Key to the Trees and Shrubs of Black Mtn, Mt Ainslie and Mt Majura based on Vegetative Characters

Laurence G. Adams

Introduction
Key
Glossary
Checklists

Key based on Vegetative Characters

All main foliar structures are treated as leaves or leaflets
( in the case of certain Acacia spp., the 'leaves' are actually phyllodes); refer to the introduction and glossary.

In the few instances where supplementary flower and fruit characters have been utilized they are always given last [in square brackets].

Herbaceous species may on occasion cause difficulty by becoming "woody" and shrub-like when fully grown.
Refer to the introduction and glossary.

A month is given in parentheses, ie. (Nov), immediately following each lead; the earliest month to find the taxon in flower.
Refer to the introduction and glossary.


To use the keys within Groups, make choices between the two alternative options with matching colour dots :
dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot dot  

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KEY TO GROUPS

1a. Plants parasitic on branches of shrubs and trees → Group A
1b. Plants terrestrial → 2

2a. Leaves reduced to minute scales or teeth rarely up to 1.5 mm long on green branchlets, sometimes early-deciduous or absent → Group B
2b. Leaves well-developed, at least 2 mm long, usually more → 3

3a. Prostrate or scandent shrubs or vines → Group C
3b. Trees or erect shrubs; stems sometimes lax but not scandent → 4

4a. Stems spiny or leaves rigidly pungent (easily piercing skin) → Group D
4b. Stems/leaves unarmed, or leaves weakly aristate-pungent → 5

5a. Leaves compound → Group E
5b. Leaves simple → 6

6a. Leaves toothed or lobed → Group F
6b. Leaves entire → 7

7a. Foliage strongly eucalyptus- or pine-scented; trees → Group G
7b. Foliage not especially aromatic, or if so then shrubs only → 8

8a. Stipules clearly evident and persistent → Group H
8b. Stipules absent, obscure or mostly early-deciduous → 9

9a. Leaves opposite or whorled, or with parallel veins → Group I
9b. Leaves alternate or some sub-opposite, not parallel-veined → Group J


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Group A

dot Vines, thin, twining, usually ± tangled → Cassytha pubescens   photo

dot Woody plants, not twining → dot

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Group B

dot Scale leaves alternate or absent → dot

dot Scale leaves whorled → dot

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Group C

dot Leaves compound → dot

dot Leaves simple → dot

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Group D

Most leaves >3 cm long →

Most leaves <3 cm long →

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Group E

Leaves bipinnate throughout → Acacia (p.p.):- →

Leaves palmate or pinnate →

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Group F

Leaves hairy →

Leaves glabrous (or at most glandular-tuberculate) →

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Group G

Leaves very narrow-linear, fasciculate in 2s or 3s (Oct) *Pinus radiata   photo

Leaves flat, broader and not fasciculate → Eucalyptus :- →

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Group H

Leaves mostly >5 mm wide → *Cotoneaster microphyllus

Leaves mostly, or at least the upper, up to 5 mm wide →

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Group I

Leaves opposite or whorled; primary veins, if visible, not parallel →

Leaves alternate; primary veins parallel/radiate from base →

 

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Group J

Leaf width mostly >5 mm wide →

Leaf width mostly <5 mm →