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Some Plant Families and Their Characteristics

Flowering plants are classified by botanists into a number of families. Identifying an unkown plant requires recognizing a number of features associated with the various parts of the plant, namely, the roots, stems, leaves, and in particular, the flowers and associating these features with a particular family. Once the family is identified, specific identification follows from more detailed comparison of individual features.

Plant Families

The following table describes the features of some of the plant families that contain edible or medicinal herbs. For a definitions of some of the terms used to describe plant structure, see Plant Structure Terminology
• For an introduction to how flowers are identified, see Flower Structure
• For an introduction to how leaf arrangements are described, see Leaf Structure and Arrangement.

Scientific Name Common Name Characteristics
Amaranthaceae Pigweed Dicot. Annual or perennial herbs or shrubs, often with reddish lower stems. Leaves alternate or opposite. Flowers minute. Calyx of 4-5 sepals, corolla absent. Example: Amaranth, Amaranthus retroflexus
Amaryllidaceae Amaryllis Monocot. Biennial or perennial herbs. Leaves all basal. Flowers all at the tip of a stem in a single loose or tight cluster. Examples: onions, garlic, shallots.

Note: Some authorities include the Amaryllis family as a sub-family of the Lily family.
Anacardiaceae Cashew Dicot. Trees or shrubs, rarely vines. Leaves alternate, simple. Bark often resinous. Flowers small, in panicles. Fruit is a drupe.

Many members of this family have major economic importance. Examples: Cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale, Mango, Mangifera indica, Pistachio, Pistacia vera, Sumac, Rhus, genus. Poison ivy, Poison oak, Poison sumac, Toxicodendron genus.
Berberidaceae Barberry Dicot. Shrubs or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate, pinnate, often spiny, typically exstipulate. Ovary superior, fruit is a berry. Flowers tiny, white or yellow, Without petals or four - six separate petals, swept backwards. Four - six separate sepals, six stamens.
Boraginaceae Forget-Me-Not Dicot. Bristly herbs with alternate leaves and round stems. Ovary superior, 4-lobed, maturing into 1-4 separate, 1-seeded nutlets. Five united petals, regular shape. Corolla a trumpet or elongated tube, lobed, and falls as a unit.
Campanulaceae Bluebell Mostly perennial herbs. Flowers usually bisexual, corolla of 5 united petals. Ovary inferior.
Compositae Aster or Sunflower Dicot. Herbs and shrubs with involucrate heads of small flowers with 5-part, unified petals. Ovary inferior. Examples include dandelion, chicory, common daisy, coltsfoot, lettuce, sunflower.
Cruciferae/Brassicaceae Mustard Dicot. Annual to perennial herbs. Symmetrical, four petaled bisexual flowers. Ovary superior. Examples include cabbage, horseradish, radishes, shepherd's purse..
Ericaceae Heath Dicot. Predominantly shrubs and somewhat woody herbs.

Rhododendroideae subfamily includes:

  • Rhododendron genus (rhododendron, azalea)
  • Kalmia genus (mountain laurel)

Note: A number of members of this subfamily are poisonous. These include the rhododendron, azaleas of the Black Sea and Caucasus area, and the mountain laurel and sheep laurel in various parts of the United States. These plants contain toxic diterpenes known as acetylandromedols. Their toxic effects include cardiac disturbances and convulsions. The toxins are primarily in the leaves but also occur in the flowers. Honey collected from these plants may be toxic.

Vaccinioideae subfamily includes:

  • Vaccinium genus (bilberry, cranberry)
  • Arbutus genus (madrone)
  • Arctostaphylos (manzanita)
Euphorbiaceae Spurge Dicot. Perrennial Shrubs or trees, annual herbs, often cactus-like. Milky latex. Ovary superior, three lobed.
  • Euphorbia type: Flowers unisexual, in a complex infloresence called the cyathium. Male flowers have a single stamen.
  • Non-Euphorbia type: Flowers unisexual, species are monoecious or dioecious. Male flowers have many stamens.

Examples: Castor Bean, Gopher Purge, Tung Oil, Tapioca.

Fagaceae Beech Family, Castaneoideae Subfamily Woody Dicots. Trees or shrubs, evergreen or deciduous. Staminate flowers in catkins. Examples: American chestnut, C. dentata; Old World chestnut, C. sativa. Members of the Beech family have economic significance as a source of lumber, edible fruits, and cork. They are also used as ornatmental shade trees.
Gentianaceae Gentian Annual or perennial herbs. Flowers have 4 or 5 united petals.
Labiatae/Lamiaceae Mint Dicot. Herbs and shrubs with square stems, opposite leaves, and 5-part zygomorphic flowers with 2 or 4 stamens, and a deeply 4-lobed ovary. Ovary superior. Examples include bergamot, catnip, mints, motherwort.
Hippocastanaceae Buckeye or Horse Chestnut Trees or shrubs. Leaves opposite, palmately compound. Flowers bisexual. Large seeds in a leathery green pouch while on the tree.
Liliaceae Lily Monocot. Perennial herbs from bulbs, rhizomes, or corms. Leaves on the stem or at the base of the plant. Several flowers, often in a raceme or panicle. Ovary superior.

Examples: The Lily Family includes many subfamilies. Among them is the Agavaceae, to which agave ("The Century Plant") and yucca ("Spanish Bayonet") belong.
Palmarecaceae Palm Medium to tall tress with unbranched trunks. Leaves typically large and fan-shaped. Example: Saw Palmetto
Papaveraceae Poppy Dicot. Herbs with 2 or 3 deciduous sepals (fall off when flower opens), 4 or 6 showy petals, numerous stamens. A yellowish milky sap may also be present.

Note: The Poppy family is unique in that all member species produce alkaloids. This is the only plant family of which this is true.

Passifloraceae Passion Flower Dicot. Climbing herbs, conspicuous flowers, fringed corona, stalked gynoecium.
Polygonaceae Buckwheat Dicot. Usually herbs, sometimes shrubs. Leaves almost always opposite. Flowers usually bisexual. Example: Dock, Rumex crispus
Ranunculaceae Buttercup or Crowfoot Dicot. Herbs with compound leaves, sheathing leaf bases. Ovary superior. Example: Black Cohash
Rosaceae Rose Dicot. Rose-type flowers. Ovary superior.
Scrophulariaceae Figwort or Snapdragon Dicot. Leaves alternate or opposite, flowers usually bisexual, in terminal clusters. Ovary superior.
Typhaceae Cattail Moncot. Monoecious.
Umbelliferae Carrot or Parsley Dicot. Umbrella-type flowers. Ovary inferior (below corolla). Examples include carrots, parsley, dill, caraway, fennel. Poison Hemlock, Conium maculatum, is also a member of this family
Valerianaceae Valerian Dicot. Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves opposite or in basal rosettes, often pinnately divided. Flowers bisexual or unisexual, 5 tiny petals, in umbrella-like clusters. Ovary inferior.

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