tree-logo.gif (7741 bytes) Plant Taxonomy (BIOL308)  -  Stephen G. Saupe, Ph.D.; Biology Department, College of St. Benedict/St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 56321; ssaupe@csbsju.edu; http://www.employees.csbsju.edu/ssaupe/

Plants to Know 

    A good taxonomist should have a working knowledge of the local flora.  The follow is a listing of some of the common species in central Minnesota.  (aug 27; sept 4; sept 12,   sept 22; Oct 1; Oct 21 )

ACERACEAE - Maple family

ALISMATACEAE – Water-plantain Family

  • Sagittaria sp. – Arrowhead

AMARANTHACEAE - Amaranth Family

  • Amaranthus retroflexus - Red-root pigweed

ANACARDIACEAE - Cashew Family

  • Rhus aromatica - Fragrant sumac
  • Rhus glabra - Smooth sumac
  • Rhus typhina - Staghorn sumac
  • Toxicodendron rydbergii
  • - Western poison ivy
    (=Rhus radicans )

APIACEAE - Carrot Family

  • Cryptotaenia canadense - Honewort
  • Eryngium yuccifolium - Rattlesnake master
  • Osmorhiza sp. - Sweet Cicely
  • Osmorhiza claytonii - Sweet Cicely
  • Sanicula marilandica - Black snakeroot
  • Zizia aurea - Golden Alexander

AQUIFOLIACEAE - Holly Family

  • Ilex verticillata - Winterberry

ARACEAE - Arum family

  • Acorus calamus - Sweet flag
  • Arisaema triphyllum - Jack in the pulpit

ARALIACEAE - Ginseng Family

  • Aralia nudicaulis - Wild sarsaparilla

ARISTOLOCHIACEAE - Birthwort Family

  • Asarum canadense - Wild ginger

ASCLEPIADACEAE - Milkweed Family

  • Aclepias sp. - Milkweed
  • Asclepias incarnata - Swamp milkweed
  • Asclepias syriaca - Common milkweed
  • Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly milkweed

ASTERACEAE (Compositae) - Sunflower Family

  • Achillea millefolium - yarrow
  • Ambrosia - Ragweed
  • Ambrosia artemisiifolia - Common ragweed
  • Ambrosia psilostachya - Western ragweed
  • Antennaria sp. -Pussytoes
  • Arctium minus - Burdock
  • Artemisia - Sage, wormwood
  • Artemisia absinthium - Wormwood sage
  • Artemisia ludoviciana - Sage
  • Artemisia frigida - Prairie sage
  • Aster sp. – Aster
  • Aster ericoides - Heath aster
  • Bidens cernua - Stick-tight, Beggar-ticks
  • Cirsium arvense - Canada thistle
  • Conyza canadensis - Horseweed
  • Echinacea angustifolia - Coneflower
  • Erigeron sp. - Fleabane
  • Eupatorium maculatum - Joe Pye Weed
  • Eupatorium perfoliatum - Boneset
  • Eupatorium rugosum - White snakeroot
  • Galinsoga quadriradiata – Quickweed
  • Helianthus sp. - Sunflower
  • Heliopsis helianthoides - Ox-eye
  • Heterotheca (Chyropsis) villosa - Golden aster
  • Liatris sp. - Blazing star
  • Ratibida columnifera - Praire coneflower
  • Ratibida pinnata - Gray-headed coneflower
  • Rudbeckia hirta - Black-eyed susan
  • Solidago sp. - Goldenrod
  • Solidago flexicaulis - Zig zag goldenrod
  • Solidago nemoralis - Wand goldenrod
  • Solidago rigida - Rough leaved Goldenrod
  • Taraxacum officinale - Dandelion
  • Tragopogon dubious - Goat’s beard

BALSAMINACEAE - Touch-Me-Not Family

  • Impatiens capensis – Touch-me-not, jewelweed

BERBERIDACEAE - Barberry Family

  • Caulophyllum thalictroides - Blue cohosh

BETULACEAE - Birch Family

  • Alnus incana - Speckled alder
  • Betula papyrifera - White or paper birch
  • Betula nigra - River birch
  • Carpinus caroliniana - Blue beech
  • , musclewood
  • Corylus sp. - Hazelnut
  • Ostrya virginiana - Ironwood, Hop- hornbeam

BIGNONIACEAE - Bignonia Family

  • Catalpa bignoniodes - Common catalpa
  • Catalpa speciosa - Northern Catalpa

BORAGINACEAE - Borage Family

  • Lithospermum canescens - Puccoon

BRASSICACEAE (Cruciferae) - Mustard Family

  • Berteroa incana - Hoary alyssum
  • Capsella bursa-pastoris - Shepard's purse
  • Erucastrum gallicum - Dog mustard
  • Nasturtium officinale - Watercress

CACTACEAE - Cactus family

  • Opuntia fragilis - Brittle prickly pear

CAMPANULACEAE - Bellflower Family

  • Campanula rotundifolia - Harebell
  • Lobelia siphilitica - Great lobelia

CAPRIFOLIACEAE - Honeysuckle Family

  • Lonicera tartarica - Honeysuckle
  • Sambucus pubens - Red elder
  • Symphoricarpos albus  - Snowberry
  • Symphoricarpos orbiculatus - Coralberry
  • Viburnum sp. - Viburnum
  • Viburnum trilobum - High bush cranberry

CARYOPHYLLACEAE - Pink Family

  • Saponaria officinale - Bouncing bet
  • Silene latifolia ssp. alba (= Lychnis alba, White campion)

CELASTRACEAE - Staff-Tree Family

  • Celastrus scandens - Bittersweet
  • Euonymus alatus - Winged euonymus, burning bush

CERATOPHYLLACEAE – Hornwort Family

  • Ceratophyllum demersum – Coontail, hornwort

CHENOPODIACEAE - Goosefoot Family

  • Chenopodium album - Lamb’s quarter’s

CONVOLVULACEAE - Morning Glory Family

  • Convolvulus sp. - Morning glory

CORNACEAE - Dogwood Family

  • Cornus - Dogwood
  • Cornus alternifolia - Pagoda dogwood
  • Cornus canadensis - Bunchberry
  • Cornus foemina subsp. racemosa (=C. racemosa) Gray Dogwood
  • Cornus stolonifera - Red osier dogwood

CUCURBITACEAE - Gourd Family

  • Echinocystis lobata - Wild cucumber

CUPRESSACEAE - Cypress Family

  • Thuja occidentalis – Northern white cedar, arborvitae
  • Juniperus sp. - Juniper
  • Juniperus virginiana - Eastern red cedar ; also Nov 8

CYPERACEAE - Sedge Family

  • Carex sp. - sedge
  • Cyperus sp. - Nut grass, umbrella sedge
  • Scirpus sp. - Bulrush

ELEAGNACEAE - Oleaster Family

  • Elaeagnus angustifolia - Russian olive

EQUISETACEAE - Horsetail Family

  • Equisetum sp. - Horsetail

ERICACEAE - Heath Family

  • Arctostapylos uva-ursi – Bearberry

EUPHORBIACEAE - Spurge Family

  • Euphorbia sp.  - Spurge
  • Euphorbia maculatum - spurge
  • Euphorbia peplus - spurge

FABACEAE - Bean or Pulse Family

  • Amorpha canescens - Lead plant
  • Amorpha fruitcosa - False indigo
  • Amphicarpaea bracteata - Hog-peanut
  • Cercis canadansis - Red bud
  • Coronilla varia - Crown vetch
  • Dalea sp. - Prairie clover
  • Dalea candidum - White prairie clover

  • Dalea purpureum - Purple prairie clover

  • Desmodium sp. - Tick trefoil
  • Gleditsia triacanthos - Honey locust
  • Gymnocladus dioica - Kentucky coffee tree
  • Lespedeza capitata - Bush clover
  • Lotus corniculatus - Birds-foot trefoil
  • Medicago lupulina - Black medic
  • Medicago sativa - Alfalfa
  • Melilotus alba - White sweet clover
  • Melilotus officinalis - Yellow sweet clover
  • Robinia pseudoacacia - Black locust
  • Trifolium arvense - Rabbit's foot clover
  • Trifolium pratense - Red clover
  • Trifolium repens - White clover

FAGACEAE - Beech Family

  • Quercus alba - White oak
  • Quercus bicolor - Swamp white oak
  • Quercus macrocarpa - Bur oak
  • Quercus rubra (= Q. borealis) - Northern red oak
  • Quercus ellipsoidalis - Northern pin oak, Hill's oak

GENTIANACEAE - Gentian Family

  • Gentiana andrewsii - Bottle gentian

GERANIACEAE - Geranium Family

  • Geranium maculatum - Wild geranium

GINKGOACEAE - Ginkgo Family

  • Ginkgo biloba - Maidenhair tree

GROSSULARIACEAE - Gooseberry Family

  • Ribes sp. - Currants and gooseberries

HALORAGACEAE – Water-Milfoil Family

  • Myriophyllum sibiricum – Water milfoil

HIPPOCASTANACEAE - Horsechestnut Family

  • Aesculus glabra - Buckeye

HYPERICACEAE - St. John’s-Wort Family

  • Hypericum perforatum - St. John’s wort

IRIDACEAE - Iris family

  • Iris versicolor - Blue flag
  • Sisyrinchium sp. - Blue-eyed grass

JUGLANDACEAE - Walnut family

  • Juglans nigra - Black walnut
  • Juglans cinerea - Butternut

LAMIACEAE (Labiatae) - Mint Family

  • Agastache foeniculum - Giant hyssop
  • Glechoma hederacea - Ground ivy
  • Hedeoma hispida - Rough pennyroyal
  • Lamium amplexicaule - Henbit
  • Leonurus cardiaca - Motherwort
  • Lycopus americanus - Cutleaf waterhorehound
  • Monarda fistulosa - Wild bergamot
  • Nepeta cataria - Catnip
  • Prunella vulgaris - Self heal
  • Pycnanthemum virginianum - Mountain mint

LEMNACEAE – Duckweed family

  • Lemna sp.  - Duckweed
  • Lemna minor- Lesser duckweed
  • Lemna trisulca - Star duckweed
  • Spirodela sp - Greater duckweed
  • Spirodela polyrhiza – Greater Duckweed
  • Wolfia sp. - Water meal
  • Wolfia columbiana - Water meal

LILIACEAE - Lily Family

  • Allium stellatum - Prairie onion
  • Asparagus officinalis - Wild asparagus
  • Maianthemum canadense - Wild lily of the valley, Canada mayflower
  • Polygonatum spp. - Solomon's seal
  • Smilacina sp. – False Solomon’s seal
  • Streptopus roseus – Twisted stalk
  • Trillium cernuum - Nodding trillium
  • Uvularia sp- Bellwort

MAGNOLIACEAE - Magnolia family

  • Magnolia sp. - Magnolia
  • Magnolia stellata - Star Magnolia

MALVACEAE - Mallow or Cotton family

  • Malva neglecta - mallow

MOLLUGINACEAE - Carpetweed Family

  • Mollugo verticillata - Carpetweed

NYMPHAEACEAE - Water lily Family

  • Nuphar sp. – Spatterdock, Pond lily
  • Nuphar luteum – Spatterdock, Pond lily
  • Nymphaea sp. – Water lily
  • Nymphaea odorata – Water lily
  • Brasenia sp. – Water shield
  • Brasenia schreiberi – Water shield

OLEACEAE - Olive family

  • Syringa sp. - lilac
  • Fraxinus pensylvanica - Green ash
  • Fraxinus nigra - Black ash

ONAGRACEAE - Evening Primrose family

  • Circaea lutetiana - Enchanter's nightshade
  • Epilobium angustifolium - Fireweed
  • Oenothera biennis - Evening primrose

ORCHIDACEAE - Orchid family

  • Cypripedium reginae – Showy Lady Slipper

OXALIDACEAE - Sorrel Family

  • Oxalis sp. - Wood sorrel

PAPAVERACEAE - Poppy Family

  • Corydalis sempervirens - Pale corydalis
  • Dicentra canadensis - Squirrel corn
  • Dicentra cucullaria - Dutchman's breeches
  • Sanguinaria canadensis - Bloodroot

PINACEAE - Pine family

  • Abies balsamea - Balsam fir
  • Abies concolor - White fir
  • Larix laricina - Tamarack
  • Picea sp. - Spruce
  • Picea abies - Norway spruce
  • Picea glauca - White spruce
  • Picea mariana - Black spruce
  • Picea pungens - Colorado blue spruce
  • Pinus banksiana - Jack pine
  • Pinus mugo - Swiss mountain pine, Mugho Pine
  • Pinus nigra - Austrian pine
  • Pinus ponderosa - Ponderosa pine
  • Pinus resinosa - Red pine, Norway pine
  • Pinus sylvestris - Scot's pine
  • Pinus strobus - White pine
  • Pseudotsuga menziesii - Douglas fir
  • Tsuga canadensis - Hemlock

POACEAE - Grass Family

  • Agropyron repens - Quack grass
  • Agropyron trachycaulum - Slender wheat-grass
  • Andropogon gerardii - Big bluestem
  • Bouteloua curtipendula - Side oats grama grass
  • Bouteloua gracilis - Blue grama
  • Brachyeletrum erectum - Bearded shorthusk
  • Bromus inermis - Smooth brome
  • Cenchrus longispinus - Sandbur
  • Elymus canadenis - Canada wild rye
  • Oryzopsis asperifolia - Mountain rice-grass
  • Phalaris arundinacea - Reed canary grass
  • Phleum pratense - Timothy
  • Phragmites australis - Reed grass
  • Poa pratensis - Kentucky bluegrass
  • Schizachyrium scoparium - Little bluestem
  • Setaria sp. - Foxtail
  • Sorghastrum nutans - Indian grass
  • Spartina pectinata - Cord grass
  • Stipa sp – Porcupine, needle grass
  • Zizania palustris – Wild rice

PHYRMACEAE - Lopseed Family

  • Phyrma leptostachya - Lopseed

PLANTAGINACEAE - Plantain Family

  • Plantago major - Plantain

POLYGALACEAE - Milkwort Family

  • Polygala sanguinea - Purple milkwort

POLYGONACEAE - Buckwheat Family

  • Polygonum sp. - Smartweed
  • Polygonum aviculare - Knotweed
  • Polygonum convolvulus - Bindweed
  • Rumex sp. - Dock
  • Rumex crispus - Curly dock

PORTULACEAE - Purslane Family

  • Portulaca oleracea - purslane
  • Talinum parviflorum - fameflower

POTAMOGETONACEAE - Pond Weed Family

  • Potamogeton sp. - Pond weed

PRIMULACEAE - Primrose Family

  • Androsace occidentalis - Western androsace

RANUNCULACEAE - Buttercup or Crowfoot Family

  • Actaea rubra - Baneberry
  • Aquilegia canadensis - Wild columbine
  • Anemone patens - Pasque flower
  • Anemone quinquefolia - Wood anemone
  • Anemone sp. – Anemone
  • Caltha palustris - Marsh marigold
  • Hepatica americana - Liverleaf, hepatica
  • Ranunculus sp. - Buttercup
  • Thalictrum sp. – Meadow rue

RHAMNACEAE -Buckthorn Family

  • Rhamnus cathartica - European buckthorn
  • Rhamnus frangula - Alder or Glossy buckthorn

ROSACEAE - Rose Family

  • Fragaria sp. - Wild strawberry
  • Amalanchier sp. - Serviceberry, shadbush, saskatoon
  • Crataegus sp. - Hawthorne
  • Geum triflorum - Prairie smoke
  • Potentilla argentea - Silvery cinquefoil
  • Rubus sp. - blackberry, raspberry
  • Rosa sp. - Rose
  • Prunus serotina - Black cherry
  • Prunus virginiana – Choke-cherry
  • Sorbaria sorbifolia - False, spiraea, Sorbaria
  • Sorbus sp. - Mountain ash
  • Spiraea alba - Meadowsweet

RUBIACEAE - Coffee Family

  • Galium sp. - Bedstraw
  • Hedyotis longistylis - Long-leaved bluets

RUTACEAE - Rue Family

  • Phellodendron amurense - Amur corktree
  • Zanthoxylum americanum - Prickly ash

SALICACEAE - Willow Family

  • Salix sp. - Willow

  • Populus deltoides - Cottonwood
  • Populus grandidentata - Large toothed aspen
  • Populus tremuloides - Quaking aspen
  • Populus balsamifera - Balsam popular

SARRACENIACEAE – Pitcher-plant Family

  • Sarracenia purpurea – Pitcher plant

SAXIFRAGACEAE - Saxifrage Family

  • Heuchera richardsonii - Alumroot

SCROPHULARIACEAE - Figwort Family

  • Linaria vulgaris - Butter & eggs

  • Penstemon sp. - Beardtongue, Penstemon

  • Penstemon gracilis - Slender beardtongue

  • Penstemon grandiflorus - Large flowered beardtongue

  • Scrophularia lanceolata - Figwort

  • Verbascum thapsus - Mullein

  • Veronicastrum virginianum - Culver’s root

SOLANACEAE - Tomato Family

  • Physalis virginiana - Ground cherry
  • Solanum nigrum - Black nightshade
  • Solanum dulcamara - Bitterwsweet nightshade

SPARGANIACEAE – But-reed Family

  • Sparganium eurycarpum  – Bur-reed

TAXACEAE Yew Family

  • Taxus sp. - Yew

THYMELAEACEAE - Mezereum Family

  • Dirca palustris - Leatherwood

TYPHACAEAE - Cattail Family

  • Typha sp. - cattail

  • Typha angustifolia - Narrow-leaved cattail

  • Typha latifolia - Broad-leaved cattail
  • Typha x glauca - hybrid between the two species above

TILIACEAE - Linden Family

  • Tilia americana - Basswood, Linden

ULMACEAE - Elm Family

  • Celtis occidentalis - Hackberry
  • Ulmus americana - American elm
  • Ulmus pumila - Chinese elm
  • Ulmus rubra - Slippery elm

URTICACEAE - Nettle Family

  • Laportea canadensis - Wood nettle
  • Pilea pumila - Clearweed
  • Urtica dioica - Stinging nettle

VERBENACEAE - Vervain Family

  • Verbena bracteata - Creeping vervain
  • Verbena hastata - Vervain
  • Verbena stricta - Hoary Vervain
  • Verbena urticifolia - White vervain

VIOLACEAE - Violet Family

  • Viola sp. - violets

VITACEAE - Grape Family

  • Vitis riparia – Wild or river grape
  • Parthenocissus inserta – Wood bine, Virginia creeper

FERNS

  • Adiantum pedatum - Maidenhair fern
  • Osmunda claytoniana - Interrupted fern
  • Woodsia ilvensis - Rusty woodsia

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Last updated:  09/03/2009 / � Copyright by SG Saupe