40 RANUNCULACEi53. Hydrastis. 



19. ZANTHORHIZA. Marsh, arb.; Lam. ill. t. 854; DC. sijst. 1. p. 386. 



Sepals 5. Petals 5, of 2 roundish lobes raised on a pedicel. Stamens 5- 

 10. Ovaries 5-10, pointed with the styles, 2-3-ovuled. Follicles small, 

 mostly 1-seeded. Seed suspended. — Suffrutescent : the root and bark yellow 

 and bitter. Leaves pinnately divided. Racemes appearing with the leaves, 

 axillary, compound. Flowers minute, dark purple, ofter, by abortion polyga- 



Z. apiifolia (L'Her.) stirp. nov. p. 79. t. 38 ; MicLr: ! Ji. 1. p. 186 ; Bart. 

 veg. mat. med. 2. t. 46; DC. prodr. 1. p. 65. Xanthorhiza simplicissima, 

 Mamh. I. c. 



Shady banks of rivers, Pennsylvania ! to Georgia '1 and Texas ! March- 

 April. — Root large. Leaves pinnate or bipinnate ; lePi.flets incised. — Yellow- 

 root. 



Tribe V. HYDRASTIDEiE. 



20. HYDRASTIS. Linn.; Jiiss. gen. p. 232; Micha;. f. 1. p. 317 j 

 DC. syst. 1. p. 217. 



Sepals 3, ovate, petaloid, caducous. Petals none. Stamens numerous : 

 anthers innate. Ovaries numerous, 2-ovuled : styles short: stigmas dilated, 

 induplicate. Fruit composed of the baccate 1-2-seeded carpels, crowded in 

 a globose head. — A perennial herb ; the rhizoma and roots yelloAV and bitter. 

 Stem simple, 2-leaved, 1-flowered ; the fohage and fruit resembling a Rubus. 



H. Canadensis (Unn.)—Mich.T. ! fi. I. c. ; Pursh, ft. 2. p. 389; Ell. sk. 

 2. p. 55; DC. prodr. 1. p. 53. Warneria Canadensis, Mill. diet. 



In shady woods, particularly on the sides of mountains, Canada ! to Caro- 

 lina ; west to Ohio ! and Kentucky ! April-May.— Leaves pubescent Avhen 

 young, cordate, palmately 3-5-lobed, the lobes doubly serrate; lower leaf pe- 

 tioled, the upper subsessile. Peduncle an inch long. Calyx pale rose-color. 

 Fruit red. Seeds obovate: testa crustaceous, nearly black, shining, lined 

 with the thin and membranous tegmen. Embryo minute, at the base of the 

 somewhat fleshy and oily albumen. 



Suborder P.EONIE.E. Arn. 



Sepals 5, unequal, fDliaceous, persistent. Petals 5 (6-10 by culture), 

 destitute of claws. Stamens very numerous : anthers adnate, introrse. 

 Ovaries 2-5, the base surrounded by a fleshy annular disk i stigmas 

 sessile, thick, of two lamellae, persistent. Carpels follicular, opening 

 above. Seeds several : albumen fleshy. — Herbaceous (rarely shrubby,) 

 plants. Roots fasciculate, thick. Leaves 2.ternately divided. Flow- 

 ers terminal, solitary, large, purple, rose-color, or white. 



