East of the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington
Barberry Family: 6 petals and 6 sepals. The leaves are alternate, and simple to compound. The leaves do not have parallel veins.
Birthwort Family: The maroon or greenish flowers have 3 long, thin sepals that snake out from the cup-like flower. This one has no petals. The flower is typically on the ground, hidden by the large, evergreen, heart-shaped leaves. The leaves do not have parallel veins.
Buckwheat Family: Flowers are often small, frequently without petals, and the infloresence often divided into 6 or 12 parts. Buckwheats are either herbs or shrubs. The leaves are pinnately veined (no parallel veins!).
Iris Family: Flowers either with sepals and petals similarly sized and shaped in a flat circle of 6 (the genus Sisyrinchium) or with each of the 3 narrow petals directly above one of the 3 wide sepals as in our domestic Iris. The leaves are narrow to wide, sword-like, and arising from one another. Leaves with parallel veins.
Lily Family: Sepals and petals similarly colored and shaped, and in multiples of 3's. Stamens 3 or 6. Leaves grass-like, onion-like, or broader in width. Leaves with parallel veins.
Orchid Family: Orchid flowers are irregularly shaped, with petals of different sizes and shapes. The 2 side petals are similar, but the lower lip petal is usually larger. The sepals are similar in shape and size. Leaves with parallel veins.