a	Herbs or subshrubs Corolla lobes always valvate Raphides present
	b	Plants woody, or sometimes with ± herbaceous shoots from a woody rootstock (pyrophytes) Corolla lobes valvate, contorted or sometimes imbricate Raphides present or absent

	a	Plants climbing or scandent	Key 03 (037)
	b	Plants not climbing or scandent

	a	Raphides present and inflorescences not clearly axillary	Key 01 (006)
	b	Raphides absent and inflorescences clearly axillary	Key 02 (025)

	a	Climbing and/or scandent plants	Key 03 (037)
	b	Plants not climbing, but sometimes scrambling

	a	Plants subshrubby to shrubby, or occasionally with ± herbaceous shoots from a woody or rhizomatous rootstock, with the herbaceous shoots 0.05-2 m tall and mostly burnt off by annual fires (pyrophytes)	Key 02 (025)
	b	Shrubs or trees (0.75-)2-20 m tall	Key 04 (042)

Key 01 Herbaceous
	a	Leaves and stipules similar, in whorls of 4-8 Herbs and herbaceous climbers with ± rotate corollas (but tubular in *Sherardia) Ovules solitary in each locule Fruits bilobed, indehiscent Plants often adhesive due to prickles and harsh hairs
	b	Leaves clearly different from the stipules, opposite, or less often in whorls of 3(5) Corolla mostly clearly tubular

	a	Calyx with 4-6 distinct teeth Flowers in small terminal involucrate heads Corolla tube cylindrical	*Sherardia
	b	Calyx limb reduced to a rim Inflorescence not involucrate Corolla rotate

	a	Petioles very well developed, 10-80 mm long Corolla usually 5-merous	Rubia
	b	Petioles very short or leaves sessile Corolla usually 4-merous	Galium

	a	Ovules (or seeds) 2-many in each locule
	b	Ovules (or seeds) solitary in each locule, or flowers male

	a	Flowers mostly 5-merous Leaf blades usually broad and usually with very obvious lateral and tertiary venation
	b	Flowers mostly 4-merous Leaf blades frequently narrow and uninerved or with lateral nerves obscure

	a	Leaves uninerved, mostly fairly small Decumbent herbs of wet places with small, white or blue flowers ± 5 mm long, in very lax elongated axillary cymes	Pentodon
	b	Leaves larger, pinnately nerved Erect herbs with terminal, capitate or lax, much branched complicated cymes	Pentas

	a	Anthers and stigmas included, the latter always overtopped by the former Corolla tube narrowly cylindrical	Kohautia
	b	Anthers and/or stigmas exserted or if included then anthers overtopped by stigmas Corolla tube cylindrical or funnel-shaped

	a	Corolla tube at least 15-20 mm long, cylindrical Anthers included and style exserted Flowers not heterostylous	Conostomium
	b	Corolla tube always shorter than 20 mm, cylindrical or funnel-shaped, sometimes with included anthers and exserted style but then usually heterostylous

	a	Stems usually unbranched, strict, erect Plant rush-like Leaves linear or filiform Stipule sheath tubular, truncate or with 2 minute teeth Seeds dorsiventrally flattened	Amphiasma
	b	Stems usually branched, lax or erect Plant not rush-like, even if leaves are linear Stipule sheath scarcely tubular Seeds angular, subglobose or ovoid trigonous

	a	Capsule opening both septicidally and loculicidally Erect perennial herbs or subshrubs Inflorescences many-flowered, corymbose or subglobose heads Seeds ovoid-trigonous	Agathisanthemum
	b	Capsule opening loculicidally, annual or perennial herbs, erect or prostrate, rarely subshrubs Inflorescences various but seldom many-flowered Seeds angular or subglobose	Oldenlandia

	a	Style topped by a pollen presenter which is globose, cylindrical or mitriform and often ridged and 2-several-lobed at the apex when mature Flowers never heterostylous Inflorescences always axillary Fruit with 2-several woody pyrenes	Tribe Vanguerieae (Key 05) (076)
	b	Style lacking a pollen presenter Flowers frequently heterostylous Fruit occasionally with pyrenes (but then inflorescence terminal) or sometimes with 1 many-seeded stone (putamen)

	a	Style ± 0 Stigmas 2 or 1, feathery, long-exserted Flowers wind-pollinated
	b	Style well developed, ending in 2 style arms

	a	Fertile carpel and feathery stigma usually 1 Calyx lobes mostly large and leaf-like	Carpacoce
	b	Fertile carpels and feathery stigmas 2 Calyx lobes mostly smaller than leaves to subobsolete

	a	Inflorescence made up of axillary, sessile flower clusters Fruit supported by a carpophore	Anthospermum
	b	Inflorescence terminal, paniculate to thyrso-paniculate Fruit never supported by a carpophore	Galopina

	a	Corolla blue to purple Ovules pendulous from near apex of locule	Pentanisia
	b	Corolla white to pinkish Ovule erect from the locule base, or attached near the middle of the septum

	a	Corolla tube filiform or narrowly funnel-shaped Calyx lobes unequal, 1 or more enlarged Flowers not heterostylous, both stamens and style exserted Ovary bicarpellate, but often with one carpel reduced in fruit	Otiophora
	b	Corolla tube not markedly narrow Calyx lobes usually equal Flowers frequently heterostylous Ovary 2-5-locular Carpel reduction unusual in fruit

	a	Ovary 3(4)-locular Stigma 3(4)-lobed Fruit with 3(4) cocci	*Richardia
	b	Ovary 2-locular Stigmas 2-lobed or capitate Fruits indehiscent, capsular with 2 valves, with 2 cocci or circumscissile

	a	Succulent creeping plant of the seashore with imbricate leaves Stipules quite broad, sheathing, with very short processes Stems rooting at the nodes Fruits indehiscent Seeds not lobed	Phylohydrax
	b	Plant not a littoral succulentLeaves not imbricate Stipules with longer processes Stems not rooting at the nodes Fruits dividing into cocci, or capsular Seeds lobed

	a	Fruit separating into 2 indehiscent mericarps	*Diodia
	b	Fruit a 2-valved capsule	Spermacoce

Key 02 Perennial herbs, sometimes woody at base, with woody rootstock (pyrophytes or geofructices)
001	a	Style ± 0 Stigmas 2, or sometimes 1, long, feathery Flowers wind-pollinated
	b	Style well developed, ending in 2 style arms or a pollen presenter

	a	Fertile carpel and feathery stigma usually 1 Calyx lobes mostly large and leaf-like	Carpacoce
	b	Fertile carpels and feathery stigmas usually 2 Calyx lobes mostly smaller than leaves to subobsolete

	a	Inflorescence terminal, paniculate to thyrso-paniculate Leaves relatively large, petiolate	Galopina
	b	Inflorescence of axillary, ± sessile flower clusters Leaves often ± ericoid, often without distinct petiole

	a	Distinctly woody, many-stemmed dioecious dwarf shrubs Leaves needle-like, mostly decussate Inflorescence few-flowered, reduced	Nenax
	b	Tall shrubs to perennial herbs, similar to above but not in same combination	Anthospermum

	a	Style divided into 2 lobes
	b	Style topped with a globose, cylindrical or mitriform, often ridged pollen presenter

	a	Corolla blue to purple	Pentanisia
	b	Corolla white to yellow to reddish

	a	Ovules (or seeds) many per locule	Pentas
	b	Ovules (or seeds) 1 per locule

	a	Calyx with 1-3 foliaceous lobes, the others minute Corolla tube narrowly cylindric Stipules fimbriate	Otiophora
	b	Calyx lobes ± similar Corolla tube, if cylindrical, not markedly narrow Stipules ± entire	Psychotria

	a	Ovary 2-locular
	b	Ovary 3-8-locular, a few flowers sometimes with 2-locular ovaries

	a	Leaves glabrous or with sparse bristly hairs on both surfaces	Pygmaeothamnus
	b	Leaves densely villous-tomentose	Eriosemopsis

	a	Leaves mostly in whorls of 3-5 Calyx limb truncate, dentate or 5-9-lobed	Fadogia
	b	Leaves in pairs, rarely in whorls of 3 Calyx lobes 5, linear to lanceolate-triangular

	a	Small subshrubs up to 250 mm high Leaves glabrous or with seta-like hairs on both sides Corolla tube shorter than 15 mm	Pachystigma
	b	Larger subshrubs, usually higher than 300 mm Leaves velvety with silky hairs Corolla tube 15-25 mm long	Ancylanthos

Key 03 Climbing or scandent (herbaceous or woody)
	a	Leaves and stipules similar, in whorls of 4-8 Herbaceous climbers, often adhesive due to prickles or rough hairs
	b	Leaves clearly different from stipules, opposite or in whorls of 3

	a	Leaves petiolate Corolla mostly 5-merous Fruit fleshy, glabrous	Rubia
	b	Leaves ± sessile Corolla mostly 4-merous Fruit dry, glabrous or hairy	Galium

	a	Plant evil-smelling Leaves paired or in whorls of 3, long-petiolate and cordate at the base Fruits flattened, the outer pericarp falling off to expose 2 compressed, winged pyrenes attached by long filiform stalks	Paederia
	b	Plant not evil-smelling Leaves and fruit not as above

	a	Inflorescences axillary Pollen presenter ovoid, narrowly winged	Keetia
	b	Inflorescence terminal, sometimes with additional axillary inflorescences near apex of main stem Pollen presenter narrowly spindle-shaped to ellipsoid

	a	Ovules/seeds many, seeds winged Fruit a capsule Pollen presenter ellipsoid	Hymenodictyon
	b	Ovules/seeds 1 to several, seeds with a hilar cavity, not winged Fruit scarcely fleshy, globose Pollen presenter narrowly spindle-shaped	Tarenna

Key 04 Shrubs or trees
	a	Flowers in globose or capitate heads
	b	Flowers solitary or in lax to compact or spike-like inflorescences

	a	Inflorescence heads perfectly spherical
	b	Inflorescence heads not perfectly spherical

	a	Leaves paired Fruits subsucculent, clustered in spherical heads resembling a small strawberry	Cephalanthus
	b	Leaves usually (3)4-whorled Fruits small capsules clustered in hard heads	Breonadia

	a	Corolla white Style ± twice as long as corolla	Pavetta
	b	Corolla orange to red Style only slightly longer than corolla	Burchellia

	a	Calyx lobes (at least 2) strongly accrescent and brightly coloured in fruit
	b	Calyx lobes less markedly and more equally accrescent and less strikingly coloured

	a	Flowers and accrescent calyx lobes white	Carphalea
	b	Flowers and accrescent calyx lobes bright red	Alberta

	a	Style ± 0 Stigmas 2 or 1, feathery, long-exserted Flowers wind-pollinated
	b	Style well developed, ending in 2 style arms or a pollen presenter

	a	Fertile carpel and feathery stigma usually 1 Calyx lobes mostly large and leaf-like	Carpacoce
	b	Fertile carpels and feathery stigmas usually 2 Calyx lobes mostly smaller than leaves to subobsolete

	a	Distinctly woody, many-stemmed dioecious dwarf shrubs Leaves needle-like, mostly decussate Inflorescence few-flowered, reduced	Nenax
	b	Tall shrubs to perennial herbs, similar to above but not in same combination	Anthospermum

	a	Gynodioecious, evil-smelling shrubs or dwarf shrubs	Gaillonia
	b	Flowers mostly bisexual Plants not evil-smelling

	a	Small tree or shrub growing in the littoral zone just above high tide level, the stems covered with large leaf scars Leaves large, crowded at the ends of the branchlets Calyx limb truncate Corolla white, salver-shaped, velvety outside, the tube ± 25 mm long with 4-9 lobes Ovary 4-9-locular Fruit globose, fibrously woody, up to 35 mm in diameter, containing one multi-seeded stone	Guettarda
	b	Not growing in the littoral zone, or if so then calyx limb, corolla, fruit and habit not as above

	a	Style 0.6-3.0 mm long, ending in 2 arms or lobes 0.3-1.0 mm long Flowers heterostylous Fruit fleshy, subglobose, 5-7 mm long	Psychotria
	b	Style apex mostly thickened or otherwise adapted to secondary pollen presentation Flowers mostly homostylous Combination of characters not as above

	a	Corolla lobes valvate Style topped with a globose, cylindrical or mitriform pollen presenter, often ridged Pollen presenter 2- to several-lobed at apex when mature, hollow with style attached internally or occasionally with style attached at the base Flowers never heterostylous Locules 2-10 Pyrene walls woody or sometimes crustaceous Inflorescences always axillary (with flower(s) in both axils of a node)	Tribe Vanguerieae ( Key 5) (076)
	b	Corolla lobes contorted or imbricate, or if valvate then pollen presenter not as above or flowers heterostylous Locules (1)2, rarely several to many If the fruit is a pyrene then walls scarious to crustaceous Inflorescences terminal, lateral or axillary

	a	Spines present Corolla showy Fruit large
	b	Spines absent Corolla and fruit as above or not

	a	Corolla tube much shorter than the lobes Calyx lobes oblong, ovate or spathulate, persistent and ± accrescent in fruit Leaves very often pubescent	Catunaregam
	b	Corolla tube distinctly longer than the lobes Calyx limb with short triangular teeth, persistent in fruit Leaves always glabrous	Hyperacanthus

	a	Deciduous straggling shrubs Flowers precocious Flowers and fruit sessile, clustered on mature branches with leaves restricted to apical and lateral shoots Bracts/bracteoles chaffy Corolla white, tinged pink Fruit red, 12-20 mm in diameter with large circular calyx scar	Feretia
	b	Combination of characters not as above

	a	Inflorescences axillary with flower(s) in both axils of a node or supra-axillary, pedunculate or sessile, if on brachyblasts (contracted lateral spurs) see contrast below Corolla lobes always contorted
	b	Inflorescences terminal on main and lateral branches (occasionally appearing axillary by extreme reduction of lateral branches in which case bacterial nodules are present in the leaves), or lateral (i.e. alternate, with inflorescence in only one axil at each node) Sometimes with a few axillary inflorescences in addition to the terminal one, or borne on brachyblasts (contracted lateral spurs) Corolla lobes contorted, valvate or sometimes imbricate

	a	Inflorescences pedunculate, distinctly and rather laxly branched Flowers always pedicellate
	b	Inflorescences 1-few-flowered, or congested glomerules, sometimes shortly pedunculate Flowers often pedicellate

	a	Stipules often blackening when dry Corolla tube cylindrical, ± equal to lobes in length Seeds with a small ± circular excavation, or a partly ruminate endosperm	Tarenna
	b	Stipules not tending to blacken when dry Corolla tube and seeds not as above Corolla funnel-shaped to campanulate Endosperm entire	Kraussia

	a	Calyx limb reduced to a rim, usually shorter than the disc, but occasionally truncate and ± equalling the disc Corolla tube ± equal to lobes Anthers and style exserted Fruit 2-seeded Seeds with a well-defined groove on the ventral face (typical coffee-beans) Inflorescence 1-several-flowered	Coffea
	b	Calyx limb mostly at least equalling the disc, truncate, dentate or lobed Fruit 2-many-seeded Seeds lacking a ventral groove

	a	Anthers ± medifixed, the connective not enlarged Thecae ± contiguous and subparallel Bacterial nodules absent	Tricalysia
	b	Anthers basifixed, the connective enlarged so that the thecae diverge Linear bacterial nodules often present along the midrib and petiole	Sericanthe

	a	Corolla tubular below, funnel-shaped to narrowly campanulate above with short erect lobes Anthers included Style long-exserted Capsules oblong or subcylindric, lenticellate Seeds with wing bifid at one end	Hymenodictyon
	b	Corolla not as above Fruit, if capsular, then ± globose and not lenticellate Seeds unwinged, or with a fimbriate wing

	a	Corolla white with dense yellow hairs around narrow throat forming a star-shaped eye, corolla lobes imbricate Style slender with 2 linear arms Stipules almost completely divided into 2 separate lobes	Heinsia
	b	Corolla lacking an eye, corolla lobes contorted Flowers mostly with secondary pollen presentation

	a	Inflorescences strictly lateral Stipules green, moderately conspicuous, triangular or ovate, scarcely sheathing Seeds not held together by pulpy tissue, seed surface with a fingerprint-like pattern of striations
	b	Inflorescences and stipules not as above Seeds 1 or few to numerous, often held together by pulpy tissue Seed surface lacking a fingerprint-like pattern

	a	Shrub or small tree, seldom less than 1 m tall Corolla tube narrowly cylindrical	Oxyanthus
	b	Small shrub, or less often a tree, 0.3-1.8(-5) m tall Corolla tube cylindrical at base and funnel-shaped above	Mitriostigma

	a	Plants with brachyblasts (contracted lateral spurs) or cushion shoots
	b	Plants without brachyblasts or cushion shoots, lateral branches often short but with leaves clearly spaced

	a	Corolla tube usually at least 15 mm long Calyx lobes narrowly triangular to lanceolate	Gardenia
	b	Corolla tube up to 7 mm long Calyx lobes ovate, often spathulate, separated by broad sinuses

	a	Corolla rotate, tube scarcely exceeding the calyx Calyx lobes 4-7(-13) mm long Fruit yellow-green or brown when ripe, 18-33 ± 17-25 mm	Catunaregam
	b	Corolla funnel-shaped, tube longer than the lobes Calyx lobes 0.5-1.5(-2.5) mm long Fruit black, 5-7 mm in diameter	Coddia

	a	Inflorescence usually borne on a very short shoot above a single leaf Corolla tube variously shaped Flowers markedly showy Fruit ± ovoid, 18-85 mm long Ovules numerous Seeds numerous in pulpy tissue Testa present	Rothmannia
	b	Inflorescence essentially terminal, sometimes overtopped by the growing apex, or pseudoaxillary (due to suppression of lateral branches) Corolla tube mostly cylindrical to narrowly funnel-shaped

	a	Flowers 1 or up to 3 on a common peduncle, markedly showy, sometimes overtopped by the stem apex Fruit large Seeds numerous in pulpy tissue
	b	Flowers if showy then more than 3, never overtopped by stem apex Fruit mostly small to moderately large Seeds 1-few, or if numerous then seeds free

	a	Branches and leaves often ternate Stipules sheathing, often truncate but sometimes triangular, with sticky exudate when young Flowers solitary Calyx limb-tube truncate or often with decurrent lobes Corolla lobes contorted to the left Fruit thick-walled	Gardenia
	b	Branches and leaves not ternate Stipules ovate, tightly inrolled at apex and readily falling, lacking a sticky exudate Flowers 1-3 Calyx lobes not decurrent Corolla lobes contorted to the right Fruit fairly thin-walled	Hyperacanthus

	a	Fruit a capsule, ± globose Seeds with a fimbriate wing Corolla distinctly pubescent outside Lobes 4-6 Anthers ± two-thirds exserted	Crossopteryx
	b	Fruit not dehiscent Seeds never winged Corolla pubescent or more often glabrous outside Lobes 4 or 5(6) Anthers usually fully exserted

	a	Calyx lobes subfoliaceous, 8-30 mm long, persistent in fruit Corolla large, tube 20-110 mm long, pubescent outside Fruit large, 8-22 mm in diameter Seeds numerous Stipules conspicuous, either triangular and erect or ± rounded and reflexed	Leptactina
	b	Calyx lobes not nearly as conspicuous as above Corolla generally smaller Seeds 1-several Stipules less conspicuous, never rounded and reflexed

	a	Flowers 5(6)-merous Fruit 1-several-seeded Seeds variously shaped, entire or ruminate Stipules often with central area darkened (dark green when fresh, or black when dry) but difficult to observe in taxa with reduced branches	Tarenna
	b	Flowers 4-merous Fruit 2-seeded Seeds ± hemispherical with an excavation on the ventral face Stipules never with central area darkened Bacterial nodules usually present in the leaf blades, either scattered or arranged along the midrib	Pavetta

Key 05 Tribe Vanguerieae
001	a	Spines present
	b	Spines 0

	a	Ovary 2(-4)-locular Pollen presenter 2(-4)-lobed at apex Calyx truncate or 4- or 5-toothed Corolla broadly cylindrical to campanulate, with or without hairs within	Canthium
	b	Ovary 3-locular Pollen presenter 3-lobed at apex Calyx 4-toothed Corolla campanulate, with deflexed hairs within	Plectroniella

	a	Inflorescence umbellate (sometimes 1-flowered), entirely enclosed in bud by paired connate persistent bracts Style attached to base of pollen presenter Flowers bi- or unisexual Leaves usually with tertiary venation obscure Corolla throat densely congested with hairs	Pyrostria
	b	Inflorescence never enclosed by paired bracts Style attached in recess above the base of the pollen presenter, rarely as above Other characters not so combined

	a	Corolla lobes linear-lanceolate, 20-40 mm long, greatly exceeding tube, erect, tomentose or pubescent outside Fruit 20-40 mm long with calyx remains triangular to linear, pyrenes 2	Vangueriopsis
	b	Corolla lobes not as above Fruit smaller, or if large, then with more than 2 pyrenes or with calyx remains cupular

	a	Climbers and/or scandent shrubs	Keetia
	b	Trees, shrubs (sometimes subscandent), herbs or subshrubby herbs

	a	Subshrubby herbs or single-stemmed shrubs from a woody rootstock
	b	Shrubs or trees (1-)2-20 m high

	a	Ovary (or fruit) 2-locular Pollen presenter 2-lobed at tip
	b	Ovary (or fruit) (2)3-8-locular Pollen presenter 3-8-lobed at the tip

	a	Leaves densely villous-tomentose	Eriosemopsis
	b	Leaves glabrous or with sparse bristly hairs on both surfaces	Pygmaeothamnus

	a	Small subshrubs up to 0.25 m tall Fruit 15-17 mm across Leaves usually paired, glabrous or with seta-like hairs on both sides Calyx lobes linear or linear-lanceolate	Pachystigma
	b	Larger subshrubs, often with virgate stems Fruit not usually more than 10 mm across Other characters not combined as above

	a	Leaves glabrous to pubescent, only occasionally velvety Corolla glabrous or pubescent Calyx lobes 0 to quite well developed, up to 3.5 mm long Leaves almost invariably in whorls of 3-6	Fadogia
	b	Leaves velvety, entirely covered with silky hairs Corolla velvety Calyx lobes triangular or linear Leaves paired or sometimes in 3s	Ancylanthos

	a	Ovary or fruit 2(3)-locular Pollen presenter 2(3)-lobed at the tip
	b	Ovary or fruit (2)3-5-locular Pollen presenter 3-5-lobed at the tip

	a	Style ± as long as the corolla tube, sometimes slightly exceeding it, rarely up to twice as long Pollen presenter ± as wide as long or wider
	b	Style ± twice as long as corolla tube or often longer Pollen presenter distinctly longer than wide

	a	Style ± twice as long as corolla tube or often longer Pollen presenter distinctly longer than wide	Rytigynia
	b	Pollen presenter ± spherical, ± as wide as long, 2(3)-lobed Corolla lobes without an apical appendage	Canthium

	a	Trees, shrubs or lianas Leaves typically subcoriaceous to coriaceous and drying light green or occasionally chartaceous Pyrene cartilaginous to woody with shallow apical crest Endosperm entire	Psydrax
	b	Lianas or scandent bushes with perpendicular lateral branches, often subtended by rotund leaves Leaves chartaceous to subcoriaceous (rarely coriaceous) Pyrene woody with lid-like area surrounding crest Endosperm frequently streaked with resinous areas	Keetia

	a	Calyx lobes 8-16 mm long, ± leafy	Lagynias
	b	Calyx lobes usually shorter, mostly linear or triangular, at most subfoliaceous

	a	Pollen presenter coroniform, mostly broader than long	Rytigynia
	b	Pollen presenter long-fusiform to cylindric, longer than broad

	a	Inflorescence a dichasial cyme with flowers scattered along the arms, usually lax and many-flowered Fruit large and globose, 14-50 mm in diameter (when dry) Pollen presenter cylindrical, furrowed	Vangueria
	b	Inflorescence varying from solitary flowers to fascicles or dichasial cymes, but mostly condensed Fruit often small, not over 30 mm in diameter when dry Pollen presenter broadly cylindrical	Pachystigma