IV PREFACE 



The figures are all photographs from Nature, and have, 

 therefore, a greater value than line drawings. Such illus- 

 trations serve also to stimulate students to make collections 

 of similar forms from other plants. 



A knowledge of descriptive botany enables one to identify 

 the plants in any locality by means of the key to the flora of 

 that region. It is a regretable fact that few students 

 have any knowledge of descriptive botany; therefore, they 

 remain ignorant of our flora and lack an interest in our 

 common plants. 



Great care was exercised in the selection of the plants for 

 making sections, in the preparation of drawings and in the 

 arrangement of the material of the figures. 



Teachers and students should have little difficulty in 

 collecting similar material for laboratory and home study 

 because the plants used in the figures may be readily 

 identified. 



The author wishes to express his appreciation to Mr. 

 Ralph Young for the greater part of the photographic work 

 and for much other valuable assistance. He is also indebted 

 to Dr. N. L. Britton, Dr. J. H. Barnhart, Dr. M. A. Howe 

 and Mr. Percy Wilson for assistance in various ways, and to 

 Dr. E. H, House for photographs used in Figures 109, 110, 

 111, 112, 113 and 114. 



W. M. 



