THE CROWFOOT FAMILY IN OHIO. 



Nellie F. Henderson. 



Ranunculaceae, Crowfoot Family. 



Perennial or annual herbs, or woody climbers, with acrid 

 sap. Leaves usually alternate, sometimes opposite; simple or 

 compound, with clasping or dilated base; stipules none. Flowers 

 hypogynous, actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic, bispor- 

 angiate or occasionally monosporangiate ; perianth of similar 

 segments or differentiated into calyx and corolla; capels usually 

 separate; stamens numerous. Fruit an achene, follicle or 

 berry. 



SYNOPSIS. 



I. Petals or sepals with a nectariferous pit, spur or tube. 



1. Petals broad with a nectariferous pit; sepals not spvirred. 



(I) Ranunculus; (2) Ficaria; (3) Batrichium. 



2. Petals cup-shaped or narrow; sepals not spurred. 



(a) Pods sessile; leaves not trifoliate. 



(4) Trollius; (5) Helleborus; (6) Nigella. 



(b) Pods long stalked; leaves trifoliate. 

 (7) Coptis. 



3. Either petals or sepals spurred, or hooded; actinomorphic or zygomorphic. 



(5) Aquilegia; (9) Aconitum; (10) Delphinium. 



II. Sepals and petals without a nectar pit or spur; sepals usually petal-like. 



1. Styles usually elongated, often very prominent in fruit; fruit an achene. 



(a) Sepals imbricated in the bud. 



(II) Anemone; (12) Hepatica. 



(b) vSepals valvate in the bud; leaves opposite. 

 (13) Clematis; (14) Vioma. 



2. Style short in fruit; fruit a many-seeded follicle, or a berry. 



(a) Flowers usually solitarv, not racemose. 

 (15) Caltha; (16) Hydrastis. 



(b) Flowers racemose. 



(17) Actaea; (18) Cimicifuga. 



3. vStyle short in fruit; fruit an achene or a few-seeded follicle; leaves 

 ternately compound or decompoimd. 



(19) vSyndesmon; (20) Isopynmi; (21) Thalictrum. 



KEY TO THE GENERA. 



L Petals or sepals or both with a nectariferous cup, or spur; flowers 

 frequently yellow. 2. 



1. Petals and sepals, when present, without a nectariferous cup, pit, 



or spur; flowers not yellow, except Caltha. 11. 



2. Flowers actinomorphic. 4. 

 Flowers zygomorphic. 3. 



3. Posterior sepal hooded, not spurred. Aconitum. 

 3. Posterior sepal spurred. Delphinium. 



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