Plant Family Scavenger Hunt (8/07)

Posted by Violet Snow Aug 12, 2007

Even if you can’t discover the exact species name, you might derive a sense of connection and partial understanding. This recognition, however slight, helps us feel safe in the wild world.

Here is a scavenger hunt designed to help you learn the characteristics of some of the major plant families. Go outdoors and seek at least one member of each of the following families. If you want more of a challenge, decide to find two or three. The more you look, the more you learn! Most field guides list the family name after the plant description, so if you can find your plant in a field guide, it will confirm the plant’s family membership. See the article Plant Identification for help, as well as articles on each plant family.

Composite Family: floral parts consist of dozens or sometimes hundreds of tiny flowers, merged into one head or disk. Many are slightly aromatic (rub and sniff to detect the odor). Includes many subfamilies, including asters, goldenrods, thistles, artemisias, chamomile and other daisy-like flowers, dandelions, and many more.

Mint Family: square stems, opposite leaves, “lipped” flowers, often (but not always) strongly aromatic. Includes peppermint, wild thyme, and many more.

Parsley Family: flowers in compound umbels (in umbrella formation); compound, deeply divided leaves (ferny-looking); slightly aromatic. Includes Queen Anne’s lace and many similar-looking plants.

Rose Family: five petals; mostly oval, serrated leaves. Strawberry leaves are typical. Also includes raspberry, wild rose, cinquefoil, and many others.

Mustard Family: four petals; pungent smell and flavor; often with long, narrow seed pods. If you hunt for mustards in August, few will be in flower, but you may find the seed pods of garlic mustard, dame’s rocket, wintercress.