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

• Acer ginnala - Amur maple
• Acer platanoides - Norway maple
• Acer rubrum - Red maple
• Acer saccharum - Sugar maple
• Acer saccharinum - Silver maple
• Acer negundo - Box elder

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