The distinguishing characteristics of these families are: 



Compositae (or Asteraceae; sunflower family )(Fig. 1): Flowers 

 in a dense head, with disk and/or ray florets. Heads surrounded 

 by bracts. Stamens united by anthers. Calyx represented by a 

 scaly or bristly pappus on the 1 -seeded inferior ovary. Examples: 

 sunflower, daisy, aster, ragweed, sagebrush, goldfield, pineapple 

 weed, thistle, balsam root, tarweed, dandelion. 



Gramineae (or Poaceae; grass family )(Fig. 2): Flowers very 

 small, greenish, and inconspicuous, with stamens and pistil or 

 unisexual, clustered in spikelets. Perianth greatly reduced or 

 absent. Ovary superior. Stem hollow, round in cross-section; 

 leaves 2-ranked. Examples: cheat grass, brome, rye grass, pampas 

 grass. 



Leguminosae (or Fabaceae; pea family)(Fig. 3): Flowers with 

 stamens and pistil, generally bilaterally symmetrical. Stamens 

 usually 10, separate or fused. Ovary superior. Leaves alternate, 

 usually divided into 3 or more leaflets. Roots with bacterial 

 nodules. Fruit a pod. Examples: palo verde, lupine, clover, 

 locoweed, vetch, redbud, mesquite. 



Scrophulariaceae (figwort family)(Fig. 4): Leaves undivided 

 into leaflets, usually opposite. Flowers often showy, with 

 stamens and pistils, weakly to strongly bilaterally symmetrical. 

 Ovary superior, fruit a capsule. Examples: Penstemon, monkey 

 flower, Indian paintbrush, Chinese houses, elephants' heads, 

 owl's clover. 



Cruciferae (or Brassicaceae; mustard family )(Fig. 5): Leaves 

 alternate, undivided into leaflets although often deeply lobed. 

 Flowers with stamens and pistils, typically with 4 petals and 

 sepals. Stamens 6. Ovary with 2 chambers. Examples: mustard, 

 wall flower, peppergrass, desert candle, sea rocket, water cress, 

 shepherd's purse. 



Cyperaceae (sedge family)(Fig. 6): Grasslike herbs of damp 

 places. Flowers with stamens and pistil or unisexual, inconspicu- 

 ous, clustered in spikelets. Perianth represented by scales or 

 bristles. Ovary superior, often enclosed in a sac. Stem usually 

 solid, triangular in cross section. Leaves usually 3-ranked. Exam- 

 ples: tule, sedge, umbrella sedge. 



If you remember the simple characteristics of these six fami- 



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