POLYCARPICS. 



381 



FIG. 376. Aquilegia vulgarls. 



A. Follicles (Figs. 375, 379), with many ovules, situated in 



two rows along the ventral suture. Actaa has berries, Niijella has 

 capsules of several loculi. 



1. P^ONIE^E, PEONY GROUP. This has regular, acyclic flowers 

 with a normal, most frequently 5-leavecl, imbricate calyx ; large, 

 coloured petals, and 



introrse anthers. 



Slightly perigynous. 



Surrounding the 



base of the carpels 



a ring-like swelling 



of the receptacle 



("disc") is present, 



which is largest in 



P. m out an. The 



follicles are more 



or less fleshy or 



leathery. Mostly 



herbs, with pinnati- 



sect or decompound 



leaves and large, 



solitary flowers ; a gradual transition may be traced from the 



foliage-leaves to the petals. Pfeonia ; Hydraslis. 



2. HELLEBORES, HELLEBORE GROUP. This has regular flowers with 

 most frequently a coloured 



calyx. The petals (honey- 

 leaves) are modified into 

 nectaries ; they may be horn- 

 like, provided with a spur, or 

 of a similarly unusual form, 

 or they may be entirely ab- 

 sent. Anthers often extrorse. 

 Trollius (Giobe-flower 1 ). 

 The flower is acyclic : many 



1 According to Prantl, some 

 species of Trollius (T. enropams, 

 and asiatiacus) have a perianth, 

 differentiated into calyx and cor- 

 olla, which does not pass over into 

 the honey-leaves. The outer leaves 

 of the perianth have frequently an 

 incised apex, the intermediate ones FIG. 377 -CaK Tin palustns (nat. size). 



