Vol. III.] GENERAL KEY TO THE ORDERS AND FAMILIES. ix 



t t Flowers in the axils of dry cliafTy scales (glumes), arranged in spikes or spikelets. 



Order 3. Graminales (Glumifloiac). 



Fruit a caryopsis (grain); stems (culms) mostly hollow in our species. Fam. 7. Gratnincac. 1:94. 



Fruit an achene; stems (culms) solid. Fam. S. Cj'perafcai'. i; 234. 



(Order 4. Prixcipes, including only the family Pahnacirai', Palms and Order 5, SVNANTHA3, 



including only the family Cyclantliaccaf, are not represented in our territory.) 



7f ^ Inflorescence a fleshy spadix, with or without a spathe ; or plants minute, floating free, the flowers 

 few or solitary on the margin or back of the thallus. 



Order 6. Arale.s (Spalliijlorac). 

 Large herbs, with normal foliage and well-developed spadix. Fam. 9. Araceae. 1:360. 



Minute floating thalloid plants. Fam. 10. Lcmiiaceae. 1:365. 



2. Carpels united into a compound ovary ; parts of the usually complete flowers mostly in 3's or 6's. 



^ Seeds with endosperm, 

 t Flowers regular, or nearly so (corolla irregular in Commeliiia). 



% Endosperm mealy; ovary superior. Order 7. 'S.\s.iD.\i.\-,s (Farinosae). 

 a. Ovary i-celled. 

 Aquatic moss-like leafy herbs; flowers solitary. Fam. 11. ^fuyacaa'ae. 1:367. 



Erect rush-like herbs; flowers in terminal scaly heads or spikes. Fam. 12. Xyridaccac. 1:368. 



Mud or aquatic herbs, the flowers subtended by spathes {Ilclcranthcra in Pontederiaceae i: 379). 



b. Ovary 2-3-celled (except in some Pontederiaceae). 

 Flowers ver^- small, densely capitate, monoecious or dioecious. Fam. 13. Eriocaulaceae. 1:371. 

 Flowers perfect. 



Epiphytes; leaves scurfy. Fam. 14. Brovtcliaceae. i: 374. 



Terrestrial or aqu.atic herbs; leaves not scurfy. 



Perianth of 2 series of parts, the outer (sepals) green, the inner (pet.ils) colored. 



Fam. 15. CoDiniiiiiiacfai'. 1:374. 

 Perianth 6-parted. Fam. 16. Ponlidi'iiaccac. 1:379. 



% % Endosperm fleshy or homy; ovary superior or inferior. Order 8. L1LIALE.S. 



a. Ovary superior (except in A Id 1 is, in the Liliaceae, and some species of Zygadonis in the 



Melanthaceae). 

 Perianth-segments distinct, green or brown, not petal-like; herbs with grass-like leaves and small 

 flowers. ¥&-m. ly. Juncaccae. 1:381. 



Perianth-segments distinct, or partly united, at least the inner petal like. 



Fruit a capsule (except in Yucca baccala, where it is large, fleshy and indehiscent). 



Capsule mostly septicidal; plants rarely bulbous. Fam. 18. Melanthaceae. 1:399. 



Capsule loculicidal (septicidal in Caloc/wrliis); plants mostly bulbous. 



Fam. ig. Liliaceae. 1:410. 

 Fruit a fleshy berry. 



Erect herbs: tendrils none; flowers perfect. Fam. 20, Convallariaceae. 1:427. 



Vines, climbing by tendrils, or rarely erect; flowers dioecious, in axillary umbels. 



Fam. 31. Sniilaceac. i: 438. 

 b. Ovary inferior, wholly or in part. 

 Stamens 3, opposite the inner corolla-segments. Fam. 22. Haeinodoraceac. 1:442. 



Stamens 5 in our species. 



Erect perennial herbs; flowers perfect. Fam. 23. Amaiyllidaccae. 1:443. 



Twining vines; flowers dioecious. Fam. 24. Dioscoreaceae. 1:446. 



Stamens 3, opposite the outer corolla-segments. Fam. 35. Iridaceae. 1:447. 



t t Flowers very irregular; ovar^' inferior. Order 9, Scitaminales. 

 One family represented in our territory. Fam. 26. Maraniaceae. 1:454. 



•iv vr Seeds without endosperm, very numerous and minute ; ovary inferior. 



Order 10. Orchidales {Microipermac). 

 Flowers regular; stem-leaves reduced to scales. Fam. 37. Biirmaiiniaccae. i: 455. 



Flowers very irregular. Fam. 28. Orclitdaceae. 1:456. 



Subclas.S 2. DiCOTYLEDONES. I: 482. 



Embryo norm.\i,ly with 2 cotyledo.vs; stems differentiated into pith, wood and bark; 



leaves mostly net-veined. 



Series 1. Choripetalae. 1: 4S2 to 2; 547. 



Petals distinct to tlie hasc, or -.fanling (exceptions noted Vol. 1: 482). 

 A. Petals none, except in Porlnlacaceae and in most Caryophyllaceae, which are herbs with leaves 

 nearly .always opposite, the seeds with endosperm, and in the pistill.ite flowers of the walnuts 

 (Ju>;lans). 



I. Calj-x none (except in the Juglandaceae, which are trees with odd pinnate leaves). 

 Marsh herbs with perfect flowers in nodding spikes. Order i. Piperales. 



One family only. I'"am. i. .Sauriiraceae. 1:482. 



Trees or shrubs; staminate flowers, and sometimes also the pistillate, in aments. 



Leaves odd-pinnate; fruit a nut enclosed in a hu-k. Order 2 Juolandales. 



One family only. Fam. 2. Juglandaceae. i: 483. 



Leaves simple. 



Fruit I -seeded. Order 3. Mvricales. 



Ovule erect, orthotropons, Fam. 3. Myrtcaceae. i: 487. 



Ovule laterally attached, ascending, amphitropous. Fam. 4. Leitueriaceae. 1:489. 



Fruit many-seeded; seeds with a tuft of hairs at one end. Order 4. Salicales. 



One family only. Fam. 5. Salicaceae. 1:490. 



