=Lotus, Nelumbo lutea.=

2b. Leaves oval, 5-15 cm. long; flowers small, purple
=Water Shield, Brasenia schreberi.=

3a. Flowers yellow (Pond Lily) --4.

3b. Flowers white or tinged with pink (Water Lily) --5.

4a. Leaves more than 1 dm. long =Pond Lily, Nymphaea advena.=

4b. Leaves less than 1 dm. long =Pond Lily, Nymphaea microphylla.=

5a. Flowers very fragrant; leaves purplish beneath
=Water Lily, Castalia odorata.=

5b. Flowers not fragrant; leaves green beneath
=Water Lily, Castalia tuberosa.=

RANUNCULACEAE, the Crowfoot Family

Herbs with alternate (rarely opposite) leaves, acrid watery juice,
separate sepals and petals, numerous stamens, and several or many
(rarely only 1) simple pistils. Petals present or absent, in the latter
case the sepals are usually petal-like in appearance.

1a. Climbing plants with opposite leaves (flowers in late summer)
(Virgin's Bower) --2.

1b. Aquatic plants with dissected submerged leaves (flowers in late
spring and summer) (Water Crowfoot) --3.

1c. Terrestrial or mud plants, not agreeing with 1a or 1b --6.

2a. Flowers white, 2-3 cm. wide
=Virgin's Bower, Clematis virginiana.=

2b. Flowers pink-purple, 5-8 cm. wide
=Virgin's Bower, Clematis verticillaris.=

3a. Flowers white --4.

3b. Flowers yellow --5.

4a. Leaves rigid, not collapsing when removed from the water
=Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus circinatus.=

4b. Leaves soft, collapsing when removed from the water
=Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus aquatilis var. capillaceus.=

5a. Submerged leaves divided into hair-like segments
=Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus delphinifolius.=

5b. Submerged leaves palmately divided into linear lobes
=Water Crowfoot, Ranunculus purshii.=

6a. Flowers blue, irregular, with one spur (4-8 dm. high, summer)
=Larkspur, Delphinium ajacis.=

6b. The five petals each prolonged into a spur; flowers showy (4-8
dm. tall) (Columbine) --7.

6c. Flowers regular, without spurs --8.

7a. Spurs nearly straight; flowers scarlet and yellow (spring)