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NYMPHAEACEAE, the Water Lily Family 



Aquatic plants, with usually large and floating leaves which 

 are round or elliptical and palmately veined. 



la. Floating and emersed leaves centrally peltate 2. 

 Ib. Leaves rounded but not peltate, with a deep sinus 3. 



2a. Leaves round, 3 dm. in diameter or more; flowers very 

 large, pale yellow Lotus, Nelumbo lutea. 



2b. Leaves oval, 5 15 cm. long; flowers small, purple 



Water Shield, Brasenia schreberi. 



3a. Flowers yellow (Pond Lily) 4. 



3b. Flowers white or tinged with pink (Water Lily) 5. 



4a. Leaves more than 1 dm. long Pond Lily, Nymphaea advena. 

 4b. Leaves less than 1 dm. long 



Pond Lily, Nymphaea microphylla. 



5a. Flowers very fragrant; leaves purplish beneath 



Water Lily, Castalia odorata. 

 5b. Flowers not fragrant; leaves green beneath 



Water Lily, Castalia tuberosa. 



RANUNCULACEAE, the Crowfoot Family 



Herbs with alternate (rarely opposite) leaves, acrid watery juice, 

 separate sepals and petals, numerous stamens, and several or many 

 (rarely only 1) simple pistils. Petals present or absent, in the latter 

 case the sepals are usually petal-like in appearance. 



la. Climbing plants with opposite leaves (flowers in late summer) 



(Virgin's Bower) 2. 

 Ib. Aquatic plants with dissected submerged leaves (flowers in late 



spring and summer) (Water Crowfoot) 3. 

 Ic. Terrestrial or mud plants, not agreeing with la or Ib 6. 



2a. Flowers white, 2 3 cm. wide 



Virgin's Bower, Clematis virginiana. 

 2b. Flowers pink-purple, 5 8 cm. wide 



Virgin's Bower, Clematis yerticillaris. 

 3a. Flowers white 4. 

 3b. Flowers yellow 5. 



4a. Leaves rigid, not collapsing when removed from the water 

 Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus circinatus. 

 4b. Leaves soft, collapsing when removed from the water 



Water Crowfoot; Ranunculus aquatilis var. capillaceus. 

 5a. Submerged leaves divided into hair-like segments 



Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus delphinifolius. 

 5b. Submerged leaves palmately divided into linear lobes 



Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus purshii. 



