Rosaceae

Plant Sex: Flowers usually bisexual.

Flowers: Actinomorphic. Sepals sometimes connate. Petals never truly red or blue. Ovary superior or inferior, but always with a hypanthium. Carpels free or connate.

Inflorescence: Various, determinate or indeterminate.

Fruits: Follicles, achenes, drupes, pomes.

Habit: Perennial herbs, shrubs, trees.

Leaves: Alternate, simple or compound (pinnate or palmate), with stipules.

Four Subfamilies based on Fruits and Carpels

1. SPIRAEOIDEAE - Spiraea subfamily. One to five carpels, ovary superior.
Examples:
Spiraea

S. vanhoutei. Flowering shrub. Flowers. Flower L.S.
S. alba. Flowering shrub. Flowering shoots. Inflorescence. Fruits.
S. thunbergii. Flowering shoot. Shoot with young fruits.

Exochorda

E. racemosa. Flower. Flower L.S.

Aruncus

A. dioicus. Habit. Young inflorescence. Closer view of young inflorescence.

Gillenia

G. trifoliata. Flowering shoot. Flower L.S.

2. ROSOIDEAE - Rose subfamily. One to many carpels, ovary superior.
Examples:
Rosa (rose)

R. sp. (plant cultivated on SIUC campus). Flowering shoot. Flower.
R. carolina. Flower. Fruits (achenes), some sectioned.
R. rugosa. Flower, face view. Flower L.S. Fruit (hip) in L.S.
R. roxburghii. Flowers, lateral view and in L.S. showing dense covering of prickles.
R. multiflora (multifloral rose). Flowering shoots of this invasive weed.
R. palustris (swamp rose). Fruits collected from around SIUC campus lake.

Fragaria

F. X anassasa (strawberry). Two species, F. chiloensis and F. virginiana were hybridized to make our commercial strawberry. Flower. Flower L.S. Young fruit developing. Young fruit in middle phase of development. Surface of mature fruit showing achenes with persistent styles. Strawberries, sectioned.

Potentilla

P. indica (false or Indian strawberry; formerly Duchesnea). Habit of plant in flower. Flower face view. Flower lateral view. Underside of flower showing characteristic lobed bracts. Fruit and L.S.
P. recta (cinquefoil). Habit of flowering plant. Flower.
P. arguta. Flowering shoot. Flower. Flower L.S.

Rubus

R. argutus (highbush blackberry). Flowering shoot from plant seen near SIUC campus lake. Flower.
R. inermis. This species (photographed in Spain) has no prickles, hence the name which means "unarmed".
R. idaeus (red raspberry). Fruits. Fruit section showing aggregates of drupelets.
R. occidentalis (black raspberry). Fruits.
R. pensylvanicus (blackberry). Fruiting shoot.

3. PRUNOIDEAE [= Amygdaloideae] - Peach subfamily. One carpel (rarely to five), ovary superior.
Examples:
Prunus

P. munsoniana (wild-goose plum). Flowering shoot. Flowers.
P. padus (bird cherry). Underside of leaf showing lepidote (scaly) surface. Flowers. Flower L.S.
P. serotina (black cherry). Glands on the petiole are characteristic of Prunus, and rusty hairs along the midrib are characteristic of this species. Flowering shoot. Flowers L.S. Fruiting shoot.
P. avium and P. cerasus (sweet cherry). Flowers. Fruit in L.S.
P. persica (peach). Trees in flower. Fruits. A newer flat fruit variety (very tasty!).
P. armeniaca (apricot). Trees in flower. Flowering branches.
P. dulcis (almond). Fruiting branch. Stony endocarps ("pits") of various Prunus.
P. domestica (plum). Fruiting shoot.

4. MALOIDEAE [= Pomoideae] - Apple subfamily. Two to five carpels, ovary inferior.
Examples:
Malus

M. domestica (= M. pumila, common apple). Fruiting shoots. Fruits (pomes) sectioned.
M. ioensis (wild crabapple). Flower. Flower L.S.
Fruits of Malus and Pyrus illustrating generic questions.

Pyrus

P. communis (pear). Flowering shoot. Flower face view.
P. calleryana 'Bradford' (Bradford pear). Flowering shoot. Fruit in L.S. showing brachysclereids (stone cells).

Chaenomeles

C. lagenaria (Japanese quince). Cultivated shrub in flower. Flowering shoot.
C. japonica. Flower L.S.

Sorbus

S. alnifolia (mountain ash). Fruits and leaves. Close-up of fruits. L.S. and X.S. of fruits.
S. scopulina. Habit of fruiting tree.

Crataegus

C. sp. (hawthorn). Flowering branch. Note thorns.
C. monogyna. Fruiting shoots of a Spanish plant.

Amelanchier

A. canadensis (shadbush). Tree in flower. Flowering shoot. Flower L.S.

Aronia

A. arbutifolia (chokeberry). Flowering shoot. Flower L.S.

Cydonia

C. oblongata (quince). Flower. Flower L.S. Fruits.

Pseudocydonia

P. sinensis (Chinese Quince). Bark of tree trunk. Leaves. Flowers. Fruiting branches. Fruit broken open.

SIUC / College of Science / Elements of Plant Systematics
URL: http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/PLB304/Lecture18Rosal/Rosaceae.html
Last updated: 29-Mar-09 / dln