Major Plant Families

During this lab you will work on 8 major plant families.  Since this is an accelerated May Term course our goal is not for you to be able to identify every plant you see.  Instead we are aiming for you to be able to look at a few simple characteristics (flower morphology, stem shape, leaf pattern, etc.) and be able to have a good idea (i) if your plant falls into these 8 families and (ii) if it does, which one it fits into.  At this point don't get concerned with being able to identify the species (or even the genus)!  We are really just trying to cultivate our identification skills at the family level - please do not worry about species!

The lab activity

You will be led around the property to observe (see, touch, smell, and sometimes taste) various plants.   As you walk you will be introduced to representatives of each of the 8 major plant families we are focusing on (see below).  You will focus on your rationale as to why you thought a certain plant belonged in a certain family.  Please make extensive use of the materials below (look all the way to the bottom of the webpage) so that you have the best knowledge you can get when going into this exercise. Make sure you have fun and really take a look - these are really common families folks!  You may have to google some terms to understand the reference materials below prior to lab.  Keep in mind that structures appear seasonally (i.e. flowers and seeds) so you may not have access to all structures at this time to make your family-level determination.

Skill(s) to Master for the Practicum

1. Identify plant specimens to the level of family (Mint - Lamiaceae;  Mustard - Brassicaceae;  Parsley - Apiaceae;  Pea - Fabaceae;  Lily - Liliaceae;  Grass - Poaceae;  Rose - Rosaceae;  Aster - Asteraceae)

2. Be able to cite, in detail, why you have placed a particular speimen in a particular family.  Provide evidence for your determination.

3. Know some general commonalities that are shared across most members of a particular plant family - be able to apply these to a particular speciman once family is determined.

The 8 Plant Families - Characteristics

Mint - Lamiaceae;  Mustard - Brassicaceae;  Parsley - Apiaceae;  Pea - Fabaceae;  Lily - Liliaceae;  Grass - Poaceae;  Rose - Rosaceae;  Aster - Asteraceae

Grass - Poaceae

Rose - Rosaceae

Aster - Asteraceae

Mint - Lamiaceae

Mustard - Brassicaceae

Parsley - Apiaceae

Pea - Fabaceae

Lily - Liliaceae

8 Major Plant Families - This link to the left is a link to a pdf of detailed information regarding the 8 major plant families you will be becoming familiar with (listed below).  Please click on this link to see more detailed drawing like the ones above as well as lists of plants in these families, etc.  Below are the Wikipedia articles for each family (just there for reference...not required to look at them).

• Mint - Lamiaceae

• Mustard - Brassicaceae

• Parsley - Apiaceae

• Pea - Fabaceae

• Lily - Liliaceae

• Grass - Poaceae

• Rose - Rosaceae

• Aster - Asteraceae

Learning Plant Families through story - this resource is AMAZING!  It is a way to think about the 8 different families in a way that introduces them as "guardians".  A good bedtime read in any case.