This page has images. See Liliopsida for comparison of floral formulas.
The Orchidaceae and the graminoid families: Cyperaceae, Juncaceae, and Poaceae, are among the 15 largest families in the Midwest.
Liliaceae - Lily Family
Erythronium is commonly known as Trout Lily or Adder's Tongue here in the Midwest. We have a few native species with yellow or white flowers (one will be on the quiz). The spotted leaves suggest a speckled trout. You can see that this flower has the same composition as in Lilium. Other Midwest representatives of Liliaceae are Trillium, Polygonatum, Smilax, Allium, and Hypoxis (put by some in the segregate family of Amaryllidaceae). Other Liliaceae you know are tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, lily-of-the-valley, onions, and apsparagus. Some of these are put in separate families.
Iridaceae - the Iris Family
Here is a close-up look at Iris. The sepals are curved down and have a beard. The petals stand upright. The 3 stamens are each hidden beneath a petaloid style. The ovary is inferior; the flower is epigynous. Crocus and Freesia are also in the Iridaceae.
This page on Blue-eyed Grass has an image and information on the genus Sisyrinchium. This member of the Iridaceae has a perianth of 6 similar tepals so it can be confused with the Liliaceae except that it has only 3 stamens and the leaves are sheathing on the stem. The ovary is inferior (not visible in photo). Also note the green leafy bract that surrounds the base of the flower cluster. Compare this with the Yellow Star Grass (Hypoxis), Liliaceae, which has 6 stamens and there is no bract below the flowers. To confuse things even more there is a Yellow-eyed Grass, Xyris, in the Xyridaceae, a more tropical sedge-like family with showy flowers in dense heads or spikes with bracts.
Orchidaceae - the Orchid Family
What are orchids? at www.orchidlady.com.
Commelinaceae - the Spiderwort Family
This is our native representative, Tradescantia. Note the 6 stamens with hairy filaments. There are 3 green sepals which may fall off early. The house plant Zebrina or Wandering Jew is in this family; they typically have a lot of purple color in the leaves.
Juncaceae - the Rush Family
Cyperaceae - the Sedge Family
Poaceae (Gramineae) - the Grass Family
