DICOTYLEDONES. 
POLYPETAL.AE. 
On IL ZEANUNCULACIEZL 
Endl. Gen. 843; Lindl. Veg. Kingd. 425. 
Sepala 3-oo (ssepius 6), hypogyna, libera, vulgo petaloidea et decidua, imbricata v. (in 
Clematideis) valvata. Petala sepalis isomera v. oo, hypogyna, libera, nune plana et conspicua, 
nune parva deformia v. 0, imbricata. Stamina 20, sepius numerosa et pluriseriata, hypogyna, 
libera. .AntAere innate, connectivo cum filamento continuo, loculis rimis lateralibus v. 
extrorsum dehiscentibus. Gynccii carpella co v. rarius solitaria, libera v. rarius subconnata, 
unilocularia, stylo simplici intus apice stigmatifero v. stigmate sessili terminata.  Ovula 
anatropa, nunc solitaria adscendentia raphe ventrali, v. pendula raphe dorsali, nunc plurima 
suturie ventrali biseriatim affixa, horizontalia. .Frucfw carpella mutantur in achenia sicca, 
indehiscentia, et monosperma, v. in baecas mono- v. oligo-spermas, v.in capsulas intus v. apice 
follieulatim dehiscentes. Semina exarillata. 7'esta in monospermis tenuiter coriacea, lzvis 
v. rugosa, raphe parum prominente; in polyspermis crustacea v. carnoso-fungosa, lzevis rugosa 
v. subsquamosa, raphe ssepius valde prominente. Embryo in basi albuminis cornei v. rarius 
carnosi minimus. 
Herbs annus, v. caudice radiciformi v. esespitoso v. ope stolonum perennantes, rarius 
suffruticose v. lignoso-scandentes. Folia radicalia v. alterna (in Clematideis opposita), 
integra v. palmatim subpinnatimyve dissecta, petiolo seepe more Umbelliferarum basi amplexi- 
eauli-dilatato v. rarius appendicibus stipuliformibus aucto, Pili, dum adsint, simplices, 
Inflorescentia vulgo terminalis, monantha, racemosa v. panieulata, Flores regulares v. rarius 
(in Delphinieis) irregulares, hermaphroditi v. rarius abortu dioici, 
Species apud auctores descripte ultra 1200, sed in generibus nonnullis miro modo variabiles et a 
botanieis multiplieatz.  Speeies bene distincte adhue cognitze verisimiliter vix ad numerum 540 
attingunt. Ordo per totum fere orbem terrarum dispersus, inter tropicos tamen rarior et ibidem 
vix nisi inter montes occurrit. Genera plurima, presertim TAalictrum, Adonis, Ranunculus, Aqui- 
legia, Delphinium, et Aconitum, quoad specierum diserimen hodie valde confusa sunt et botanicis 
systematieis sedulo commendantur. 
Ranuneulacew a Papaveraceis differunt imprimis gynccio apocarpo, auno aqueo, et floribus raro 
dimeris; a Berberideis herbaceis, staminibus indefinitis et anth um tia; a Dill 
habitu, sepalis sepissime deciduis, et seminibus exarillatis: a Magnoliaceis, habitu, petalis 1- vel vix 
2-seriatis. Nonnulle habitu Umbelliferis, alise Aliszmaceis accedunt, sed structura floris v. seminis 
longe recedunt. 
FORMJB ABNORMES, 
Caulis suffruticosus v. frutescens in XantAorhiza et in Peonia Moutan, lignoso-scandens in plerisque 
Clematideis. 
Folia omnia opposita in Clematideis. Folium florale amplexieaule et dissectum in 4nemone, Eran- 
ihide, paucisque speciebus generum aliorum simulat involucrum e foliis 3 v. pluribus verticillatis 
compositum. Stipellze adsunt in ZAaliciris nonnullis. 
Sepala plus minus persistunt in Ozygraphide et, Helleboro. 
Stamina numero sepala vix excedunt, v. pauciora sunt, in Myosuro, Ranunculis nonnullis parvi- 
floris, Cale speciebus 2, ete. ; sepalis petalisque isomera v. dupla et his alterna in Xanthorhiza et 
in una e Calthis; interiora sterilia squameeformia in Aquilegiz. Antherwe introrsum dehiscunt in 
Clematidibus 2 Indicis. 
Diseus perigynus evolvitur in Püosio: 
VOL. I, 
O7 
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