34 KEYS TO THE GENERA 



plants. It will be well to read these latter, as much time 

 can be saved if your plant is so unusual as to belong to 

 one of these small sections. Key 9 is most useful if your 

 plant has all of its leaves very small. 



Pronunciation. — The vowel of an accented syllable if 

 marked by a grave accent ( is long, and if marked by an 

 acute accent ( '} is short. 



GENERAL OPENING KEY 



All the starred portions of this key should he read and the one taken 

 whose description best suits the plant in question. The first three starred 

 portions are intended to include all the plants, if worked with in the sum- 

 mer. The fourth is for winter use. The fifth includes the small number 

 of shrubs which are thorny or prickly. The sixth to the last inclusive 

 are only for those with special arrangement of leaves. (In all the special 

 keys there are often several sections based on different conditions of the 

 plants.) 



* Leaves opposite or whorled on the stem. (This does not include 



plants with clusters of leaves on one side of the stem, but those 

 with 2 or more leaves regularly arranged around the stem at the 

 joints.) (A.) 



A. Leaves simple, having but one blade to the leaf. (B.) 



B. Leaves with entire edges, neither notched nor lobed . . . Key 1. 



B. Leaves with notched but not distinctly lobed edges Key 2. 



B. Leaves with lobed edges ; the lobes either notched or entire 



Key 3. 



A. Leaves compound, shown by their having 2 to many blades 

 Key 4. 



* Leaves alternate, with one leaf at a joint of the stem. (C) 

 C. Leaves simple, having but one blade to the leaf. (D.) 



D. Leaves with entire edges, neither notched nor lobed . . . Key 5. 



D. Li'aves with notched but not distinctly lobed edges Key 6. 



D. Leaves with lobed edges ; the lobes either notched or entire 



Key7. 



C. Leaves compound, shown by their having 2 to many blades 

 , Key 8. 



* Leaves very small, less than an inch long. (Of course these might 



be found under the above *s, but it is convenient to have in a 

 single key the few plants with very small leaves ; the blades of a 

 compound leaf must not be considered leaves.) Key 9. 



