GROUP J

Leaves simple, alternate, deciduous, more than 2-ranked, entire, unlobed.

KEY TO GENERA

1. Stipules and/or their scars present on twigs, at least at nodes on apical part of year 1 twigs; or minute stipules on base of petiole in Ludwigia peruviana. (Examine at base of petiole of young leaves when available) ............................................................... 2

2. Apical part of twigs well developed; overwintering end bud a terminal one ................................ 3

3. Lateral veins of leaf blade evenly spaced, about same size except smaller toward base and apex .................. Frangula

3. Lateral veins of leaf blade not evenly spaced, usually varying in size and shape ...................................... 4

4. Vigorous twigs with 2-4 leaves at tip ....................... Quercus

4. Vigorous twigs with 1 leaf at tip .......................... Cudrania

2. Apical part of twigs in some species poorly developed and character of the tip indistinct; overwintering end bud an axillary one .......................... 5

5. Leaf blade apex rounded to narrowly truncate ........................... Phyllanthus

5. Leaf blade apex angular, obtuse to acuminate ......................6

6. Lateral veins of leaf blade not evenly spaced, usually varying in shape and size ..................................... ............. Salix

6. Lateral veins of leaf blade conspicuous and evenly spaced, about same shape and size except smaller toward base and apex of leaf .............................................................. 7

7. Lateral veins of leaf blade 8-11 pairs, not conspicuously curved from base to apex ..................... Frangula

7. Lateral veins of leaf blade 15 or more pairs, conspicuously curved from base to apex ....................... Ludwigia

1. Stipules and their scars absent .............................................. 8

8. Year 2 twigs hollow or pith chambered or diaphragmed and continuous, (very porous and sometimes partially hollow in Pyrularia )........ 9

9. Pith diaphragmed ................................................... Nyssa

9. Pith absent, twig hollow ........................................... ........... Capsicum

8. Pith of year 2 twigs continuous and not diaphragmed (sometimes very porous and partly disintegrating in Pyrularia and Lycium ) ...................... 10

10. Vigorous twigs with 2 or more leaves at tip; terminal bud present (no dormant terminal bud in Chrysoma ) .......................................................... 11

11. Largest leaf blade to 10(12) mm across (See GROUP A) ……. Chrysoma

11. Largest leaf blade over 10 mm across ........................ 12

12. Bundle scars more than 3 ......................... Quercus

12. Bundle scars 1 or splitting into many ............... 13

13. Leaf blade underside with a few narrow lacerated or cleft scales along midrib ............... Menziesia

13. Leaf blade underside lacking such scales .......... 14

14. Most leaf scars at 45 ° or more .......................... Edgeworthia

14. Most leaf scars under 45 ° ...................... 15

15. Bud scales several to many …......................… Rhododendron

15. Bud scales usually 2……....................... Kalmia

10. Vigorous twigs with one leaf at tip clearly separated from the next one below (in Berberis main leaf almost always is a spine, sometimes with 1 or more foliage leaves in its axil, and often few twigs sufficiently developed apically to show the separation clearly) ................. 16

16. Pith of twigs quite porous and sometimes partially disintegrating with age ........................................... 17

17. Twigs terete, unarmed; axillary fascicles of leaves usually absent .......................................... Pyrularia

17. Twigs prominently ridged, usually with thorns; axillary fascicles of leaves common .................. Lycium

16. Pith of twigs of uniform texture ............................... 18

18. Twigs prominently ridged and bearing some to many spines or thorns ............................... Berberis

18. Twigs not prominently ridged, lacking spines and thorns except present (rarely not) in Lycium ................... 19

19. Year 1 twigs and underside of leaf blades covered with scurfy peltate scales............. Elaeagnus

19. Year 1 twigs and leaf blades lacking such scales ......... 20

20. End bud a terminal one (often may be observed at base of flower pedicel from apical node) ............... Litsea

20. End bud an axillary one .............................. 21

21. Leaf blade underside bearing dark yellow resinous globules on the flat surface ....... Gaylussacia

21. Leaf blade underside without dark yellow resinous globules, small stalked glands sometimes present ................................................. 22

22. Bruised leaves with a strong spicy, strong sassafraslike, or faint piny-lemon odor; petals barely united. Fruits drupes from a superior ovary ...... Lindera

22. Bruised leaves with none of these odors; petals prominently united, tube cylindrical. Fruits berries or several-pitted drupes from an inferior ovary or capsules ..................................................................... 23

23. Fruits capsules, usually some persisting opened until year 2 fruits are formed; vascular trace at mid-petiole shape of a capitol D ........ Lyonia

23. Fruits berries falling soon after ripening, or follicles (5 from each flower); vascular trace at mid-petiole a thin to thick crescent ........... 24

24. Flowers and fruits in terminal groups; fruits follicles (See GROUP K)............................................... Spirea

24. Flowers and fruits in lateral groups; fruits berries or drupes ........ 25

25. Twigs with abundant minute wartlike projections ..... Vaccinium

25. Twigs lacking wartlike projections ............................. 26

26. Twigs with a very prominent ridge beginning below and jointed with petiole ................... Gaylussacia

26. Twigs terete or with an indistinct ridge below each twig .... 27

27. Year 1 twig with gland-tipped hairs; leaf blade underside with minute stalked glands ............................................. Gaylussacia

27. Year 1 twig glabrous to copiously hairy, hairs not gland-tipped; leaf blade underside lacking stalked glands ..........................Vaccinium