Chapter 9

38b. Leaves all basal (1-2 dm. high; leaves 3-divided; flowers white, in early summer) =Gold-thread, Coptis trifolia.=

39a. Flowers numerous, in branching panicles (Meadow Rue) --40.

39b. Flowers numerous, in racemes --43.

39c. Flowers solitary or few, in loose clusters; woodland plants blooming in early spring (1-3 dm. high; flowers white to purple) --45.

40a. Blooming in spring; stem-leaves with obvious petioles (3-7 dm. high; flowers white or greenish) =Meadow Rue, Thalictrum dioicum.=

40b. Blooming in late spring or summer, stem-leaves sessile or nearly so (8-15 dm. high; flowers white) --41.

41a. Filaments club-shape, approximately as wide as the anther =Meadow Rue, Thalictrum polygamum.=

41b. Filaments slender or thread-like --42.

42a. Leaves minutely pubescent beneath, but not glandular =Meadow Rue, Thalictrum dasycarpum.=

42b. Leaves minutely glandular beneath =Meadow Rue, Thalictrum revolutum.=

43a. Racemes slender, 10-90 cm. long (8-15 dm. high; flowers white, in summer) =Bugbane, Cimicifuga racemosa.=

43b. Racemes short and stout, 3-8 cm. long (4-8 dm. high; flowers white, in late spring) (Baneberry) --44.

44a. Berries white; pedicels strongly thickened at maturity =Baneberry, Actaea alba.=

44b. Berries red; pedicels slender =Baneberry, Actaea rubra.=

45a. Flowers white; stem-leaves alternate =Isopyrum, Isopyrum biternatum.=

45b. Flowers white to pink or purplish; stem-leaves whorled =Rue Anemone, Anemonella thalictroides.=

MAGNOLIACEAE, the Magnolia Family

Trees or shrubs, with alternate leaves, and large, frequently showy flowers.

One species in Michigan, with broad 4-lobed leaves and greenish-yellow flowers in late spring =Tulip Tree, Liriodendron tulipifera.=

ANONACEAE, the Custard Apple Family

Trees or shrubs, with alternate simple entire leaves, 3 sepals, and 6 petals.

One species in Michigan; tall shrub or small tree, with obovate leaves and large dull-purple flowers in spring =Papaw, Asimina triloba.=

MENISPERMACEAE, the Moonseed Family

Woody climbers, with alternate leaves, 6-8 petals, and numerous stamens.

One species in Michigan, with 5-7-angled leaves which are peltate near the edge, and small white flowers in early summer =Moonseed, Menispermum canadense.=

BERBERIDACEAE, the Barberry Family

Shrubs or herbs; petals 6 or more; stamens 6-18, frequently opening by two terminal lids; pistil 1.

1a. Leaves simple --2.

1b. Leaves compound --3.

2a. Stem shrubby (flowers yellow, in racemes, in spring) =Barberry, Berberis vulgaris.=

2b. Stem herbaceous, with a single pair of palmately lobed leaves (4-6 dm. tall; flower white, solitary, terminal, in spring) =May Apple, Podophyllum peltatum.=

3a. Leaves all basal; leaflets 2 (2-4 dm. high; the flower-stalks bearing solitary white flowers in spring) =Twin-leaf, Jeffersonia diphylla.=

3b. The stem-leaf ternately compound, with numerous leaflets (4-8 dm. high; with yellowish-green clustered flowers in spring) =Blue Cohosh, Caulophyllum thalictroides.=

LAURACEAE, the Laurel Family

Trees or shrubs, with aromatic taste or odor, and alternate simple leaves; flowers small, imperfect, the anthers opening by lids.

1a. Freely branched shrub; leaves obovate-oblong, entire (flowers yellow, in early spring, before the leaves) =Spice Bush, Benzoin aestivale.=

1b. Tree or tall shrub; some or all of the leaves 2-3-lobed (flowers greenish-yellow, appearing with the leaves) =Sassafras, Sassafras variifolium.=

PAPAVERACEAE, the Poppy Family

Herbs with milky or colored juice, regular flowers, 2 sepals, 4, 6, or 8 petals, numerous stamens, and a 1-celled ovary.

1a. Leaves palmately lobed; flower 2.5-5 cm. wide, with 8 petals or more (leaf basal; flower white, in early spring) =Bloodroot, Sanguinaria canadensis.=

1b. Leaves pinnately toothed or lobed; flower 7-10 cm. wide, with 4-6 petals (4-8 cm. high; leaves clasping; summer) =Poppy, Papaver somniferum.=

1c. Leaves divided pinnately to the mid-rib into several toothed or lobed segments; flower 2.5 cm. broad or less (3-5 cm. high; flowers yellow) --2.

2a. Flowers in clusters of 2-4, about 3 cm. wide (spring) =Celandine Poppy, Stylophorum diphyllum.=

2b. Flowers in umbels of 3-8, about 1.5 cm. wide =Celandine, Chelidonium majus.=

FUMARIACEAE, the Fumitory Family

Herbs with watery juice, compound or dissected leaves, and irregular flowers; sepals 2, small; petals 4, in two pairs, and one or both of the outer pair spurred at the base; stamens 6.

1a. Both outer petals spurred or sack-like at the base --2.

1b. One outer petal spurred or sack-like at the base --4.

2a. A climbing vine with flowers in panicles (white or pinkish flowers in summer) =Climbing Fumitory, Adlumia fungosa.=

2b. Low herbs (2-4 cm.) with basal leaves and white or pinkish flowers in racemes (early spring) --3.

3a. Spurs of the corolla triangular, divergent =Dutchman's Breeches, Dicentra cucullaria.=

3b. Spurs of the corolla short and rounded =Squirrel Corn, Dicentra canadensis.=

4a. Flowers about 5 mm. long, pink-purple tipped with red (3-8 dm. high; summer) =Fumitory, Fumaria officinalis.=

4b. Flowers 10 mm. long or more, yellow, at least at the tip (2-6 dm. high) (Corydalis) --5.

5a. Flowers yellow throughout (spring) =Corydalis, Corydalis aurea.=

5b. Flowers pink, tipped with yellow (summer). =Corydalis, Corydalis sempervirens.=

CRUCIFERAE, the Mustard Family

Herbs, with alternate, frequently lobed or dissected leaves, and regular flowers, usually in racemes; sepals and petals each 4, stamens 6, 4 long and 2 short (or rarely 2 only), ovary 1.

1a. Petals yellow or yellowish --2.

1b. Petals white, pink, or purple, never yellow --29.

2a. Leaves simple, entire or dentate, never lobed --3.

2b. Leaves deeply lobed or compound (the bracteal leaves, at or near the flower-clusters, may be simple and unlobed) --10.

3a. Leaves clasping the stem --4.

3b. Leaves not clasping at base --6.

4a. Clasping base and apex of leaf obtuse or rounded; pod very long and slender (3-8 dm. high; summer) =Hare's Ear, Conringia orientalis.=

4b. Clasping base and apex of leaf acute; pod obovoid (3-7 dm. high; early summer) (False Flax) --5.

5a. Stem and leaves glabrous =False Flax, Camelina sativa.=

5b. Leaves and usually the stem pubescent =False Flax, Camelina microcarpa.=

6a. Flowers about 2 mm. wide (1-3 dm. high; flowers in summer) --7.

6b. Flowers 5 mm. wide or more (2-6 dm. high; flowers in summer) --8.

7a. Leaves about twice as long as broad, widest near or below the middle =Whitlow Grass, Draba nemorosa.=

7b. Leaves 3-5 times as long as broad, widest above the middle =Yellow Alyssum, Alyssum alyssoides.=

8a. Leaves lanceolate, gradually tapering to the base; flowers about 15 mm. wide =Sand Rocket, Diplotaxis muralis.=

8b. Leaves ovate, acute at base; flowers about 15 mm. wide --22a.

8c. Leaves entire or minutely toothed; flowers 5-10 mm. wide --9.

9a. Pods 25 mm. long or less, on slender pedicels about 8 mm. long =Worm-seed Mustard, Erysimum cheiranthoides.=

9b. Pods 20 mm. long or more, on stout pedicels about 4 mm. long =Worm-seed Mustard, Erysimum parviflorum.=

10a. Leaves bipinnate or dissected into very numerous divisions (3-8 dm. high; flowers in summer) --11.

10b. Leaves simply pinnate --13.

11a. Flowers about 5 mm. broad; pods about 20 mm. long by 1 mm. broad =Herb Sophia, Sisymbrium sophia.=

11b. Flowers about 3 mm. broad; pods about 8 mm. long by 2 mm. wide (Tansy Mustard) --12.

12a. Stems gray with a close fine pubescence =Tansy Mustard, Sisymbrium canescens.=

12b. Stems green =Tansy Mustard, Sisymbrium canescens var. brachycarpon.=

13a. Pod short, not more than 3 times as long as wide (coarse plants, preferring wet or sandy ground; flowers in summer) (Yellow Cress) --14.

13b. Pod elongated, more than 4 times as long as wide --17.

14a. Stems creeping, with erect or ascending branches; flowers about 8 mm. wide =Yellow Cress, Radicula sylvestris.=

14b. Stems erect or ascending (3-10 dm. high); flowers about 4 mm. wide --15.

15a. Pods about twice as long as the pedicels =Yellow Cress, Radicula obtusa.=

15b. Pods about as long as the pedicels, or shorter than them --16.

16a. Plant glabrous or minutely pubescent =Yellow Cress, Radicula palustris.=

16b. Plant hirsute =Yellow Cress, Radicula palustris var. hispida.=

17a. Petals 7 mm. long or more; pod terminating in a conspicuous beak (coarse, weedy plants, 3-12 dm. high, blooming in summer) --18.

17b. Petals of smaller size; pod not terminating in a conspicuous beak --24.

18a. Upper stem-leaves clasping at the base =Rutabaga, Brassica campestris.=

18b. Upper stem-leaves not clasping --19.

19a. Pod tipped with a slender cylindrical beak whose base is much narrower than the pod --20.

19b. Pod gradually narrowed at its tip into a stout, flattened or angled beak --22.

20a. Leaves oblanceolate, rather regularly pinnatifid, the terminal segment about the same size as the lateral ones =Sand Rocket, Diplotaxis muralis.=

20b. Leaves broad, irregularly pinnatifid especially below the middle, with a large terminal segment --21.

21a. Beak of pod 3-4 mm. long =Black Mustard, Brassica nigra.=

21b. Beak of pod 5 mm. long or more =Indian Mustard, Brassica juncea.=

22a. Leaves dentate or lobed =Charlock, Brassica arvensis.=

22b. Leaves deeply pinnatifid --23.

23a. Pod dehiscent when ripe by two valves, tipped with a flat or angled beak =White Mustard, Brassica alba.=

23b. Pod indehiscent, with spongy cross-partitions between the seeds, tipped with a conical beak =Wild Radish, Raphanus raphanistrum.=

24a. Terminal segment of the principal leaves much larger than the lateral segments; flowers in spring and summer --25.

24b. Terminal segment of the principal leaves equaling or smaller than the lateral ones (5-10 dm. high; pods very long and slender; flowers in summer) =Sisymbrium, Sisymbrium altissimum.=

25a. Flowers about 3 mm. wide; pods erect and closely appressed to the stem (3-9 dm. high; weed blooming in summer) (Hedge Mustard) --26.

25b. Flowers about 7 mm. wide; pods spreading or ascending (3-6 dm. high; flowers in spring) (Winter Cress) --27.

26a. Pods pubescent =Hedge Mustard, Sisymbrium officinale.=

26b. Pods glabrous =Hedge Mustard, Sisymbrium officinale var. leiocarpum.=

27a. Lateral leaf-segments 5-8 pairs on the principal leaves =Winter Cress, Barbarea verna.=

27b. Lateral leaf-segments 1-4 pairs on the principal leaves --28.

28a. Flowers bright yellow, in racemes; pods spreading or ascending =Winter Cress, Barbarea vulgaris.=

28b. Flowers pale yellow, in corymb-like clusters; pods erect and somewhat appressed =Winter Cress, Barbarea stricta.=

29a. Principal stem-leaves compound or deeply lobed (the uppermost or bracteal leaves may be simple) --30.

29b. Principal stem-leaves entire, dentate, serrate, or sometimes shallowly lobed or none (the basal leaves, at the surface of the ground, may be deeply lobed or compound) --42.

30a. Leaves ternately divided or compound (2-5 dm. high; flowers in spring) (Toothwort) --31.

30b. Leaves pinnately divided or compound --33.

31a. Leaf-segments lanceolate or narrowly oblong =Toothwort, Dentaria laciniata.=

31b. Leaf-segments ovate or ovate-oblong --32.

32a. Stem-leaves 2, opposite or nearly opposite =Toothwort, Dentaria diphylla.=

32b. Stem-leaves 2-5, alternate =Toothwort, Dentaria maxima.=

33a. Plants growing in water, or in mud near water (spring and summer) --34.

33b. Plants of dry or moist soil --35.

34a. Aerial leaves distinctly compound, with 3-11 leaflets =Water Cress, Radicula nasturtium-aquaticum.=

34b. Aerial leaves merely serrate to pinnatifid; the submerged leaves, if present, dissected =Lake Cress, Radicula aquatica.=

35a. Flowers 5 mm. broad, or less --36.

35b. Flowers 6 mm. broad, or more --39.

36a. Stem-leaves irregularly pinnatifid or lobed; pod about as broad as long (2-4 dm. high; flowers in summer) =Garden Cress, Lepidium sativum.=

36b. Stem-leaves distinctly pinnatifid, with 3-6 pairs of lateral segments (spring) (Bitter Cress) --37.

37a. Leaves chiefly basal, pubescent on the upper side (1-3 dm. tall) =Bitter Cress, Cardamine hirsuta.=

37b. Stem-leaves conspicuous, glabrous on the upper side --38.

38a. Plant of dry soil; flowers about 3 mm. wide (1-4 dm. high) =Bitter Cress, Cardamine parviflora.=

38b. Plant of moist or wet soil; flowers about 5 mm. wide (2-8 dm. high) =Bitter Cress, Cardamine pennsylvanica.=

39a. Leaves irregularly pinnatifid or lobed, not segmented into definitely paired divisions (coarse plants 4-8 dm. high; flowers in summer) --40.

39b. Leaves deeply segmented into 3-10 pairs of divisions --41.

40a. Flowers pink or white from the first =Radish, Raphanus sativus.=

40b. Flowers yellow at first, turning white with age =Wild Radish, Raphanus raphanistrum.=

41a. Flowers pink or white, appearing in spring (2-5 dm. high) =Cuckoo Flower, Cardamine pratensis.=

41b. Flowers yellowish or cream-color; a weed blooming in summer (5-10 dm. high) =Sisymbrium, Sisymbrium altissimum.=

42a. A fleshy, much-branched plant of the shores of the Great Lakes, with a pod transversely divided into two joints (2-3 dm. high; summer) =Sea Rocket, Cakile edentula.=

42b. Pod not transversely divided into two joints --43.

43a. Pod short, its length not more than 3 times its diameter --44.

43b. Pod long and slender, its length more than 3 times its diameter --55.

44a. Pods not conspicuously flattened, thick and plump, about circular in cross-section (flowers in summer) --45.

44b. Pods distinctly flat --46.

45a. A plant escaped from cultivation in dry or moist soil, with very large basal leaves (5-10 dm. high) =Horse Radish, Radicula armoracia.=

45b. A plant of water or very wet soil, the largest leaves seldom more than 15 cm. long (1-5 dm. tall) =Lake Cress, Radicula aquatica.=

46a. Stem-leaves clasping the stem by an auricled base --47.

46b. Stem-leaves sessile or petioled, not clasping, or none --49.

47a. Stem and leaves glabrous or pubescent; pod very flat and circular, about 10 mm. wide (1-5 dm. tall; early summer) =Penny Cress, Thlaspi arvense.=

47b. Stem and leaves glabrous or pubescent; pod not more than 5 mm. wide (1-6 dm. high; spring and early summer) --48.

48a. Pods broadly ovate =Field Cress, Lepidium campestre.=

48b. Pods triangular, or slightly indented at the apex =Shepherd's Purse, Capsella bursa-pastoris.=

49a. Pods about circular, or a very little longer than broad --50.

49b. Pods ovoid or oblong, broadest near the middle, and distinctly longer than wide (Whitlow Grass) --53.

50a. Leaves entire (1-3 dm. high; flowers in summer) =Yellow Alyssum, Alyssum alyssoides.=

50b. Leaves serrate (2-6 dm. high; flowers in summer) --51.

51a. Stamens 6 =Garden Cress, Lepidium sativum.=

51b. Stamens 2 (Pepper Grass) --52.

52a. Petals present =Pepper Grass, Lepidium virginicum.=

52b. Petals none =Pepper Grass, Lepidium apetalum.=

53a. Petals deeply 2-cleft (about 1 dm. high; early spring) =Whitlow Grass, Draba verna.=

53b. Petals entire or barely notched at the tip --54.

54a. Leaves all or chiefly at or near the base (about 1 dm. high; spring) =Whitlow Grass, Draba caroliniana.=

54b. Stems leafy up to the flowers (1-5 dm. high; summer) =Whitlow Grass, Draba arabisans.=

55a. Stem-leaves cordate or sagittate at the base and sessile, forming a more or less clasping leaf (3-10 dm. high) (Rock Cress) --56.

55b. Stem-leaves sessile or somewhat petioled, but not clasping --63.

56a. Seeds in 2 rows in each cavity of the pod (early summer) --57.

56b. Seeds in 1 row in each cavity of the pod --59.

57a. Calyx pubescent; the pods reflexed =Rock Cress, Arabis holboellii.=

57b. Calyx glabrous; the pods spreading or ascending --58.

58a. Basal leaves densely pubescent =Rock Cress, Arabis brachycarpa.=

58b. Basal leaves smooth or nearly so =Rock Cress, Arabis drummondii.=

59a. Petals conspicuous, about twice as long as the calyx, or longer; straight, erect, mostly unbranched plants --60.

59b. Petals inconspicuous, equaling or but little longer than the calyx --61.

60a. Pods 3-4 cm. long, ascending (summer) =Rock Cress, Arabis patens.=

60b. Pods 8-10 cm. long, recurved (late spring) =Rock Cress, Arabis laevigata.=

61a. Pods widely spreading; stem usually sparingly branched near the base (spring) =Rock Cress, Arabis dentata.=

61b. Pods erect or appressed; stem usually unbranched (summer) --62.

62a. Stem-leaves and stem smooth and glaucous =Rock Cress, Arabis glabra.=

62b. Stem-leaves and stem almost always pubescent, and never glaucous =Rock Cress, Arabis hirsuta.=

63a. Principal stem-leaves 7-10 cm. long, or more --64.

63b. Principal stem-leaves 2-5 cm. long --65.

64a. Leaves lanceolate or oblong; flowers 10 mm. wide or less (3-7 dm. high; summer) =Rock Cress, Arabis canadensis.=

64b. Leaves ovate or ovate-lanceolate; flowers 15-20 mm. wide (5-8 dm. high; late spring and summer) =Dame's Rocket, Hesperis matronalis.=

65a. Basal leaves ovate to orbicular or cordate, not more than twice as long as broad (1-3 dm. high; spring) (Bitter Cress) --66.

65b. Basal leaves oblong, lanceolate, or oblanceolate, at least 3 times as long as broad (1-3 dm. high) --67.

66a. Flowers purple or rose color =Bitter Cress, Cardamine douglassii.=

66b. Flowers white =Bitter Cress, Cardamine bulbosa.=

67a. Basal leaves pinnatifid (spring and summer) =Rock Cress, Arabis lyrata.=

67b. Basal leaves entire or toothed --68.

68a. Leaves narrowly oblanceolate; rare plant occurring from Mackinac northward (summer) =Rock Cress, Braya humilis.=

68b. Leaves obovate or oblong; an introduced weed (spring) =Mouse-ear Cress, Sisymbrium thalianum.=

CAPPARIDACEAE, the Caper Family

Herbs, with alternate compound leaves, 4 petals, and 6 or more stamens, which are about equal in length; fruit a 1-celled pod.

One species in Michigan, stamens about 11; leaflets 3 (2-4 dm. high; flowers yellowish, in summer) =Clammy-weed, Polanisia graveolens.=

RESEDACEAE, the Mignonette Family

Herbs, with alternate leaves and terminal racemes of small yellowish flowers; sepals 6, petals 6, stamens numerous.

One species in Michigan, with divided leaves and irregularly cleft petals, blooming in summer =Yellow Mignonette, Reseda lutea.=

SARRACENIACEAE, the Pitcher Plant Family

Insectivorous plants, with hollow, pitcher-shaped leaves, and large purple flowers at the ends of naked stems.

One species in Michigan, growing in bogs and blooming in late spring =Pitcher Plant, Sarracenia purpurea.=

DROSERACEAE, the Sundew Family

Insectivorous herbs, with a rosette of basal leaves bearing gland-tipped bristles on their upper surface, and with slender racemes of small white flowers in summer; inhabitants of bogs and swamps (2 dm. high, or less).

1a. Leaf-blade about as long as wide =Sundew, Drosera rotundifolia.=

1b. Leaf-blade about 2-3 times as long as wide =Sundew, Drosera longifolia.=

1c. Leaf-blade about 5-8 times as long as wide =Sundew, Drosera anglica.=

1d. Leaf-blade narrowly linear, about 10 times as long as wide =Sundew, Drosera linearis.=

PODOSTEMACEAE, the River Weed Family

Small submerged aquatics, growing attached to stones in running water, with dissected leaves and minute flowers.

One species in Michigan =River Weed, Podostemum ceratophyllum.=

CRASSULACEAE, the Orpine Family

Herbs, with usually alternate leaves; the sepals, petals, and pistils each 4 or 5, or in one species the petals none, and the stamens as many or twice as many as the sepals.

1a. Leaves entire (Stonecrop) --2.

1b. Leaves toothed --3.

2a. Leaves 3-5 mm. long, very thick and fleshy (tufted plants about 1 dm. high, with yellow flowers in summer) =Stonecrop, Sedum acre.=

2b. Leaves 10-30 mm. long, flat (tufted plants 1-2 dm. high; flowers white, in spring) =Stonecrop, Sedum ternatum.=

3a. Petals present, purple (2-5 dm. high; summer) =Live-for-ever, Sedum purpureum.=

3b. Petals none (3-6 dm. high; summer) =Ditch Stonecrop, Penthorum sedoides.=

SAXIFRAGACEAE, the Saxifrage Family

Herbs or shrubs, with alternate or opposite leaves; petals and sepals each 5, or the petals none; stamens 5 or 10; styles or stigmas 2-4.

1a. Shrubs with lobed leaves (3-15 dm. high; flowers in late spring) --2.

1b. Herbs --12.

2a. Stems thorny --3.

2b. Stems not thorny (Currant) --8.