1	"Leaves succulent; bracts leaf-like"	2
1	"Leaves not succulent; bracts not leaflike (either membranous or spine-like)"	3
2	"Prostrate to trailing perennial herbs, young branches pubescent; stamens 5"	"Hemichroa {Hemichroa pentandra}"
2	"Decumbent to erect shrubs, young branches glabrous to papillose; stamens 2"	Surreya
3	"Leaves alternate, spirally arranged"	4
3	"Leaves opposite"	10
4	"Perianth segments (tepals) glabrous"	5
4	"Perianth segments (tepals) hairy for some or all of length on outside or inside surface"	7
5	"Fruit a berry; vine or scrambling perennial shrubs"	Deeringia
5	"Fruit an indehiscent utricle or circumsissile capsule; annual or perennial herbs"	6
6	"Flowers always bisexual; seeds 4 to 12 (more than one); style single, long, > 4 mm long; staminal filaments united for lower half; pseudostaminodes present, minute"	"Celosia {Celosia argentea}"
6	"Flowers always unisexual; Seed one; style absent or very short, < 2 mm long; staminal filaments free; pseudostaminodes absent"	Amaranthus
7	"Tepals 4, inner 2 with thickened midrib, outer 2 membranous; bracteoles falling with fruit"	"Omegandra {Omegandra kanisii}"
7	"Tepals 5, all membranous; bracteoles persistent"	8
8	"Stigmas bifid"	Aerva
8	"Stigmas capitate"	9
9	"Tepal apices uncinate"	"Kelita {Kelita uncinella}"
9	"Tepal apices not uncinate"	Ptilotus
10	"Modified sterile flowers (formed of hooked spines) present, frequently one on each side of a fertile flower"	11
10	"Modified sterile flowers absent; single fertile flower in bract axil only (sometimes inflorescence condensed but every flower in head will have its own bract)"	12
11	"Pseudostaminodes present; leaf shape usually rhombic to obovate; Spines of sterile flowers separate to the base, or meeting in a very short weak stalk"	"Cyathula {Cyathula prostrata}"
11	"Pseudostaminodes absent; leaf shape usually ovate to elliptic; spines of sterile flowers in 3 or more rigidly stalked clusters, stellately divergent from the top of the stalk in fruit"	Pupalia
12	"Perianth segments (tepals) fused into a tube for at least e_ of length"	13
12	"Perianth segments (tepals) fused for less than e_ of length or free to base"	14
13	"Habit erect annual herb; inflorescence terminal elongated spike, sometimes branched, one per leaf axil; tepals become hardened in fruit, developing 2 lateral rows of crests or spines"	Froelichia
13	"Habit prostrate perennial herb; inflorescences an axillary condensed spike, several per leaf axil; tepals not becoming hardened in fruit, nor developing 2 lateral rows of crests or spines"	Guilleminea
14	"Bracteoles spiney, bracts reflexing with age"	15
14	"Bracteoles never spiney, bracts never reflexing"	16
15	"Inflorescence a condensed spike in leaf axis; tepals 4; stamens 2 or 4"	Nyssanthes
15	"Inflorescence an elongated terminal spike; tepals 5; stamens 5"	Achyranthes
16	"Flowers unisexual; anthers bilocular"	"Ptilotus {Ptilotus crispus}"
16	"Flowers bisexual; anthers unilocular"	17
17	"Inflorescences always axillary; stigma capitate"	Alternanthera
17	"Inflorescence terminal or terminal and axillary; stigma bilobed to bifid"	Gomphrena