1-2 
Its genera are various, but easily distinguishable by the acrid juice prevailing to a 
greater or lesser extent in all species, and by the disconnection of the parts of its 
flowers. The tribes vary greatly in regard to the sefa/s; in some they are want- 
ing, and replaced by petal-like organs; in others, very fugacious; while in one 
only, in this country, are they present in the mature flower. The stamens are 
numerous, furnished with short anthers, The fruit varies from a dry pod to a 
fleshy berry; the ovu/es are anatropous, so distinguished by the dorsal rhaphe 
when suspended; the seeds have a minute embryo, invested with fleshy albumen. 
The leaves are usually palmately, and generally ternately, divided, and are desti- 
tute of stipules. This family of plants, many of which are poisonous, contains, 
beside those treated of in this work, the following species of special interest to 
us: Clematis erecta, Helleborus niger, Delphinium Staphisagria, Aconitum napel- 
lus, cammarum, ferox, and lycoctonum, and Paonta officinalis. 
History and Habitat.—The American pasque flower is found in abundance 
upon the prairies from Wisconsin northward, and westward to the Rocky Moun- 
tains, flowering from March to April. Lieberg says* that in Eastern Dakota this 
plant attains a luxuriance of growth never met with farther east, and that it wholly 
disappears west of the Missouri. Its habit of being in flower about Easter- 
t.de gave it the principal distinguishing name, “ Pasque flower;” its peculiar effect 
upon the nose and eyes when crushed between the fingers gave it another, but 
local, appellation, “ Hartshorn plant ;”+ and the silky-hariness of the involucre and 
newly-appearing leaves caused the children in localities to term it “ Goslin weed.” 
The U. S. Ph. allows the use of this species under the drug Pulsatilla, with or 
in place of Herba Pulsatille nigricants. 
PART USED AND PREPARATION.—The whole, fresh, flowering plant is 
chopped and pounded to a pulp and weighed. Then two parts by weight of 
alcohol are taken, the pulp mixed thoroughly with one-sixth part of it, and the 
rest of the alcohol added. After thorough mixture the whole is allowed to stand 
eight days in a well-stoppered bottle. The tincture thus prepared, after straining 
and filtering, should have a light seal-brown color by —— eee an acrid 
astringent ume and a decidedly acid reaction. 
| CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS.—I am unable to (aid any ae upon this spe- 
cies. It is said to have been found similar to its European relative, Anemone 
: ——— which, together with Anemone nemorosa and pratensis ae contains 
ee Adiaabate, C,,H,,0,.— This say rors’ in lortees klinorhombic prisms, 4 herd 
an aqueous distillate af the herb when the volatile oil i is present. When dry it has 
a sharp and burning taste and neutral reaction. It softens at 1 so" (302 O° F), 
and soon decomposes; it dissolves in hot water and alcohe, Beery also in cold. 
Anemonic Acid, C,,H,,O,—This diner abies white: pater separates from 
the aqueous distillate fogs ies with the above and under he. same circumstances. 
* Bot. Gaz., 1884, p. 104, 
