HOW TO USE THE CHARTS 
Our leaves are simple and not dissected, so we pass to B. Again 
following out to the right we find 
Leaves mostly from root only. 
Leaves alternate. 
Our leaves are all from the root only, so we follow out to the 
right and find 
Flowers composite = Group X, p. 36. 
Flowers not composite ^ Group XI, p. 38. 
Even if we did not already know we had to do with a composite 
flower we should gather it from the footnote, so we have found 
our group. Turning then to page 36 we find three flowers (Colts- 
foot, Fall Dandelion, and Dandelion) described, and on the 
opposite page are the illustrations. A glance at the illustrations 
shows that our flower is the Dandelion. This decision is con- 
firmed by reading the descriptions ; for we find that the Colts- 
foot's blossom has gone when the leaves appear, moreover, that 
the leaves are woolly underneath; we find further that Fall 
Dandelion stem is forking at the top, but that the description 
of Dandelion corresponds perfectly with our specimen. 
This is as difficult a search as we are likely to find among 
flowers of definite color. And a little practice will enable us to 
follow the chart to the group in less time than it has taken to 
read this description of the process. It will greatly facilitate 
this practice for the beginner to ask some friend more versed 
in botanical terms to demonstrate from actual specimens the 
compound leaf, the composite flower, the spike, the raceme, the 
umbel, and the head, also to point out opposite, whorled, and 
alternate leaves. 
Very Important Precaution 
The beginner will be apt, on meeting a plant with leaves 
arranged as in Fig. 27, to mistake it for a case of opposite 
leaves. 
