(Not) All in the Family

Question: Serious cereals. Which of these is not in the grass family (Poaceae)?

Answer: The top three cereal grains in the world are all grasses. Quinoa is actually a pseudograin crop and is a member of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae).

Question: Lovely lilies? Which is not in the family Liliaceae?

Answer: Tricky! Despite its name, the calla lily is not a true lily and is a member of the arum family (Araceae). True lilies have flower parts in multiples of three and have obvious male and female parts. The calla lily has a single, specialized petal which wraps around the fused reproductive structures.

Question: Which of these does not belong in the rose family (Rosaceae)?

Answer: One of the main characteristics of the rose family is its flowers with showy petals in multiples of 5. Blueberries, which are in the heath family, have small, fused, bell-shaped flowers.

Question: Which of the following is not a member of the aster family (Asteraceae)?

Answer: The aster family has composite flowers, meaning that each flower head is actually made up of many tiny flowers. Forget-me-nots have simple flowers and are in the borage family (Boraginaceae).

Question: Which of the following is not a mint (family Laminaceae)?

Answer: While all of these plants smell delicious, members of the mint family are characterized by square stems, simple leaves, and two-lipped flowers. Parsley is a member of the carrot family (Apiaceae) and has round stems and compound leaves.

Question: Fabulous Fabaceae. Which of these is not in the pea family?

Answer: Although we call them “coffee beans,” the coffee tree is in a separate family, Rubiaceae. True peas/beans are legumes and form in characteristic pods. Most members of the family have compound leaves.

Question: Which of these is not a part of the family Solanaceae?

Answer: Like other members of the mallow family (Malvavaceae), okra is known for its mucilaginous texture and showy flowers. Solanaceae plants have smaller 5-petaled flowers that resemble stars.

Question: Which of these is not in the cucumber family (Cucurbitaceae)?

Answer: While all of these are large fruits, avocados are in the family Lauraceae and have a single seed. Members of the cucumber family are mostly vines and usually produce fruits, known as pepos, with numerous seeds.