3b. Flower-stalk without bracts, except at the base of the pedicels =Bladderwort, Utricularia purpurea.=
4a. Stem and numerous dissected leaves floating in water =Bladderwort, Utricularia vulgaris var. americana.=
4b. Stem and minute leaves creeping on the bottom of ponds or in mud, while the flowers are borne on erect stalks, easily detached from the delicate stems --5.
5a. Upper lip of corolla conspicuous, as long or nearly as long as the lower lip; lower lip with a prominent raised palate --6.
5b. Upper lip of corolla half as long as the lower lip, or less --7.
6a. Spur of corolla very short and blunt =Bladderwort, Utricularia gibba.=
6b. Spur of corolla very long and slender =Bladderwort, Utricularia cornuta.=
7a. Spur of corolla very short and blunt, or almost none =Bladderwort, Utricularia minor.=
7b. Spur of corolla long and slender =Bladderwort, Utricularia intermedia.=
OROBANCHACEAE, the Broom-rape Family
Parasitic plants without green color and with scales in place of leaves; corolla 2-lipped, of united petals; stamens 4, attached to the corolla.
1a. Flowers in a widely branching panicle, numerous; growing under beech trees (1-5 dm. high; flowers white and purple, late summer) =Beech Drops, Epif.a.gus virginiana.=
1b. Flowers sessile in a dense bracted spike (1-2 dm. high; flowers pale-yellow, early summer) =Squaw-root, Conopholis americana.=
1c. Flowers 1-15, each on a long erect naked peduncle (1-2 dm. high; flowers yellowish or pale-violet, spring and summer) (Cancer-root) --2.
2a. Stem erect and scaly, 5-10 cm. high =Cancer-root, Orobanche fasciculata.=
2b. Stem very short, almost below the surface of the ground, with long erect peduncles =Cancer-root, Orobanche uniflora.=
ACANTHACEAE, the Acanthus Family
Herbs with opposite simple leaves; corolla of united petals, 2-lipped or almost regular; stamens 2 or 4, attached to the corolla; ovary 2-celled.
1a. Corolla about 10 mm. long; flowers in dense heads (4-10 dm. high; flowers blue or white, summer) =Water Willow, Dianthera americana.=
1b. Corolla about 30 mm. long; flowers axillary (3-8 dm. high; flowers blue, in summer) (Ruellia) --2.
2a. Foliage glabrous or slightly p.u.b.escent =Ruellia, Ruellia strepens.=
2b. Foliage densely hirsute =Ruellia, Ruellia ciliosa.=
PHRYMACEAE, the Lopseed Family
Herb with opposite leaves and irregular flowers in long slender spikes; petals united, corolla 2-lipped; stamens 4, attached to the corolla; ovary 1-celled.
One species only, 5-10 dm. high; flowers purple, in summer =Lopseed, Phryma leptostachya.=
PLANTAGINACEAE, the Plantain Family
Herbs with basal leaves and small white flowers in spikes; sepals 4; petals 4, united; stamens 4; ovary 2-celled.
1a. Leaves linear (1-4 dm. high; summer) --2.
1b. Leaves broader, lanceolate to broadly ovate or cordate (summer) --3.
2a. Spikes mixed with bracts several times longer than the flowers =Buckhorn, Plantago aristata.=
2b. Bracts about as long as the flowers =Plantain, Plantago purshii.=
3a. Leaves cordate, pinnately veined; plant of wet ground and marshes (4-8 dm. tall) =Plantain, Plantago cordata.=
3b. Leaves with 3 to many longitudinal ribs or veins --4.
4a. Leaves densely p.u.b.escent with grayish hairs --5.
4b. Leaves smooth or slightly p.u.b.escent --6.
5a. Flower-stalks 3-6 dm. high =Plantain, Plantago media.=
5b. Flower-stalks less than 3 dm. high =Plantain, Plantago virginica.=
6a. Flower-stalks 3-6 dm. high; spikes not over 10 cm. long =English Plantain, Plantago lanceolata.=
6b. Scapes 1-4 dm. high; spikes long and slender, usually equaling or longer than the peduncle; dooryard plantains --7.
7a. Leaves green at the base =Plantain, Plantago major.=
7b. Leaves reddish at the base =Plantain, Plantago rugelii.=