8a. Flowers violet or blue (rarely white-flowered plants are found with the typical blue-flowered ones) (Blue Violets) --9.

8b. Flowers white, the 3 lower petals marked with purple (White Violets) --14.

9a. Lateral petals bearded --10.

9b. Lateral petals beardless =Great-spurred Violet, Viola selkirkii.=

10a. Foliage glabrous --11.

10b. Petioles and lower surface of leaves p.u.b.escent --13.

11a. Beard of the lateral petals with a k.n.o.b at the tip of each hair =Blue Violet, Viola cucullata.=

11b. Beard of the lateral petals not k.n.o.bbed --12.

12a. Spurred petal hairy =Wood Violet, Viola affinis.=

12b. Spurred petal glabrous =Blue Violet, Viola papilionacea.=

13a. Spurred petal villous =Blue Violet, Viola septentrionalis.=

13b. Spurred petal glabrous, or with a few scattered hairs =Common Blue Violet, Viola sororia.=

14a. Leaf-blade obviously p.u.b.escent --15.

14b. Leaf-blade glabrous or very nearly so --16.

15a. Lateral petals bearded =Sweet White Violet, Viola incognita.=

15b. Lateral petals not bearded =White Violet, Viola renifolia.=

16a. Leaf-blades strictly glabrous =Sweet White Violet; Viola pallens.=

16b. Leaf-blades with some minute white hairs on the upper surface near the base =Sweet White Violet, Viola blanda.=

17a. Stipules large and leaf-like, deeply pinnatifid and nearly or quite as long as the petioles --18.

17b. Stipules small, inconspicuous, entire or toothed, and much shorter than the petiole --19.

18a. Leaves serrate; flowers 1.5-2.5 cm. wide (1-3 dm. high; flowers of various colors) =Pansy, Viola tricolor.=

18b. Upper leaves entire or nearly so; flowers about 1 cm. wide (1-2 dm. high; flowers bluish-white) =Wild Pansy, Viola rafinesquii.=

19a. Petals yellow (1-4 dm. high) (Yellow Violet) --20.

19b. Petals violet, blue, or white --21.

20a. Foliage villous-p.u.b.escent =Yellow Violet, Viola p.u.b.escens.=

20b. Foliage nearly or quite glabrous =Yellow Violet, Viola scabriuscula.=

21a. Stipules entire (2-4 dm. high) =Canada Violet, Viola canadensis.=

21b. Stipules toothed --22.

22a. Lateral petals not bearded (1-2 dm. high) =Long-spurred Violet, Viola rostrata.=

22b. Lateral petals bearded --23.

23a. Flowers white or nearly white (1-3 dm. high) =Pale Violet, Viola striata.=

23b. Flowers blue (about 1 dm. high) --24.

24a. Leaves smooth =Dog Violet, Viola conspersa.=

24b. Leaves p.u.b.escent =Sand Violet, Viola arenaria.=

CACTACEAE, the Cactus Family

Fleshy, jointed leafless plants, armed with numerous thorns; flowers large (5-10 cm. wide), yellow, with about 10 petals and numerous stamens.

One species in Michigan, on the sh.o.r.es of Lake Michigan; flowers in summer =p.r.i.c.kly Pear, Opuntia rafinesquii.=

THYMELAEACEAE, the Mezereum Family

Shrubs, with simple alternate entire leaves, and small yellowish flowers in cl.u.s.ters, opening before the leaves; petals none, the sepals somewhat petal-like.

One species in Michigan, 5-15 dm. tall, with very tough bark =Leatherwood, Dirca pal.u.s.tris.=

ELAEAGNACEAE, the Oleaster Family

Shrubs, with opposite, silvery-p.u.b.escent, simple, entire leaves, and small cl.u.s.ters of inconspicuous yellow flowers in spring.

One species in Michigan, 1-2 m. high =Buffalo Berry, Shepherdia canadensis.=