Guide to tropical plant familiesand genera

Emily Waters and Miranda KimberleyRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew

July 2007

To assist students on the University of Manchester BiologyField Course to the Payamino Territory in Ecuador

Welcome!This PowerPoint Presentation is the work of Emily Waters and MirandaKimberley, who took part in the University of Manchester Biology FieldCourse to Ecuador in August 2006. We hope that it will be useful guide toyou in the rainforest as it is a daunting task to identify all the plants andanimal species around you.

The following slides give a basic introduction to the plant families that weencountered on our trip. When we were able to identify plants down togenera and species level these are included after the slide of the family towhich they belong.

The majority of photos used are our own. Please feel free to use them inprojects if so needed, referencing us, but do not use them for commercialpurposes. The few that are not ours are referenced accordingly.

Good luck and enjoy the experience!

Family: Acanthaceae

• Types of plant: Mostly herbaceousplants, shrubs or climbers, sometrees.

• Common genera: Aphelandra,Justicia.

• Identification features: Leavesopposite frequently with calcifiedcrystals appearing as whitestreaks in the lamina when seenas a hand lens. Leaf nodes oftenswollen in young stems. Flowersoften surrounded by large bracts.Stamens attached to the petals.

Family: Araceae

• Types of plant: Mostly herbaceousplants with underground tubers orrhizomes or climbers with aerialstems and roots. Some epiphytesand a floating water plant (Pistia).

• Common genera: Anthurium,Arum, Colocasia, Monstera,Philodendron.

• Identification features: Floweroften consists of a spike of manytiny flowers packed around afleshy axis called the spadix. Thespike is enclosed by a large leaf-like or petal-like bract called aspathe. Leaves alternate, oftenwith a heart-shaped or arrowhead-shaped blade.

Philodendron

• Family: Araceae• Identification features: Mostly climbers, some

epiphytic, some small trees/shrubs. Distinctiveheart-shaped or arrow-shaped, thick, leatheryleaves with sheaths at the base. Flower consists ofspathe and spadix.

Family: Arecaceae (Palms)• Types of plant: Monocotyledon

trees, shrubs and climbers.• Common genera: Astrocaryum,

Bactris, Chamaedorea.• Identification features:

Unbranched stems with only oneapical meristem. Bark oftensmooth, hairy or spiny. Leavesusually very large, pinnately orpalmately divided with a largesheath at the base. Flowers oftenborne on much-branchedpanicles. Fruit a berry, drupe ornut, mostly 1-seeded.

Astrocaryum

• Family: Arecaceae

• Identification features:Palm with spiny trunkand leaves.

(CTFS, striweb.si.edu)

Bactris

• Family: Arecaceae

• Identification features:Palm with spines indistinct bands up thetrunk.

Family: Begoniaceae• Types of plant: Herbaceous

plants and shrubs, someclimbers and epiphytes.

• Common genera: Begonia.

• Identification features: Mostspecies have succulent, oftenjointed stem, with largemembraneous stipules. Manyhave thick rhizomes or tubers.Leaves alternate, frequentlylobed and asymmetrical withpalmate venation. Flowersunisexual, plants monoecious.

Family: Bignoniaceae• Types of plant: Trees, shrubs and

climbers.

• Common genera: Bignonia,Jacaranda.

• Identification features: Leavesusually compound and opposite,glands are often present at thebase of the petiole. Terminalleaflet often replaced by a tendril.Showy flowers clustered together,usually tubular with 5 lobes and issometimes 2-lipped. Seedsnumerous, often flat and winged.

Jacaranda

• Family: Bignoniaceae

• Identification features:Tall tree with pinnateleaves. Distinctivesmall pale purple bell-shaped flowers.

Bixa orellana (Annatto Tree)

• Family: Bixaceae• Identification features:

Small tree with largeheart-shaped leaves, newstems red/brown.Distinctive hairy/spinyfruits, like a conker fruitbut more spiny,containing numerousseeds covered in red pulp(which is used to colourcheesy Doritos and RedLeicester cheese).

Ceiba

• Family:Bombacaceae

• Identification features:Very large tree withbuttressed trunk.Palmate leaves with5-7 entire lobes.

Family: Bromeliaceae(The pineapple family)

• Types of plants: Evergreenherbaceous plants, oftenepiphytes.

• Common genera: Aechmea,Ananas, Billbergia, Bromelia,Tillandsia.

• Identification features: Shortstems and basal rosettes ofstiff, often spiny leaves.Flowers held in a spike,raceme or panicle. Flowers arebisexual with 6 stamens andan ovary of 3 fused carpels.Seeds are often winged.

Epiphyllum

• Family: Cactaceae

• Identification features:Epiphytic cactus withfleshy, segmentedarms that have 3ridges with spines.

(Ulf Eliasson, www.desert-tropicals.com)

Family: Caricaceae(Pawpaw family)

• Types of plant: Small trees.

• Common genera: Carica.

• Identification features: Soft woodand milky white sap. Leavesalternate, often palmately lobed.Flowers held in a panicle orraceme. Trees are usuallydioecious. Flower parts in 5’s andthe fruit is a berry.

Carica papaya(Papaya or Paw-Paw)

• Family: Caricaceae

• Identification features:Un-branchedevergreen tree withmilky sap and largepalmately lobedleaves.

Family: Costaceae(the ‘Spiral Gingers’)

• Types of plant: Perennial, herbaceous plants.

• Common genera: Costus, Monocostus, Tapeinochilos.

• Identification features: Large underground rhizomes. Often tall stemscontaining acid sap. Leaves spirally arranged with a ligule and a closedsheath. Flowers usually on a spike, each having only one fertile stamen.

Costus

• Family: Costaceae• Identification features:

Tall herbaceousplants with distinctivespiral growth habit.Leaves spirallyarranged, flower spikeat the tips of thestems with severalbell-shaped flowers.

Family: Cucurbitaceae(The cucumber family)

• Types of plant: Climbingherbaceous plants.

• Common genera: Cucumis,Cucurbita, Gurania.

• Identification features: Spirallingtendrils arising from the leaf base.Alternate leaves, often heart-shaped or palmately lobed andveined, often hairy. Flowersunisexual, often tubular orcampanulate.

Gurania bignoniaceae

• Family:Cucurbitaceae

• Identification features:Climber with large,roughly hairy leavesand tendrils.Distinctive globeflower head of orangeflowers.

Family: Cyclanthaceae• Types of plant: Herbaceous plants

or climbers, some partly epiphytic.

• Common genera: Carludovica,Cyclanthus.

• Identification features: Watery ormilky sap in all tissues. Non-climbing plants have no stems andleaf petioles have sheaths at thebase. Palm-like leaves, deeplybilobed. Flowers unisexual,densely crowded on to spadixesthat are enveloped by two or morebracts.

Carludovica palmata(Panama Hat Plant)

• Family: Cyclanthaceae

• Identification features:Trunkless, plam-like plantwith large fan-like palmleaves divided into 2 atthe centre, on the end oflong stalks. Leaves comefrom the base of the plant– no trunk. Flowers on aspike, fruits arered/orange berries.

Family: Cyperaceae(Reeds and sedges)

• Types of plant: Perennial andannual grass-like herbaceousplants.

• Common genera: Carex, Cyperus.

• Identification features: Creepingunderground rhizome. 3-sidedstems with grass-like basalleaves. Flowers in spikelets,usually 3 stamens. Fruit a nutlet.

Manihot (Yucca)• Family:

Euphorbiaceae

• Identification features:Medium sized shrubwith deeply lobedleaves. Largetuberous roots whichyou will be eating a lotof.

Family: Fabaceae(The ‘Pea family’)

• Types of plant: Herbaceous plants, shrubs, climbers and trees.

• Common genera: Acacia, Bauhinia, Inga, Senna.

• Identification features: Alternate leaves, mostly pinnately compound with stipules.Roots have nodules containing bacteria that fix nitrogen. Flowers have five sepals orpetals. Fruit is typically a one-chambered pod.

Bauhinia

• Family: Fabaceae• Identification features:

Tree/shrub withdistinctive leavesmade up of 2 leafletsjoined down one side.New growth often redtinged.

Cassia

• Family: Fabaceae

• Identification features:Large shrub with paleyellow, 5-petaledflowers and distinctives-shaped curvesstamens. Leavespinnate and slightlyblue/green.

Inga

• Family: Fabaceae

• Identification features:Trees with pinnate leaveswith a distinctive wingedrachis between theleaflets. Small roundnectary glands can beseen along the rachis,which are to attract ants.Very long seed podscontaining white pulp.

Family: Heliconiaceae• Types of plant: Large herbaceous

plants.

• Common genera: Heliconia.

• Identification features: Plants haverhizomes and pseudostemsformed by leaf sheaths. Largeleaves with very long petioles, athick mid-rib and parallel veins.Flowers are very showy and oftenbrightly coloured. Some hangdown and some are heldterminally erect. Fruit is a bluedrupe.

Heliconia chartacea• Family: Heliconiaceae

• Identification features:Tall evergreenperennial withbanana-like leaves.Distinctive pendulousflower, thinner thanother species, bractpale pink/purple andyellow.

Heliconia hirsuta• Family: Heliconiaceae

• Identification features:Small herb. Leavesnarrow and held outhorizontally from aslender stem. Theyare smooth above buthairy underneath.Flowers have orangepetals and red bractsand are held erect.

Heliconia rostrata• Family: Heliconiaceae

• Identification features:Tall evergreenperennial withbanana-like leaves.Distinctive, waxypendulous flower, themost obvious partsare the scarlet andyellow bracts withgreen margins.

Heliconia wagneriana

• Family: Heliconiaceae

• Identification features:Tall evergreenperennial withbanana-like leaves.Erect (not pendulous)flower, red and yellowbract with greenmargins and verypointy tips.

Family: Lecythidaceae• Types of plant: Trees (many very

large) and some shrubs.

• Common genera: Barringtonia,Bertholletia, Grias.

• Identification features: Largesimple leaves spirally arranged inclusters at the tips of the twigs.Flowers generally large andshowy, sometimes in spikes ordirectly from the trunk. Fruits arelarge with fleshy outer layers andwoody inner layers, often with a lidthrough which the seed leaves thefruit.

Grias neuberthii

• Family: Lecythidaceae

• Identification features: Flowers which grow directly fromthe trunk, with yellow, fleshy petals and incurvedstamens. Leaves are grouped at the ends of branches.Fruit a brown pod which looks similar to cocoa.

Family: Marantaceae• Types of plant: Herbaceous

plants.

• Common genera: Calathea,Maranta.

• Identification features:Underground rhizomes or tubers.Leaves with long petiole and athickening (pulvinus) betweenpetiole and blade. Leaves haveparallel veins and are often purpleon the undersides. Flowers are ona spike or panicle, usuallyenclosed by a spathe-like bract.Flowers not very conspicuous,bisexual, with one fertile stamen.Fruit is a 3-valved loculicidalcapsule.

(Chiquita, www.chiquita.com)

Family: Melastomataceae• Types of plant: Herbaceous

plants, shrubs, trees, climbers andepiphytes.

• Common genera: Melastoma,Miconia, Mouriri.

• Identification features: Oppositeleaves, each pair at right angles tothe next, with very distinctivevenation. Usually 3-9 prominentveins running parallel andconverging at the petiole andapex. Stem often 4-sided. Flowersbisexual with 4 or 5 sepals andpetals. Usually twice as manystamens as petals. Fruit aloculicidal capsule or berry.

Family: Moraceae

• Types of plant: Trees and shrubs.

• Common genera: Artocarpus,Cecropia, Ficus, Pourouma.

• Identification features: Thepresence of milky sap containinglatex. Leaves extremely variablewith stipules present. Flowersunisexual, often held in ‘catkins’.Fruit types also extremelyvariable.

Cecropia

• Family: Moraceae

• Identification features: Mediumheight tree with greyishsmooth bark. Wood is soft andcontains a chain of hollowchambers often inhabited byants. Leaves look like a horsechestnut with more lobes thatare rounded at the tips and fanout like a palm. Often growingalong the river and in lightgaps in the forest.

Artocarpus incisus (Breadfruit)

• Family: Moraceae

• Identification features:Tree with very large,deeply lobed leaves,milky sap and largeround fruit.

(Jeff Shimonski, www.tropicaldesigns.com)

Family: Musaceae (Bananas)

• Types of plant: Gigantic, tender,evergreen herbaceous plants.

• Common genera: Musa.

• Identification features: Rhizomesand pseudostems formed by themassive leaf sheaths. Leavesalternate, spirally arranged, ovalshaped with a thick central mid-ribwith parallel veins running from itto the margin. Flowers are held ina drooping thyrse with maleflowers at the tip and femaleflowers clustered around the base.Fruit is bunches of bananas ofcourse.

Musa paradisa (Banana)

• Family: Musaceae

• Identification features:Tall evergreen tree-likeherbaceous plant withmassive leaves. Leaveswith thick central mid-riband parallel veins. Leafmargins often torn andragged. Long pendulousflower with male parts atthe tip and female furtherup, where banana fruitwill form.

Family: Rubiaceae

• Types of plant: Trees, shrubs andherbaceous plants.

• Common genera: Coffea,Cinchona, Rondeletia.

• Identification features: Leavesopposite or sometimes in whorls,with stipules. Flower headsextremely variable, sometimespanicles, spikes, etc. Flower partsin 4’s or 5’s. Fruit is a drupe,berry, capsule or schizocarp.

Citrus• Family: Rutaceae

• Identification features:Small tree/large shrubwith spines. Smallblack dots on theleaves. Easilyrecogised fruits oforange, lime andgrapefruit.

Family: Solanaceae(The potato family)

• Types of plant: Herbaceous plants, shrubs, climbers and trees.

• Common genera: Capsicum, Nicotiana, Solanum.

• Identification features: Very variable leaves. Flowers usually heldin an axillary cyme, sometimes a solitary flower. Flowers bisexualwith parts in 5’s. Fruit is a berry, drupe or capsule.

Nicotiana (Tobacco)

• Family: Solanaceae

• Identification features:Tall herbaceous plantwith hairy, stickyleaves. Flowerstubular and white heldin terminal paniclesabove the foliage.

Solanum quitoense(‘Naranjilla/Lulo’)

• Family: Solanaceae

• Identification features:Herbaceous plantwith large heart-shaped leaves withscalloped margins.White potato flowerand round orangefruits.