KEY TO SPRING FLOWERS 5 
Corolla present. 
Corolla of distinct petals. 
Stems fieshy, spiny, leaves soon disappearing. CACTALES. 
Stems and leaves normal. 
Ovules two to many in each cell of the ovary. 
Sepals two, ovary one-celled; fruit a pyxis. Portulaca. 
Sepals and petals five each. 
Herbs; fruit a capsule. Loasacex. 
Trees or shrubs; fruit a berry or a fleshy pome. 
ROSALES. 
Sepals and petals four each; fruit a capsule, rarely 
nut-like. MYRTALES. 
Ovules solitary in the cells of the ovary. UMBELLALES. 
Corolla of united petals, gamopetalous. 
Stamens united to each other by the anthers. 
CAMPANULALES. 
Stamens not united by the anthers. 
Leaves all opposite or verticillate. RUBIALES. 
Leaves basal, alternate, or the lower sometimes opposite. 
CAMPANULALES. 
KEY TO THE FAMILIES OF SPRING-BLOOMING HERBS 
Petals absent or reduced to scales or bristles, never petaloid or con- 
spicuous. 
Plants grass-like, with narrow parallel-veined leaves. 
Stems usually 3-angled (sometimes round), solid; the scales 
which enclose the flowers arranged spirally; 2-ranked in 
Cyperus, which has 3-angled stems. CYPERACEZ. 
Stems rounded, usually hollow; scales which enclose the flowers 
2-ranked. POACE. 
Plants not grass-like, leaves net-veined. 
Trees. See general key. 
Herbs, sometimes slightly woody below. 
Calyx present, often petaloid, sometimes minute. 
Ovary superior. 
Stamens usually 10 or more; pistils several to many, not 
united. RANUNCULACEZ€. 
Stamens less than 10, often of the same number as the 
sepals. 
Sepals 5 or 6, often petaloid; stamens 5-9;- fruit often 
3-angled; stipules usually sheathing the stem. 
POLYGONACE-. 
Sepals 2-5 or none, never petaloid; stamens 4-5 or 
fewer; fruit never 3-angled. 
Sepals green or greenish, soft; flowers mostly bract- 
less. CHENOPODIACE. 
Sepals dry, rigid; flowers mostly bracted. 
AMARANTHACE:. 
Ovary inferior or permanently surrounded by the base of 
the calyx. 
Leaves alternate; flowers in terminal clusters. 
SANTALACEZ. 
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