(c) Ms. Melanie Medecilo

1. Diversity And Classification of
Flowering Plants:
Commelinid Monocots
Michael G. Simpson

3. Commelinid Monocots
Apomorphy:
UV-fluorescent
organic acids
(including
coumaric, diferulic,
and ferulic acid)
that impregnate the
cell walls.

5. ARECALES
Arecaceae (Palmae) - Palm family
(from areca, Portuguese for the betel palm). ca. 190 genera / ca. 2,000 species.
The Arecaceae are distinctive in having a rhizomatous, lianous, or
usually arborescent stem, with large, sheathing, plicate leaves, a
fleshy, usually drupaceous fruit, and seeds lacking starch. The
plicate leaves is an apomorphy for the family.
P 3+3 [0,2+2,∞] A 3+3 or (3+3) [3,∞; 0 in female fls.] G 3 or (3)
[1,2,4-10; 0 in male fls.], superior.

6. reduplicate vs. induplicatereduplicate vs. induplicate

7. Fruit a drupeFruit a drupe

8. Archontophoenix cunninghamiana King PalmArchontophoenix cunninghamiana King Palm

9. Syagrus romanzoffiana Queen Palm

10. Calamus Rattan PalmCalamus Rattan Palm

11. Chamaerops humilis Mediterranean PalmChamaerops humilis Mediterranean Palm

12. Jubea chilensisJubea chilensis

13. Licuala peltataLicuala peltata

14. Nypa fruticans - a rhizomatous palmNypa fruticans - a rhizomatous palm

15. Phoenix canariensis
Canary I. Palm
Phoenix canariensis
Canary I. Palm

16. Phoenix dactylifera
Date Palm
Phoenix dactylifera
Date Palm

17. Rhopalostylis sapidaRhopalostylis sapida

18. Sabal urseanaSabal urseana

19. Washingtonia filifera
Desert Fan Palm
Washingtonia filifera
Desert Fan Palm

20. Washingtonia filifera Desert FanWashingtonia filifera Desert Fan

21. Washingtonia robustaWashingtonia robusta Zombia antillarum

24. ZINGIBERALES - Ginger Group
Apomorphies:
Penni-parallel venation
Supervolute leaf “ptyxis”
(1/2 of leaf rolled within the other)
Diaphraghmed air chambers
Silica cells
Inferior ovary

28. Musaceae - Banana family
(after Antonia Musa, physician to Emporer Augustus 63-14
BC). 3 genera (Ensete, Musa, and Musella) / ca. 40 species.
The Musaceae are distinguished from related
families of the Zingiberales in having a spiral leaf
arrangement and monoecious plant sex.
P (3+3) A 5-6 G (3), inferior.
Economic importance includes use of fruits of Musa spp. as a
food source (esp. Musa acuminata and the triploid hybrid
of Musa x paradisiaca); Musa textilis (Manila-hemp,
abacá) and Musa basjoo are used as a fiber source for
twine, textiles, and building materials.

29. Musaceae

30. Musa Banana MusaceaeMusa Banana Musaceae

31. Musa Banana MusaceaeMusa Banana Musaceae

32. Musa Banana MusaceaeMusa Banana Musaceae

33. Ensete Musaceae

35. StrelitziaceaeMusaceae

36. Strelitziaceae - Bird-of-paradise
family (after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, wife of King
George III). 3 genera (Phenakospermum, Ravenala, Strelitzia) / 7
species.
The Strelitziaceae are distinguished from
related families of the Zingiberales in
having rhizomatous and decumbent or
erect, arborescent stems with distichous
leaves and flowers having 5-6 stamens.
P (3+3) A 5 or 6 G (3), inferior.

37. Strelitzia nicolai Giant/Tree Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia nicolai Giant/Tree Bird of Paradise

38. Strelitzia reginae Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise

39. Strelitzia reginae Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise

40. Strelitzia reginae Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise

41. Strelitzia reginae Bird of ParadiseStrelitzia reginae Bird of Paradise

43. Zingiberaceae - Ginger family
(from a pre-Gr. name, possibly from India). 50 genera / 1,200 species
The Zingiberaceae are distinguished from related families
of the Zingiberales in having distichous, usually ligulate
leaves with a single, dithecal stamen and a petaloid
labellum derived from two staminodes.
P (3+3) A 1 fertile + 2 + (2) petaloid staminodes G (3), inferior.

44. Zingiberaceae - Ginger family
(from a pre-Gr. name, possibly from India). 50 genera / 1,200 species
Economic importance includes the source of important spice plants,
e.g., Curcuma spp., including C. domestica (turmeric), Elettaria
cardamomum (cardamom), and Zingiber spp., including Z. officinale
(ginger); some species are grown as cultivated ornamentals, e.g.,
Alpinia and Hedychium.

45. Zingiberaceae
Strelitziaceae
Musaceae

46. Alpinia Shell GingerAlpinia Shell Ginger

47. Brachychilus horsfieldiiBrachychilus horsfieldii

48. Globba

49. HedychiumHedychium

50. HedychiumHedychium

51. HedychiumHedychium

52. Nicolaia elatior

54. Cannaceae - Canna-Lily family
(Gr. canna, a reed). 1 genus (Canna) / 25 species
The Cannaceae are distinguished from related
families of the Zingiberales in having usually
distichous leaves and flowers with one petaloid,
monothecal stamen associated with 1-4[5]
petaloid staminodes.
P 3+3 A 1, petaloid & monothecal + 1-4 petaloid
staminodes G (3), inferior.

55. Cannaceae
StrelitziaceaeMusaceae Zingiberaceae

56. Canna sp. CannaceaeCanna sp. Cannaceae

57. Canna sp. CannaceaeCanna sp. Cannaceae

58. Canna sp. CannaceaeCanna sp. Cannaceae

59. Canna sp. CannaceaeCanna sp. Cannaceae

61. Commelinaceae—Spiderwort family
(after Caspar Commelijn, Dutch botanist, 1667–1731)
39 genera/640 species.
The Commelinaceae are distinctive in being mostly perennial
herbs with closed sheathed leaves and a trimerous,
hypogynous flower with an ephemeral corolla, staminodia
in some, most species with characteristic 3-celled
glandular microhairs, the latter a probable apomorphy
for the family.
K 3 or (3) C 3 or (3) A 3 or 3 + 3 staminodes or 1 G (3)

64. Haemodoraceae—Bloodwort family
(Gr. haimo, blood, in reference to red pigmentation in roots and
rootstocks of some members)
13 genera/100 species.
The Haemodoraceae are distinctive in being perennial herbs
with arylphenalenone compounds (imparting a reddish
coloration to stems and roots in almost all
Haemodoroideae), unifacial leaves, and variable flowers.
P 3+3 or (3+3) or (6) A 1,3,6 G (3), inferior or superior,
hypanthium present or absent.

69. Bromeliaceae - Bromeliad family
(after Swedish medical doctor and botanist, Olof Ole Bromell
(1639-1705). 59 genera / 2,400 species
The Bromeliaceae are distinctive in being perrenial
terrestrial or epiphytic herbs or shrubs with surface
peltate scales, often colorful bracts, and trimerous
flowers with typically twisted stigmas.
P 3+3 or (3)+(3) A 3+3 G 3, superior or inferior.
Economic importance: Ananas comosus, pineapple.

70. Peltate scales

71. Peltate scales fr. Pierce, 2006

72. Twisted Styles

73. AechmeaAechmea

74. Ananas comosus PineappleAnanas comosus Pineapple

75. Bilbergia nutans (left), sp. (right)Bilbergia nutans (left), sp. (right)

80. Dyckia dawsoniiDyckia dawsonii

81. NeoregaliaNeoregalia

82. NeoregaliaNeoregalia

83. Puya alpestrisPuya alpestris

84. Puya venustusPuya venustus Puya sp.

85. Tillandsia fasciculata

86. Tillandsia usneoides Spanish-MossTillandsia usneoides Spanish-Moss

90. Cyperaceae - Sedge family
(Gr. for several species of Cyperus). 98 genera / 4,350 species
The Cyperaceae are distinctive in being herbs with usually
3-sided, solid-pithed stems, closed-sheathed, often tristichous
leaves, the inflorescence a “sedge spikelet,” consisting of a
central axis bearing many sessile, distichous or spiral bracts,
each subtending a single, reduced unisexual or bisexual
flower, with perianth absent or reduced to bristles or scales,
usually 3 stamens, and a 2–3-carpellate ovary, the fruit a 2- or
3-sided achene.
P 6 or 0 [1-∞] A 3 [1-6+] G (2-3)[(4)], superior.

91. Cyperaceae - Sedge family
(Gr. for several species of Cyperus). 98 genera / 4,350 species
Economic importance is limited, with some
species used as mats, thatch, weaving material, or writing
material (Cyperus papyrus, papyrus, the culm pith of which
was historically used to make paperlike scrolls), a few used
as ornamental cultivars (e.g., Cyperus involucratus, umbrella
plant), and some species, such as the nutsedges, being
noxious weeds.

95. Cyperaceae of San Diego County

96. Bolboschoenus maritimus

97. Carex barbarae
male
spikelet
female
spikelets
female
spikelet
perigynia

98. Carex praegracilis
female
spikelet
perigynia
enclosing
ovaries

99. Carex triquetra

100. Cyperus sp.
spikelet:
bracts
distichous

101. Cyperus
involucratus
spikelet
involucral
bracts

102. Eleocharis macrostachya

103. Eleocharis montevidensis

104. Eleocharis parishii

105. Shoenoplectus [Scirpus] americanus

106. Shoenoplectus [Scirpus] californicus

107. Shoenoplectus [Scirpus] pungens
involucral
bract
spikelet

109. Juncaceae - Rush family
(L. for binder, in reference to use in weaving and basketry).
7 genera / 430 species
The Juncaceae are distinctive in being usually
perennial herbs with spiral, sheathing,
bifacial or unifacial leaves, trimerous,
actinomorphic flowers with a typically
scarious perianth and a loculicidal capsule.
P 3+3 [2+2 or 3] A 3+3 [3+0 or 2] G (3),
superior, hypanthium absent

112. Juncaceae of San Diego County

113. Juncus acutus Spiny Rush

114. Juncus bufonius

115. Juncus dubius

116. Juncus dubius

117. Juncus phaeocephalus

119. Poaceae - Grass family
(after Poa, Gr. name for a grass). 668 genera / 9,500 species
STEMS: hollow-pithed
LEAVES: open-sheathed, distichous, with a ligule at inner
junction with blade
INFLORESCENCE: grass spikelet
= axis + two basal glumes + 1-∞ florets
Floret = short lateral axis + lemma + palea + flower
FLOWER: P 2-3 lodicules A 2-3 (pendulous) G (2-3)
FRUIT: caryopsis (grain).

120. DISTRIBUTION: worldwide.
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE:
1) agricultural grains (most important food in world):
barley (Hordeum)
corn (Zea)
oats (Avena)
rice (Oryza)
rye (Secale)
wheat (Triticum);
2) alcoholic beverages: beer, whiskey, gin
3) forage and grazing plants;
4) important components of many ecosystems, such as
grasslands and savannahs.

121. distichous
leaf
arrangement
distichous
leaf
arrangement

122. open
sheath
open
sheath

123. liguleligule

127. Bamboos

128. Fruit: Grain

129. Achnatherum coronatumAchnatherum coronatum
GRASSES OF SAN DIEGO CO.

130. Agrostis pallens

131. Arundo donaxArundo donax

132. Avena barbataAvena barbata

133. Avena fatuaAvena fatua

134. Bothriochloa barbinodisBothriochloa barbinodis

135. Brachypodium distachyonBrachypodium distachyon

136. Briza minorBriza minor

137. Bromus diandrusBromus diandrus

139. Bromus rubens ssp. madritensisBromus rubens ssp. madritensis

140. Cortaderia selloanaCortaderia selloana

141. Cynodon dactylon
Bermuda Grass
Cynodon dactylon
Bermuda Grass

142. Distichlis littoralis
[Monanthochloe l.]
Distichlis littoralis
[Monanthochloe l.]

143. Distichlis spicataDistichlis spicata

144. Echinochloa crus-galiEchinochloa crus-gali

145. Gastridium ventricosumGastridium ventricosum

146. Hordeum murinumHordeum murinum

147. Lamarckia aureaLamarckia aurea

148. Lolium multiflorumLolium multiflorum

149. Melica frutescensMelica frutescens

150. Melica imperfectaMelica imperfecta

151. Muhlenbergia microspermaMuhlenbergia microsperma

152. Muhlenbergia rigens

153. Nasella lepidaNasella lepida

154. Nasella pulchraNasella pulchra

155. Parapholis incurvaParapholis incurva

156. Paspalum dilatatumPaspalum dilatatum

157. Paspalum distichumPaspalum distichum

158. Pennisetum setaceumPennisetum setaceum

159. Piptatherum miliaceumPiptatherum miliaceum

160. Polypogon maritimusPolypogon maritimus

161. Polypogon monspeliensisPolypogon monspeliensis

162. Melinis repensMelinis repens

163. Schismus barbatusSchismus barbatus

164. Spartina foliosaSpartina foliosa

165. Vulpia myurosVulpia myuros