MAY APPLE, 85 
cies is at present known which strictly belongs to 
the genus. 
The May apple has a jointed. running root 
about half the size of the finger, by which it 
spreads extensively in rich grounds, where it gets 
introduced. The stem is about a foot in height, and 
invested at its base by the sheaths which covered 
it when in bud. It is smooth, round and erect, 
dividing at top into two round petioles from three 
to six inches long. Each petiole supports a large 
peltate, palmate leaf, smooth above, slightly pu- 
bescent beneath, deeply divided into about seven_ 
lobes, which are wedge shaped, two parted and 
toothed at the extremity. On the inside the leaf is 
cleft almost to the petiole. In barren stems which 
support but one leaf this does not take place, and 
the leaf is very perfectly peltate. In the fork of 
the stem is a solitary flower on a round nodding 
peduncle one or two inches long. Calyx of three 
oval, obtuse, concave leaves, cohering in the bud’ 
by their scarious margins, and breaking off at 
base when the flower expands. Petals from six 
to nine. Linnzeus makes them nine in his gene- 
ric character, but in this climate 1 have found 
them more frequently seven even in luxuriant 
specimens growing in very rich soil. They are 
obovate, obtuse, concave, smooth, white with sli ght 
