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.=