100 Genera (4 on campus)
3,100 species
I. Leaves - very variable
A. Deciduous -> Evergreen
B. Alternate -> some Opposite
C. Simple -> Compound
D. Stipulate -> Estipulate
II. Flowers
A. Perfect
B. Actinomorphic (regular)
C. 5-merous
D. Perigenous or Hypogenous
III. Fruit
A. Pome, Drupe, Capsule, Follicle, Achene
IV. Economic importance
A. Relatively unimportant to lumber industry
except Prunus
serotina (Cherry) wood
B. Extremely important for edible fruits
C. Highly prized ornamentals
V. Range
A. Worldwide, most numerous in temperate latitudes
VI. Two Subfamilies
A. Prunoideae = Drupe fruits
B. Pomoideae = Pome fruits
Prunoideae
I. Prunus (Cherry, Plum)
[Latin name for plum]
A. Alternate, simple, serrate leaves with
conspicuous
glands on petioles
B. 1 seeded Drupe
C. P. serotina
(Wild, Black Cherry)
1. Reddish pubescence
on midrib
2. < 2 cm
petioles
D. P. avium
(Sweet, Mazzard Cherry)
1. Glabrous
midrib
2. > 2 cm petioles
E. Genus also includes Peach, Almond, Apricot
Pomoideae
I. Malus (Apple)
[Latin for apple]
A. M. sylvestris
(Pyrus malus in Blackwell) (Apple)
1. Whitish pubescence
on underside of leaf,
petioles, buds, & twigs
B. M. coronaria
(Pyrus coronaria in Blackwell)
(Wild sweet
crabapple)
1. Leaf, petioles,
buds, & twigs essentially
glabrous
II. Pyrus (Pear)
[Latin for pear]
A. P. communis
(common pear)
1. Leaves, petioles,
buds, & twigs sparsely
pubescent
III. Sorbus (Mountain Ash)
[Latin name]
A. Sorbus aucuparia
(European mountain ash)
1. Odd pinnately
compound leaves with
13-17 serrate leaflets
2. Clusters
of red pomes
IV. Crataegus (Hawthorn, Thorn Apple)
A. Species within this genus hybidize very
readily
B. Small Tree / Shrub
C. Thorns, except in some horticultural varieties
D. C. phaenopyrum
(Washington Hawthorn)
1. Lustrous,
3-lobed, serrate leaf
2. Veins extend
to sinuses and lobe tips
3. Branched
Thorns
E. C. crus-galli
((Cockspur thorn)
1. Leathery,
obovate leaf with wedge shaped base
2. Veins extend
to tips of teeth only
3. Lots of unbranched
thornsArtificial Group Floriferae Polypetalae Subclass Magnolidae
Lauraceae (Laurel Family)
45 Genera
2,200 species (1 on campus)
I. Leaves
A. Deciduous or evergreen
B. Alternate
C. Simple
D. Estipulate
E. Usually aromatic
II. Flowers
A. Perfect or imperfect
B. Regular
C. 3 or 4 whorls of 3 stamens
D. 1 1-celled pistil with single ovule
III. Fruit
A. 1-seeded berry or drupe
IV. Economic importance
A. Aromatic substances from leaves, stems,
bark
roots, and fruits
used in perfumes and
flavoring
1. Cinnamomum
camphora -> camphor
2. Cinnamomum
zeylanicum -> cinnamon
3. Laurus nobilis
-> bay leaves
4. Sassafras
albidum -> oil of sassafras
used in soaps & flavorings
-> young leaves used a mucilaginous
thickening and flavor in Creole dishes
-> root bark used to make tea
B. Persea americana - edible avocado
C. Lumber
1. Endiandra
palmerstoni (E. Australia)
substitute for Juglans nigra lumber
2. Ocotea rodiaei
(British Guiana)
lumber used in marine construction
3. Sassafras
albidum (eastern USA)
substitute for Fraxinus nigra
V. Range
A. Mostly tropical
Sassafras albidum
A. Three leaf forms on same tree
Entire, Mitten
Shaped, 3-Lobed
B. Green twigs
C. Dioecious
D. Blue Drupe
E. Deeply furrowed, reddish brown, spicy,
aromatic bark
F. Readily propagates via root sprouts