1. “Plant Families” Acanthaceae to Araceae
INTERIOR PLANTS
“Plant Families” Acanthaceae to Araceae

2. ACANTHACEAE Tender Perennials Simple, opposite leaves
Irregular, bilabate flowers on spikes or in clusters; obvious bracts
Royal Plant Family for tropicals
240 genera; 2200 sp

3. Acanthaceae
Pachystachy is an example of the spike flowers with obvious bracts, opposite leaves, and bilabate flowers.

4. AIZOACEAE Carpet-Weed Family or Mesembryanthus Family
Leaves alt or opp, succulent and rock-like or scales
Desert and seashore environs
Leaves reduced and fleshy
Daisy-like, stemless flower
100 genera, 600 species

5. AIZOACEAE
Aptenia illustrates the daisy-like flower, fleshy leaves

6. AMARANTHACEAE Distributed widely in warm countries
Brightly colored foliage
Opposite or Alternate leaves
Flowers are not usually important
Easy culture, tend to be weedy

7. AMARANTHACEAE
Iresine demonstrates the highly colored foliage and opposite leaf attachment as well as lack of attractive flowers.

8. AMARYLLIDACEAE
Perennial herbs that have umbellate, paniculate or single flowers
Fiberous root system or specialized such as corms, bulbs,rhizomes, etc
Inferior ovary rather than the superior ovary in Liliaceae
Six-merous, 90 genera, 1300 species

9. AMARALLIDACEAE
Clivia illustrates the characteristics of a specialized root system and an umble flower

10. ARACEAE Aroid or Calla family; economically important
Path and spadix flowers
Calcium oxalate crystals are poisonous
Flowers may be inconspicuous or very attractive

11. ARACEAE
Spathyphyllum presents a creamy white flower which is an attractive version of the spathe and spadix flower. Low light levels and attractive foliage complete the look.

12. “Plant Families” Araliaceae to Asclepiadaceae
INTERIOR PLANTS
“Plant Families” Araliaceae to Asclepiadaceae

13. ARALIACEAE Herbs, shrubs, trees and vines, some with thorns
Insignificant flowers
Palmately lobed foliage
Grown for medicinal and ornamental uses

14. ARALIACEAE
This schefflera demonstrates palmately lobed foliage

15. ARAUCARIACEAE Evergreen trees with awl-like foliage, resinous
Whorled branches with leathery leaves
Deciduous cone
Grown outdoors in Southern US

16. ARAUCARIACEAE
This Norfolk Island Pine is very representative of this family.

17. ASCLEPIADACEAE Waxy flowers frequently on a vine Milky juice
Opposite leaves, simple and entire
Milky sap may be toxic

18. ASCLEPIADACEAE
Hoya demonstrates both the waxy flowers and stiff foliage of this family.

19. “Plant Families” Begoniaceae to Bromeliaceae
INTERIOR PLANTS
“Plant Families” Begoniaceae to Bromeliaceae

20. BEGONIACEAE Palmately lobed leaves Alternate with a lopsided shape
Swollen nodes with red color
Succulent
Attractive flowers
Fiberous, rhizomatous, or tuberous

21. BEGONIACEAE
This Angel Wing Begonia illustrates the succulent nature and swollen nodes of the family.

22. BIGNONIACEAE Opposite leaves which may be compound Showy flowers
Small family including trees and shrubs

23. BIGNONIACEAE
This China Doll illustrates the compound leaves

24. BROMELIACEAE Epiphytic
Stiff or succulent leaves in rosettes, often spiney
May hold water in a cup-like structure
Showy bracts may persist

25. BROMELIACEAE
The bracts on this Silver Vase provide color for several months after the small flowers are gone.

26. “Plant Families” Cactaceae to Cyperaceae
INTERIOR PLANTS
“Plant Families” Cactaceae to Cyperaceae

27. CACTACEAE Showy flowers
Spines, areoles, glochids, and fleshy stems to conserve water
Many native to demanding environments in the Americas
120 genera and 3 subfamilies

28. CACTACEAE
Christmas Cactus illustrates the reduced leaves and stems.

29. COMMELINACEAE Alternate, clasping leaves with purple and olive colors
Mucilaginous sap and flowers that may or may not be attractive
3-merous with knotty stems

30. COMMELINACEAE
Wandering Jew is an excellent example of the highly colored leaves of the family.

31. COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)
Classic ray and disk flowers forming a thistle head
Highly variable foliage
Milky sap may be present
Largest plant family with over 950 genera and 20,000 species

32. COMPOSITAE (ASTERACEAE)
The purple pubescence on the Purple Passion Plant illustrates the variability of foliage.

33. CRASSULACEAE Succulent, fleshy leaves with a waxy bloom
Insignificant flowers
Simple, entire leaves
Constant full sun for best growth

34. CRASSULACEAE
Panda Paws is an example of the succulent foliage of this family.

35. CYCADACEAE Palm-like, pinnate leaves that are stiff and in rosettes
Primative
Heat tolerant
Slow growing
Ancient, dinosaur vintage

36. CYCADACEAE
The cone-like fruiting structure demon-strates how primative cycads are.

37. CYPERACEAE Sedge-like plant with solid 3-angled culms Parallel veins
Wet areas
Flowers are inconspicuous and in terminal umbels

38. “Plant Families” Euphorbiaceae to Gesneriaceae
INTERIOR PLANTS
“Plant Families” Euphorbiaceae to Gesneriaceae

39. EUPHORBIACEAE Herbs, shrubs, and fleshy cactus-like succulents
Flowers are inconspicuous and may have colorful bracts
Milky juice
Medicinal and ornamental uses

40. EUPHORBIACEAE
The bright color foliage of the Croton is very indicative of this family.

41. GENTIANACEAE Temperate plants with variable leaves
Flowers frequently blue and showy in terminal or axilary clusters
70 genera and 800 species
Fruit is a capsule

42. GENTIANACEAE
The Persian Violet is an excellent example of the blue flowers and attractive foliage of this family.

43. GESNERIACEAE Terrestrial and epiphytic plants
Leaves simple and often covered with soft velvety hair
Flowers are 5-merous and tubular to bell-shaped
Stems are watery
Rhizomatous, tuberous or prostrate

44. GESNERIACEAE
African Violets display the velvety hair and watery stems of this family.