THE 



FLORA OF JAMAICA. 



CLASS I. DICOTYLEDONEiE. 

 THALAMIFLORyE. 



ORDER I. RANUNCULACEtE. 



Calycine sepals 3-6, hypogynous, deciduous. 

 Petals 5-15, hypogynous, in one or more rows, dis- 

 tinct. Stamens co, hypogynous : anthers adnate, in 

 the true genera turned outwards. Pistils numerous, 

 seated on the disk : ovary 1- or many-seeded : style 

 one to each ovary, short, simple. Carpels 1 -celled, 

 1- x-seeded : seeds albuminous : embryo minute : 

 albumen horny. 



Herbaceous or rarely shrubby plants. Leaves alternate, or 

 opposite, generally divided, with the petiole dilated and form- 

 ing a sheath half clasping the stem. Hairs 0, or simple. — The 

 general properties of this Order are acridity and causticity. 

 Several powerful medicinal principles have been obtained from 

 some of the members : such as Aconitine from the roots of the 

 AcoNiTUM NAPELLUS, and Delphinine or Detphme from the 

 seeds of the Delphinium Stavisagria. 



I. Clematis. Traveller's Joy. 



Involucre 0, or calyciform, under the flower. Sepals 

 4-8, coloured. Petals 0, or shorter than the sepals. 

 Carpels o:, terminated by a long mostly barbato-plu- 

 mose tail. — De Cand, 



