SYSTEMATIC BOTANY. 



3 



three sepals and three j)etals (i. e., a perianth of six leaves or lobes), three 

 or six stamens and three or six pistils (generally united to form a compound 

 pistil with a three or six-celled ovary) the plant is an endogen. When 

 the leaves are netted-veined, and the parts of the flower are not all in 

 threes, the plant is an exogen. 



It is a good plan to write out a description of a plant before 

 attempting to ascertain its name. The parts may be described in this 

 order: Boots, Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruit. 



You may find a smooth plant bearing a loose raceme of red flowers, 

 one of which is represented in Fig. 57. The 

 floral leaves are all colored, but there are 

 evidently two sets; viz. : a calyx of 5 sepals 

 inclosing a corolla of 4 petals. The parts of 

 the flower, then, are not in threes; and, since 

 the palmately lobed leaves are netted-veined 

 the plant must be an exogen. Turning to \\^ 



the key, we proceed as follows: 



The plant must belong in "Division 1," since by carefully removing the sepals 

 and petals we find that the latter are separate from each other. It must be found under 

 "A," for there are many stamens. The stamens are free from the calyx and corolla, i. e., 

 they are hypogynous; so we read the next line: " Pistils, few to many distinct carpels, 

 rarely one." Our flower has three distinct carpels, therefore we feel sure that it must 

 be sought under one of the next five equal lines beginning with "Calyx." As the 

 calyx is easily shaken off from the older flowers we decide that it is deciduous. The 

 juice is colorless also. We turn, therefore, to Raxunculace^, p. 16. The description 

 of the order is satisfactory. The key to the genera begins with the heading " * Floweis 

 regular." Ours is not, for the upper sepal is unlike the others. '^ ** Flowers irregular ; 

 colored sepals conspicuous," is right. We now choose between "Upper sepal spurred,' 



and ' ' Upper sepal hooded. " Evidently the first 

 is right, and the genus is Ddphiuium. We find 

 that the generic description on p. 18 fits our 

 plant. The last species being the only one with 

 red flowers, we decide that our plant is Del- 

 phinium nudicaule, or the Naked-stemmed Lark- 

 spur. 



The order Leguminosse, or the 

 Pea Family, is one that you will soon 



