8 KEY TO THE FAMILIES 



Stamens 3-6. 



Ovary and fruit superior. 



Stamens dissimilar, or only 3 with fertile anthers; endosperm 

 mealy. 

 Calyx and corolla of free, very different members; stamens 



free. 16. Commelin.\ce.\e 49 



Calyx and coroUa of quite similar members and partly imited; 

 stamens partly adnate to the perianth 



17. PONTEDERI.\CE.'VE 49 



Stamens alike and fertile; endosperm fleshy, horny, or cartilagin- 

 ous. 

 Styles present, distinct or united: stigmas terminal. 



Styles distinct; capsule septicidal. 18. j\Iel.vnth.\ce.\e 50 



Styles united, often very short or obsolete during anthesis. 

 Petals and sepals very unlike; capsules septicidal. 



24. C.\LOCHORT.\CE.\E 56^ 



Petals and sepals nearly alike; capsules loculicidal. 



Sepals and petals chaffy. 19. Junc.\e.\e 50 



Sepals and petals not ciiaffy. 



Herbs with bulbs, corms or rootstocks. 



Plants with bulbs, or corms, or short erect 

 rootstocks. 

 Flowers in umbels, at first included in and 

 later subtended by a scarious invo- 

 lucre. 20. Alli.\ce.\e 52 

 Flowers solitary or racemose, or in Leuco- 

 crinum by shortening of the stem 

 the inflorescence umbel-like, without 

 involucre. 21. Liliace.\E. 54 

 Plants with elongate horizontal rootstocks. 



22. C0NV.\LL.\RI.\CE.\E 55 



Shrubby plants with woody caudices, or trees. 



23. Dr.\c.\enace.\e 50 

 Styles wantmg. 



Flowers perfect; plants not climbing. 



Leaves and bracts alternate; plants with bulbs; fruit 



a capsule. 24. C.\LOCHORT.\rE.'VE 56 



Leaves or leaf-like bracts whorled; plants with rootstock; 



fruit a berry. 25. Trilliaceae 56 



Flowers dioecious; plants climbing or trailmg. 



26. S.MILACACEAE 56 



Ovary and fruit wholly or partly inferior . 



Flowers regular; androeciuni not reduced; stamens 3 or more. 

 Aquatic plants, dioecious or polygamous. 



II. Elodiaceae 21 



Land-plants with perfect flowers. 



Stamens 6; leaves not equitant. 27. Am.iryllidaceae 56 



Stamens 3; leaves equitant. 28. Iridaceae 57 



Flowers irregular, perfect; terrestrial or epipliytic plants; stamens 



1 or 2. 29. Orchid.\ceae 57 



Subclass 2. DICOTYLEDONES. 

 A. Corolla wanting. 



I. Calyx wanting, at least in the staminate flowers. 



Herbs. 



Land plants; styles distinct, cleft or foliaceous; ovaries 3-celled. 



74. EUPHORBIACE.'KE 150 



Aquatic plants; styles simple, united into pairs; ovaries 4-celled. 



75. C.^LLITRICHACEAE 152 



Trees or shrubs. 



Fruit 1-seeded; seeds without tufts of hairs. 



Fruit a nut or an acliene. 33. Corylaceae 65 



Fruit a drupe or a samara. 101. Ole.\ce.'VE 179 



Fruit many-seeded; seeds each with a tuft of hairs. 



30. Salicaceae go 



II. Calyx present at least in the staminate or in the perfect flowers. 



1, Flowers, at least the staminate, in aments or ament-like spikes. 



Plant not parasitic; fruit a nut or an achene. 



Staminate and pistillate flowers both in aments; fruit not with a bur 

 or cup. 

 Staminate flowers 2 or 3 together in the axils of the bracts, each 

 with a calyx; pistillate flowers without a calyx. 



32. Betulaceae 64 

 Staminate flowers solitary in the axils of each bract, without a 



calyx; pistillate flowers with a calyx. 



33. Corylaceae 65 

 Staminate flowers in aments; pistillate ones often solitary. 



Fruit a nut, at least partly enclosed in a cup or bur. 



31. F.\G.'VCE.\E 63 

 Fruit drupaceoiis, not enclosed in a cup or bur. 



{Garrya in) 95. Cornaceae. 173 



