3-77 Rosaceae, rose family
Keywords:
Magnoliophyte, rose family, dicots, Spiraea, steeplebush, meadow-sweet, Sorbus, mountai-ash, rowan, dogberry, Sibbaldiopsis, fivefingers, Sanguisorba, burnet, Rubus, blackberry, bramble, raspberry, strawberry-raspberry, dewberry, false violet, bakeapple,Abstract
Within this family‘s numerous (>3000 species of trees, shrubs and herbs) are the most important temperate fruits including apples and pears, peaches, plums, apricots, almonds, strawberries and raspberries. The family‘s namesake, Rosa, contains many economically important hybrids and species roses. Rose cultivars are numerous and among our most prestigious ornamentals.
Typically the leaves are alternate and stipulate, and may be simple or compound. Flowers are conspicuous and often showy, regular and perfect. Calyx is usually of five sepals united at the base to form a hypanthium. Petals usually five and the stamens usually number five or or five-merous, both attached to the margin of the hypanthium. Ovary is generally superior, except in the Pomoidea. Fruits are variable, with achenes, drupes, follicles or pomes, or even aggregated as in raspberries. The family has higher diversity in Nova Scotia than many other dicot families. Use of images has been granted by Sean Blaney, Martin Thomas, Marian Munro, Ross Hall, David Mazerolle, Patrick Foote, and Alain Belliveau.
