BOTANY OF LA SAL,L,B COUNTY. 39 



be said. But in general the notes we have given will 

 we think enable one to reach a decision with certainty 

 and dispatch. 



If the leaves are compound, flowers of 5 petals with 

 5 stamens and collected into an umbel, we at once refer 

 it to the Umbilliferae. If the sepals are 4, the petals 

 4, the stamens 6, 4, 2 and pistil 1, we may be sure our 

 plant belong-, to the Cruciferae. If the flowers are 

 shaped like those of the pea and the fruit a pod we 

 at once refer it to the Leguminosae. 



The most striking; or obvious features of each order 

 are given immediately after its name and this is fol- 

 lowed by the descriptions of genera and their included 

 species in order. Read the descriptions carefully two 

 or three times if necessary and look at all parts of 

 your plant with care. Suppose we have a plant that 

 we 'find has compound leaves, the flowers have five or 

 more, but less than 20 petals, the calyx the same num- 

 ber of sepals, the stamens are numerous but all dis- 

 tinct, the pistils many and distinct but crowded to- 

 gether and the stigma pointed, we may at once con- 

 clude that it belongs to Order 1, the Ranunculaceae. 



Perhaps the strangfest feature of our flora is the 

 presence of plants which generally are found near the 

 seashore or near brackish water as Hibiscus Mos- 

 cheutos, such an exception to all general rules as to 

 seem utterly unreasonable and a fact that led to some 

 serious mistakes and which the writer must confess 

 he was slow, as have been many others, to recognize. 

 Some years since a distinguished botanist visited Ot- 

 tawa and conversing with a gentleman, who was quite 

 familiar with the flora of the county, when the latter 

 mentioned Hibicus Moscheutos, as being found here, 

 promptly said that must be a mistake. It was a sea- 

 shore or at least a brackish water plant. Later the 



