polyploid.net: Southwestern Plants

Southwestern Plants by Corolla Characteristics

These are galleries in which I've arranged plants by features of the corolla, including symmetry, connation of petals, number of petals, and color. Some distinctions are vague without going into greater terminological precision, so I try to list species in multiple places where confusion is likely; e.g., Chamaesyce albomarginata is listed as both apetalous and as having small flowers with white petals. The petaloid appendages of the involucre are not petals, but are easily mistaken for them.

corolla absent
corolla present

flowers minute, often in dense inflorescences; petals not readily distinguished

greenish or brownish white yellow red pink or purple

flowers larger, petals obvious

flowers zygomorphic (bilaterally symmetrical)

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

flowers actinomorphic (radially symmetrical)

petals distinct

3 petals

white yellow orange pink or purple blue

4 petals

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

5 petals

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

6 petals

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

many petals; composites are also here

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

petals connate

4 petals

greenish or brownish white yellow red pink or purple

5 petals

greenish or brownish white yellow orange red pink or purple blue

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