping stems.
- 12a. Leaves egg-shaped or roundish.
- 13a. Leaves shiny, evergreen, 1-3 cm. long, often veined with white; flowers in pairs at the end of the branches,
white; fruit red edible berry.....Patridgeberry, Mitchella repens
(MTCRPN).
- 13b. Leaves no evergreen. sometimes obscurely toothed,
upper ones commonly alternate; stems often fomming mats; flowers whie or pale blue wih darker stripes,
in small racemes.....Thyme-leaved Speedwell, Veronica serpyllifolia
(VRNSRP).
- 12b. Upper leaves slender.
14a. No bulb-like fruit or tufts in their axils; no persistent basal rosette; matted plant.....Pearlwort, Sagina decumbens
(SGNDCM).
(SGNDCM).
- 14b. Bulb-like fruit in the axils, hairy, obtusely ribbed;
flowers wih 4 peals, white.....Buttonweed, Diodia virginiana
(DDVRGN).
- 11b. Stems more-or-less erect; leaves elliptical to linear.
- 15a. Flowers deep pink with purple-spotted yellow throats;
plant 30-120 cm. tall.....Purple Gerardia, Agalinis purputea
(AGLPRP).
- 15b. Flowers pink with 5 regular parts and a yellow eye
(sometimes white).....Sea Pink, Sabatia stellaris
(SBTSTL).
(SBTSTL).
- 15c. Flowers white with 5 split lobed (cleft) petals,
yellowish to white center; leaves faintly hairy......Mouse-ear Chickweed, Cerastium glomeratum
(CRSGLM).
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