DIRECTIONS FOR THE BEGINNER. 
After yoa have carefully examined the plant and at least mentally described every 
part of it, read the first line of the key on the opposite page. If the sepals and petals 
together number 8 or 10—as is usually the case—then the plant belongs to CLASS I., 
which refers us to the prominent heading below, under which we read, ‘‘Calyx and 
corolla both present.” If so, read the next line, which, we will suppose, does not fit our 
plant ; then the petals must be united, and we turn to DIVISION 2, page 9, where we 
are called upon to say whether the ovary is inferior or not. Suppose it is superior. 
Turn, then, to ‘‘ 8, Ovary superior.’”’ But our flower is one-sided, so, instead of 
searching under ‘1. Flowers regular or nearly 80,” we look ahead till our eyes 
catch on page 10, the similar line, ‘‘2. Flowers irregular: style 1; stigma en- 
tire or 2-lobed.” Strangely enough there ts but one style, and there are two flat stig- 
mas. The leaves being opposite we pass the first line and try the next, having the same 
marginal distance, reading, ‘“‘ Leaves opposite or whorled: stamens 2 or 4,” Reading the 
three lines under this head, beginning with the word ‘‘ Ovary,” we easily determine from 
the negative evidence (the ovary not in 4 pieces; the fowers not small, or in spikes) that 
the plant belongs to the order Scrophulariacess, page 93. We are there confronted 
by another key. The leaves of our plant not being alternate, we must look under ‘‘B.” 
Reading the lines marked with asterisks we take the first, for our plant has 4 stamens, 
We then read all the lines under this head and decide that our genus must be No. 10; 
viz., “©10. MIMULUS, Linnzus,” which we find on page 98. Our plant, then, is one 
of the 40 species of Mimulus there named. Fortunate indeed are we if it happens to be 
one of the distinctly marked species like Mimulus glutinosus, the Shrubby Mimulus; or 
Mimulus cardinalis, the Cardinal or Scarlet Mimulus. In any event we work with this 
key as with the others. The chief heads are indicated by stars. Suppose the corolla is 
yellow but the plant not viscid; then it must be sought under the 5-starred head. Here 
we must read all the lines beginning with ‘‘ Leaves.” Having reached a conclusion, we 
look up the species under the number given at the end of the line; say, No. 23, where 
we find a few more words descriptive of Mimulus luteus. We next look in the index for 
‘‘Mimulus” and there find a reference to p. 92 of the Popular Flora, where there is a 
more ample description of the species. Finally we turn to the Glossary of Generic and 
Specific Names, where we learn that mimulus means, ape, or mimic; and luteus means, 
yellow. Perhaps Linnzus, who delighted in fanciful names, saw in the gaping corolla a 
monkey-like grin. Since there are many yellow species now known, the name is not 
significant ; but we may call it the Common Yellow Mimulus, or Monkey Flower, 
