146 1. RANUNCULACEiE. Act;ea. 



blue. It is deservedly esteemed in the flower-garden, and is of the easiest cul- 

 ture. Jl. Aug.f 



3. D. TRicoRNE. Michx. Tlirec-fruited Larkspur. 



Petioles slightly dilated at base ; Ivs. 5-parted, divisions 3— 5-cleft, lobes 

 linear, acutish ; pet. shorter than the sepals, lower ones 2-cleft, densely bearded 

 inside'; spur ascending, straight, as long as the calyx ; carpels 3, spreading in 

 fruit.— Uplands, Penn. to Mo. and Ark. Plant 6—18' high, nearly smooth. 

 Leaves roundish in outline, on long petioles. Flowers 6—8, light blue, m a 

 rather loose panicle. 



4. D. AZUREUM. Michx. Azure Larkspur. 



Pubescent or nearly smooth ; st. erect ; Ivs. 3— 5-parted, many-cleft, with 

 linear lobes ; petioles some dilated at base ; rac. .strict ; pet. shorter than sepals, 

 lower one densely bearded, 2-cleft ; spur ascending.— Native in Wis. and Ark. 

 A very variable species, cultivated in gardens. Stem 2 — 4 f. high. Flowers 

 azure-colored.f 



5. D. GRANDiFLORUM. Large Blue Larkspur. — Lrcs. palmate, many-parted, 

 lobes linear, distant ; pedicels longer than bract ; pet. shorter than calyx.— A 

 superb perennial species, from Siberia. Flowers double or single, in racemes, 

 of brilliant dark blue, with a tinge of purple.f 



6. D. ELATUM. Bee Larkspur. — Lvs. downy, 5-lobed, lobes cuneate at base, 

 trifid, cut-dentate; spur inflexed.— Native of Siberia. Stem 5 or 6f high. 

 Flowers blue, and when viewed at a little distance, resembling the bee inlbrm.f 



Observation.— li. few other species may perhaps be found in gardens. All are showy plants, of the 

 easiest culture. 



13. ACONITUM. 



Gr. aKoviTog, without dust; because the plants grow on dry rocks. 



Sepals 5, irregular, colored, upper one vaulted ; petals 5, the 3 

 lower minute, the 2 upper on long claws, concealed beneath the upper 

 sepal, recurved and nectariferous at the apex ; styles 3 — 5 ; follicles 

 3 — 5. — %Lvs. digitate or palmate. Fls. in terminal spikes. 



I. A. UNCiNATUM. American Wolf 's- Bane. 



St. flexuose ; pa?iicle rather loose, v/ith divergent branches ; lvs. palmate, 

 3_5-parted, with rhomboidal-lanceolate, cut-dentate divisions ; galea (upper 

 sepal) exactly conical, rostrate; 5;>?/r inclined, somewhat spiral ; ora. villous. — 

 A cultivated, poisonous plant, also native N. Y. to Ga. Stem 2f high. 

 Leaves coriaceous, dark green, 4r—D' wide. Flowers large, purple, 3 or 4 near 

 the summit of each branch. Jl. Aug. 



2. A. Napellus. (A. delphinifolia. DC.) Monk's-Hood. — 5^. straight, erect ; 

 lvs. deeply 5-cleft, cut into linear segments, furrowed above ; upper sep. arched 

 at the back, l-ateral ones hairy inside ; ova. smooth. — A poisonous plant, culti- 

 vated among flowers. It is a tall, rank perennial, making quite a consequen- 

 tial appearance. Stem 4f high, with a long spicate inflorescence at its termi- 

 nation. Flowers dark blue, surmounted by the vaulted upper sepal, as if 

 hooded in a monk's cowl. Aug.— There are varieties with flowers white, rose- 

 colored, &c. 



14. ACTiEA. 



Gr. CKTr), the elder; which plant these herbs resemble in foliage. 



Calyx inferior, of 4 roundish, deciduous sepals ; corolla of 4 — 8 

 spatulate, unguiculate petals; filaments about 30, dilated above; 

 anthers 2-lobed, introrse ; stigmas sessile ; ovary ovoid ; berry glo- 

 bose, with a lateral furrow, 1 -celled ; seeds many, smooth, com- 

 pressed. — % icitk ternately divided lvs. Fls. white. 



1. A. RUBRA. Bigelow. (A. Americana. Ph.') Red Bane-bemj. 



Lvs. twice and thrice ternate ; 7-ac. hemispherical ; pet. acute ; pedicels of the 

 fruit slender; berries red, ovoid-oblong. — Not uncommon in rocky woods, Penn. 

 to Lab. W. to Rocky Mts. Stem U — 2f high, dividing into 2 branches, one 

 of which usually bears leaves only, the other leaves and a cluster of flowers. 



