- Apiaceae
Key to the genera of Apiaceae
1Leaves segmented by transverse septa2 1Leaves not segmented by transverse septa4 2Inflorescence compound; stiff-leaved alpine or subalpine herbsAciphylla → 4Inflorescence of simple umbels or heads5 4Inflorescence compound, regularly or irregularly branched into many-flowered secondary umbels (umbellules)25 5Inflorescence a head surrounded by large or conspicuous involucral bracts6 5Inflorescence not surrounded by conspicuous involucral bracts8 6Involucral bracts stiff and mucronateEryngium → 6Involucral bracts leafy or petal-like7 8Leaves deeply dissected or compound9 8Leaves entire, but margins sometimes crenate or toothed14 9Leaves 1–3-pinnately dissected, with 5 or more pinnae10 9Leaves ternately or palmately dissected, or tripartite11 10Leaves basal, rarely cauline; mericarps not long-bristly, 5-ribbedOreomyrrhis → 10Leaves cauline; mericarps long-bristly, sometimes the inner ones tuberculateTorilis → 12Simple leaves or leaflets filiform, teretePlatysace → 12Simple leaf and leaflet shape various but not filiform and terete13 13Sepals absent or minute; mericarps hairy, tuberculate or rarely indistinctly 5-ribbedTrachymene → 13Sepals 1–3 mm long; mericarps 7–9 ribbedXanthosia → 14Plants with a fleshy taproot; leaves all basal, often rosetted; alpine or subalpine herbs15 14Plants without a fleshy taproot, rhizomatous or stoloniferous, or with erect and ascending branches; leaves cauline or produced at nodes20 15Leaves circular or ovate, margins crenate or entire17 21Plant erect or semi-erect, not rooting at nodes23 23Simple leaves or leaflets filiform, teretePlatysace → 23Simple leaf and leaflet shape various but not filiform and terete24 24Sepals absent or minute; mericarps hairy, tuberculate or rarely indistinctly 5-ribbedTrachymene → 24Sepals 1–3 mm long; mericarps 7–9 ribbedXanthosia → 25Fruit without a beak or beak less than 1 cm long27 28Mericarps smooth or ribbed29 28Mericarps with bristles or spines, sometimes only at apex58 29Mature fruit more or less elliptic, oblong, ovate or reniform, or of 2 spherical mericarps, if somewhat spherical then less than 3 mm across31 31Mericarps fused c. half their length, spherical, rugose but not ribbedBifora 31Mericarps fused most of their length, variously shaped, ribbed or tuberculate32 32Bracts and bracteoles absent or inconspicuous33 32Bracts and bracteoles present40 33Ultimate leaflets more than 1 mm wide34 33Ultimate leaflets up to 1 mm wide37 34Plant spreading by long slender rhizomesAegopodium 35Plants robust or weak, erect or procumbent; compound umbel sessile or pedunculate; fruit broad-ovoid or obovoid or more or less spherical, 1.5–2.5 mm acrossApium → 35Plant robust, erect; compound umbel pedunculate; mericarps dorsally very flattened, 5–7 mm broadPastinaca > Pastinaca sativa 40Leaves simple or pinnate41 41Leaves simple or, if some leaves pinnate, then leaflets filiform and terete42 41Leaves pinnate; leaflets flat, never filiform45 44Bracteoles much shorter than pedicelsPlatysace → 45Leaf margins serrate or crenate46 49Plant usually hirsute; leaves simple or ternate; peduncle less than 2 cm longXanthosia → 51Umbel with 1–4 rays; leaves mostly basal (mostly alpine herbs)Oreomyrrhis → 51Umbel with 4–20 or more rays; leaves cauline (weeds)52 52Plant green; fruit 1.5–4 mm long53 53Compound umbel with more than 20 rays; rays 2–7 cm longAmmi > Ammi majus 53Compound umbel with up to 20 rays; rays 1–3.5 cm long55 58Mericarps (at least those on outside of umbellules) covered in long bristles or spines60 60Fruit longer than or about as long as rays; mericarps with bristles no longer than the width of the body of the mericarp itself, never hooked; plants not distinctly carrot-scented when crushedTorilis → 60Fruit always shorter than rays; mericarps with bristles longer than the width of the body of the mericarp, sometimes hooked; plants typically strongly carrot-scented when crushed61 61Involucral bracts absent; fruit with a short beak; bristles on fruit not exceeding beak and style, shorter than width of fruitAnthriscus 61Involucral bracts 1–13; fruit without a short beak; bristles on fruit exceeding style, longer than width of fruitDaucus → From: Duretto, M.F. (1999). Apiaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J. (eds), Flora of Victoria. Vol. 4. Cornaceae to Asteraceae. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
