Produced by Betsie Bush, Dave Morgan, Joseph R. Hauser and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net THE PLANTS OF MICHIGAN SIMPLE KEYS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF THE NATIVE SEED PLANTS OF THE STATE By HENRY ALLAN GLEASON, Ph. D. Associate Professor of Botany and Director of the Botanical Gardens and Arboretum in the University of Michigan 1918 COPYRIGHT, 1918 GEORGE WAHR PUBLISHED BY GEORGE WAHR ANN ARBOR PRINTED BY THE ANN ARBOR PRESS PREFACE This book is not intended for the expert botanist. He should consult one of the regular Manuals which give full descriptions of each species of plant. Neither is it intended for the merely curious. Only those who have sufficient interest in a plant to observe it can find its name by this book. Furthermore, it is not a textbook. It does not attempt to convey botanical information, but offers merely an opportunity to learn the names of plants. Its mission is fully accomplished if, through its use, students, vacationists, and plant-lovers in general are able to recognize by name the plants about them. HOW TO USE THE BOOK One recognizes a plant by the presence of structural features peculiar to itself, and not found on any other kind of plant. In such a book as this, these characters are given one or a few at a time, and contrasted with the characters which other sorts of plants possess. Such a presentation is called a Key, and by its proper use the name may be learned of any plant considered in it. This process is called Identification. Keys are constructed in several different ways, although the principle of all is the same. In this book, the user will begin with lines 1a and 1b on the page headed Key to the Groups. Each of these lines includes some descriptive matter, but only one of them can apply to the plant being identified. For example, if the plant to be identified is an Oak, line 1a will apply perfectly, and the same line will also apply to any other kind of tree or to any shrub. But if the plant is a Violet, a Buttercup, or any other herb, line 1b agrees and line 1a will not apply. At the end of each line is a reference to be consulted next. If the plant is a tree or shrub, one turns accordingly to Group 1, on page ix, and begins again at the first number given. If the plant is an herb, he follows the reference to line 2, just below, and again compares the plants with lines 2a and 2b.