1 | Leaves reduced to small, non-photosynthetic scales. |
1' | Leaves usually well-developed, always green (sometimes absent when the plant is in flower). |
2 | Stem branched, bearing green cladodes |
2' | Stem simple. Small echlorophyllous saprophyte. |
3 | Anthers 1-celled. Plants usually woody and often prickly climbers (Heterosmilax, Rhipogonum, Smilax) |
3' | Anthers 2-celled. Plants erect or herbaceous, not prickly, rarely woody climbers. |
4 | Plants dioecious. |
4' | Flowers bisexual. |
5 | Panicle glabrous or scaberulous. Flowers clustered at all or most nodes (Lomandra) |
5' | Panicle silvery-scaly. Flowers solitary at each node |
6 | Foliage leaves caespitose, usually basal or radical. |
6' | Foliage leaves distributed at intervals along the stem. |
7 | Inner perianth segments fringed |
7' | Perianth segments not fringed. |
8 | Inflorescence a simple umbel. Bulbous |
8' | Inflorescence a raceme, spike or panicle. Plant rhizomatous. |
9 | Flowers sessile. Anthers sessile or subsessile on the perianth. |
9' | Flowers pedicelled. Filaments usually well-developed. |
10 | Fruit a capsule |
10' | Fruit fleshy. |
11 | Style distinct. Stigma simple or indistinctly lobed. |
11' | Style absent. Stigmas distinctly 3 |
12 | Seeds fleshy and exposed soon after the commencement of their development. |
12' | Seeds retained in the fruit until mature. |
13 | Filaments free of one another. Corona absent |
13' | Filaments connate or anthers sessile on a staminal corona. |
14 | Anthers borne on a distinct staminal corona |
14' | Anthers borne on connate filaments |
15 | Anthers dorsifixed. |
15' | Anthers basifixed. |
16 | Ovary half-inferior |
16' | Ovary fully superior. |
17 | Fruit a capsule. Stems to 5 cm long and 2-3 mm diameter (Romnalda). |
17' | Fruit a berry. Stems woody and usually long (Dracaena, incl. Pleomele). |
18 | Fruit a berry |
18' | Fruit a capsule. |
19 | Base of anthers with a papillose appendage. Pedicels 12-20 mm. Outer perianth segments distinctly broader than inner ones |
19' | Base of anthers without appendages. Pedicels 3-12 mm. Perianth segments equal. |
20 | Perianth spirally twisting after anthesis, blue |
20' | Perianth segments persistent, but not twisted after flowering, white to green |
21 | Plant with scaly bulb. Flowers 10-25 cm long |
21' | Plant with a rhizome, corm or tuber. Flowers up to at most 9 cm. |
22 | Stem(s) woody. Venation reticulate (Eustrephus, Geitonoplesium) |
22' | Stem(s) herbaceous. Venation parallel. |
23 | Style simple, or if 3 lobed the filaments forming a corona. |
23' | Style branched, sometimes to the base. |
24 | Fruit a berry. Inflorescence a panicle |
24' | Fruit consisting of 1-3 nutlets. Inflorescence consisting of umbels each on a winged peduncle |
25 | Flowers large, 5-9 cm. At least some leaves ending in a coiled tendril. |
25' | Flowers smaller, up to 3 cm. Leaves never ending in a tendril. |
26 | Filaments expanded to form a corona. Fruit a berry |
26' | Filaments free, sometimes connivent. |
27 | Fruit a berry |
27' | Fruit a capsule. |
28 | Pedicels not articulated. Anthers dorsifixed. |
28' | Pedicels articulated. Anthers basifixed |
29 | Rootstock a rhizome. Style branches bifid |
29' | Rootstock a corm. Style branches simple |