1. Habit shrubs or trees Leaves palmately-veined, simple or palmately or pinnately compound leaves, opposite; estipulate Inflorescence panicle, raceme, corymb, or umbel-like axillary cluster Special floral characters: nectary disc, carpels winged Calyx 5 (4, 6-9) sepals, distinct or basally connate Corolla 5 (0, 4, 6-9) petals, distinct Androecium 8 (4-12) stamens, distinct Gynoecium 2 (3+) carpels, connate, winged; superior; 2 styles or 1 style deeply divided Fruit= samaroid schizocarp with 1 seed maturing per locule (Floral formula: Ca 5 Co 5 A 8 G 2 ) Rosidae II Aceraceae -- the maple family (2/120; Mostly New and Old World temperates, plus tropics of s.e. Asia)

2. The genera: Acer (maple) is common to both the Old and New Worlds. The other, Dipteronia, occurs only in China. Notes: Acer is the source of maple syrup and many species are valuable timber trees and their wood are used to make furniture. Also used as street and other landscaping trees/shrubs. In the field, the opposite, palmately-veined, simple leaves (except things like A. negundo), opposite branching, and the two-winged samaroid schizocarps should diagnose the family. Rosidae II Aceraceae -- comments

3. Habit shrubs, trees, woody vines Leaves simple to pinnate to trifoliolate, alternate; estipulate Inflorescence panicle Special floral characters: nectary disc, hypanthium sometimes present, flowers often imperfect, resinous compounds or volatile substances with strong odor in stems and leaves Calyx 5 (3-7) sepals, connate Corolla 5 (3-7) petals, distinct Androecium 5-10 (1, many) stamens, distinct or weakly connate at base Gynoecium 3 (2-12) carpels, connate; superior; 3 (1 or 4-5) styles, distinct Fruit= drupe or berry (Floral formula: Ca 5 Co 5 A 5-10 G 3 )  family  Rosidae II Anacardiaceae -- the sumac family (75/600; predominately tropical, extends up into the temperate zones of North America and Eurasia)

4. Habit woody vines with tendrils, less common as shrubs, trees Leaves simple and palmately lobed or veined, or pinnately or palmately compound, alternate; estipulate or stipulate Inflorescence cymose, variable Special floral characters: nectary disc Calyx 4-5 (3-7) sepals, connate Corolla 4-5 (3-7, 0) petals, distinct (connate) or apically coherent Androecium 4-5 (3-7) stamens, distinct or anthers connate; opposite petals Gynoecium 2 (3-6) carpels, connate; superior; 1 style or sessile stigma Fruit= berry (Floral formula: Ca 4-5 Co 4-5 A 4-5 G 2 )  family  Rosidae II Vitaceae -- the grape family (11-14/700; Mostly tropical and subtropical with a few widespread temperate spp.)

5. Habit shrubs or trees Leaves simple to pinnately compound, alternate; estipulate; vegetation usually punctate with oil glands and often strongly scented Inflorescence various Special floral characters: nectary disc, punctate glands often present (even in flowers) Calyx 4-5 (2-3) sepals,  connate Corolla 4-5 petals, distinct (connate) Androecium 4-10 stamens, distinct Gynoecium 2-5 (1, many) carpels, connate; superior; 1 style Fruit= capsule, berry, hesperidium, samara, schizocarp, or cluster of follicles (Floral formula: Ca 4-5 Co 4-5 A 4-10 G 4-5 ) Rosidae II Rutaceae -- the citrus family (150+/900-1500; cosmopolitan tropical and temperate)

6. Habit herbs, shrubs, trees, stem succulents often with milky sap Leaves simple, alternate or opposite; stipulate Inflorescence various, sometimes very condensed forming a cyathium Special floral characters: imperfect flowers, typically apetalous, Calyx 4-5 (0) sepals, distinct or  connate Corolla 0 (4-5) petals, distinct or basally connate; can be adnate to stamens Androecium 1-many stamens, distinct or variously connate Gynoecium 3 (1-20) carpels, connate; superior; 3 (1-20) styles often forked Fruit=schizocarpic capsule (rarely a drupe, berry, pod, or samara) (Floral formula: Ca 4-5 (0) Co 0 (4-5) A 0 G 3 // Ca 4-5 (0) Co 0 (4-5) A 1-many G 0 ) Rosidae II Euphorbiaceae -- the spurge family (320/7500; pan tropical, poorly represented in temperate areas)

7. Habit herbs (rarely shrubs or trees) Leaves simple to variously lobed or compound, alternate; estipulate with petioles sheathing; with internal oil glands and often strongly scented Inflorescence compound umbels (rarely simple umbels, heads, or axillary) Special floral characters: small flowers, sepals may be highly reduced Calyx 5 sepals, distinct Corolla 5 (0) petals, distinct Androecium 5 stamens, distinct, alternate to petals Gynoecium 2 carpels, connate; inferior; 2 styles often subtended by bulging stylopodia Fruit= schizocarp with 2 mericarps, often strongly ribbed, sometimes winged, samaraoid or covered with tubercles or prickles (Floral formula: Ca 5 (0) Co 5 A 5 G 2 ) Rosidae II Apiaceae (Umbelliferae) -- the carrot family (428/3000; cosmopolitan, greatest diversity in north temperate zone)