RANUNCULACEJE. ^2 TROLLIUS. 



divided leaves and irregular blue, purple or red (never yellow) flowers. Only 

 two or three are natives of this country. 



1. D. EXALTA'TUM. 



Petioles not dilated at base; leaves flat, 3-clefl below the middle; segments 

 cuneiform, 3-cleft at theend, acuminate, the lateral ones often 2-lobed ; racemes 

 straight; spur longer than the calyx. Native of the Middle States, rarely of 

 the Northern. Stem 3 or 4 feet high, straight and erect. Flowers of a brilliant 

 purplish blue. It is deservedly esteemed in the flower garden, and of the easi- 

 est culture. Jl. Aug. Per. American Larkspur. 



2. D. conso'lidum. 



Stem suberect, smooth, with spreading branches; flowers few, loosely ra- 

 cemed : peduncles longer than bracts ; fruit smooth. From Europe. This is 

 the common Larkspur of the gardens. A showy, branching annual of the 

 easiest culture, with varieties of double and semidouble, blue, pink, purple 

 and white flowers. Jn. Jl. Branching Larkspur. 



3. D. grandiflo'rum. 



Leaws palmate, many parted; lobes linear, distant: pedicels longer than 

 bract; petioles shorter than calyx. A superb, perennial species from Siberia. 

 Flowers in spikes of brilliant dark blue with a tinge of purple, double or sin- 

 gle. Its culture requires but little care. Jn. Jl. Great-jloicercd Larkspur. 



D. Ajacis, the Rocket Larkspur, also common in gardens, is probably only 

 a variety of D. consolidum. 



11. COPTIS. 



Calyx 5 or 6 sepaled, deciduous; corolla 5 or 6, small cu« 

 cuUate; follicles 5—8, stipulate, diverging, rostrate, 6 — 6- 

 seeded. 



Gr. KOTTTU), to cut; in allusion to the numerous divisions of the leaves. 

 Small perennial herbs. Sep. obi. concave. Pet. obconic, hollow, yellow at 

 the end. Stam. many, white. Low, perennial herbs. 



C. TRIFO'LIA. 



Leaves ternate ; scape l-flowered. A small stemless plant, well known by 

 its lono-, thread-like roots of golden yellow color. Grows in woods and groves. 

 Leaves radical or nearly so, on long stalks, of 3, sessile leaflets. These are 

 obovate and roundish, crenate and lobed, smooth. Scape 3 inches high, slen- 

 der, bearing a single, white, starlike flower. The .'J or G yellow petals are 

 barely distinguished among the white stamens by their color. The root is 

 tonic, bitter, and used in medicine. May. Goldthread. 



12. TRO'LLIUS. 



Calyx of 5 — 10—15 sepals, deciduous; corolla of 5 — 20 

 small, iinear petals, tubular at base; follicles many, subcjlin- 

 dric, many-seeded. 



Germanic trol or trolen, signifying something round ; in allusion to the form 

 of the flowers. Sep. roundish-ovate, concave. Fil. numerous, liaear, much 

 shorter thzii cal. Ova. sup. many. Sty. shorter than stam. 



