Family Characteristics

the largest plant family in the US

flower heads are made up of a disk of tiny flowers sometimes surrounded by rays to resemble a single flower

flowers have four petals and six stamens

flowers usually in clusters

usually has tiny simple 5-petalled flowers in umbels

leaves are divided into many leaflets

mostly simple flowers with many stamens

leaves often divided

flowers have five petals and 10 stamens

leaves often divided

flowers are irregular and pea shaped

leaves are dissected

fruit is bean or pea like

showy flowers

spiny and fleshy

irregular flowers

aromatic leaves

four petals sometimes forming a tube and eight stamens

five petals

simple leaves, often basal

simple flowers with five petals and many stamens

many shrubs are in the Rose family

simple flowers with five petals

leaves basal and often veined

regular flowers with five petals, often in coiled clusters with stamens showing

leaves are often hairy

most commonly bright blue or purple

petals are united to form a tubular or saucer shape

blooms late in the summer