Introduction 
Herbs and vines
Shrubs 
Families
Glossary

Herbarium (NCSC)
Department of Botany
Plant resources and links 
NC Coop Ext Service
NC Agric Research Service

Shrubs

1. Leaves opposite...2

1. Leaves alternate...9

2. Leaves compound...3

2. Leaves simple...5

3. Leaves trifoliolate...Staphylea

3. Leaves with > 3 leaflets...4

4. Leaves palmately compound...Aesculus

4. Leaves pinnately compound...Sambucus

5. Stem green to ground level...Euonymus

5. Stem brown or gray to ground surface (only new growth green)...6

6. Inflorescence flat-topped or nearly so....7

6. Inflorescence not flat-topped...8

7. Flowers perfect...Viburnum

7. Flowers imperfect...Nestronia

8. Petal length > 5 X width...Chionanthus

8. Petal length < 5 X width...Ligustrum

9. Stem with prickles...10

9. Stem lacking prickles...12

10. Leaf scars encircling much of stem circumference...Aralia

10. Leaf scars not nearly encircling stem...11

11. Stipule adnate to petiole...Rosa

11. Stipule not adnate to petiole...Rubus

12. Male flowers in dangling catkins...13

12. None of the flowers in dangling catkins...14

13. Fruit surrounded by leafy bracts...Corylus

13. Fruit subtended by woody bracts...Alnus

14. Inflorescence a panicle, drooping, terminal or nearly so...Xanthorhiza

14. Inflorescence lacking at least one of the features noted above...15

15. Perianth lacking...Salix

15. Perianth present...16

16. Corolla pink, red, maroon...17

16. Corolla (or petaloid perianth) white, cream, or yellow...19

17. Flowers distinctly irregular, < 10 mm broad...Cercis

17. Flowers regular or slightly irregular, > 10 cm broad...18

18. Sepals 3; petals unfused...Asimina

18. Sepals 5; petals partly fused...Rhododendron

19. Stipular scar completely encircling stem at nodes...Magnolia

19. Stipular scar not encircling stem...20

20. Perianth yellow...21

20. Perianth white, cream, or only partly yellowish...23

21. At least some leaves lobed...Sassafras

21. All leaves unlobed...22

22. Perianth parts fused throughout their lengths...Dirca

22. Perianth parts separate...Lindera

23. Leaves strongly 3-nerved from base...Ceanothus

23. Leaves not strongly 3-nerved...24

24. Perianth of petal-like sepals only (petals lacking)...Elaeagnus

24. Perianth of both sepals and petals...25

25. Petals separate...26

25. Petals at least partly fused...28

26. Ovary inferior...Amelanchier

26. Ovary superior...27

27. Stamen > 10...Prunus

27. Stamen 5...Itea

28. Flowers imperfect (female may have abortive stamen)...Ilex

28. Flowers perfect...29

29. Petals fused only in lower half, unfused lobes > 7 mm long...Styrax

29. Petals fused throughout most or all of their length...30

30. Golden glands on lower leaf surface...Gaylussacia

30. Golden leaf glands lacking...31

31. Corolla open, stamen exposed...32

31. Corolla urn-shaped, stamen enclosed...33

32. Corolla pleated; stamen held in pleats of corolla tube until sprung by pollinators...Kalmia

32. Corolla unpleated; stamen not as above...Vaccinium

33. Ovary inferior...Vaccinium

33. Ovary superior...34

34. Calyx pubescent, lacking subtending bractlets...Lyonia

34. Calyx glabrous, with two subtending bractlets...Leucothoe