RANUNCULACE^E. (crowfoot family.) 



Order I. RANUJVCULACEiE. (Crowfoot Family.) 



Herbs or climbing shrubs, with a watery acrid juice. Leaves com- 

 monly divided, their petioles dilated at the base, without stipules. 

 Flowers regular or irregular. Sepals 3-15, distinct, often colored. 

 Petals 5-15, deciduous, often wanting. Stamens hypogynous, indefi- 

 nite. Ovaries distinct, numerous, rarely few or solitary, 1 -celled, 1 - 

 many-ovuled. Fruit dry or baccate. Embryo minute at the base of 

 fleshy or horny albumen. 



Synopsis of the Genera. 



Tribe I. CL.EMATIDE.a3. Sepals valvate in the bud, colored. Petals stamen-like 

 or none. Style elongated, persistent. Fruit an acheuimn. — Chiefly vines. Leaves 

 opposite. 



1. ATRAOENE. Petals small and stamen-like. 



2. CLEMATIS. Petals none. 



Tribe II. ANEMONES. Sepals imbricated in the bud, colored. Petals none. 

 Ovules solitary. Fruit an achenium. — Herbs. Floral leaves often whorled, forming 

 an involucre. 



3. ANEMONE. Involucre leaf -like and distant from the long-peduncled flowers. 



4. HEPATICA. Involucre calyx-like and close to the flower. 



5. THALICTRUM. Flowers paniclcd and without an involucre (except in No. 6). Achenia 



ribbed or inflated. Leaves compound. 

 C. TRAUTVETTEKIA. Flowers corymbed. Involucre none. Achenia 4-angled. Seed erect. 

 Leaves simple, lobed. 



Tribe III. RANUNCULiEJE. Sepals imbricated in the bud, mostly herbaceous. 

 Petals manifest. Ovules solitary. Fruit an achenium. — Herbs. Leaves alt mate. 



7. MYOSUKUS. Sepals spurred at the base. Achenia spiked. Leaves radical, linear. 



8. RANUNCULUS. Sepals spurless. Achenia capitate. Stems leafy. 



Tribe IV. HELLEBORINEJE. Sepals Imbricated in the bud, colored. Petals of 

 various forms, or none. Fruit a 1 - many -seeded follicle. Leaves alternate. 



9. CALTIIA Petals none. Follicle many-seeded. Sepals yellow. Leaves simple. 



li>. [80PYRUM. Petals none. Follicle few-seeded. Sepals white. Leaves compound. 



11. AQULLEGIA. Sepals 6, regular. Petals 6, spur-shaped, hollow. Follicle niany- 



Leaves compound. 



12. DELPHINIUM. Sepals 6, Irregular ; the outer one spurred. Petals 4, small ; two of them 



spurred, the others stalked. Follicle many-seeded. leaves lobed. 

 18. ACONITUM Sepal; r>. irregular; the outer one large, hooded, and enclosing two long- 



Stalked, hooked petals; the other petals stumen-like or wanting. Follicle many-seeded, 

 lobed, 

 11. ZANTHORHTZA. Flowers regular. Sepals and petals 6; the latter 2-lobcd. Follicle 



1-2-see.leil. Shrubby. Leaves compound. 



Dura V. CIMICTFUOEJES. Sepals Imbricated In the bud, colored. Petals small and 

 Hat, or none, fruit a follicle or berry.— Herbs. Leaves alternate. 

 US HYDRASTIS. Petals none. Ovaries numerous, forming a head of l-2-eeeded berries. 

 stems L-flowered. Leaves simple, lobed. 



16. .\<"M\. Petals 1-8, entire. Ovary soUtary, fbrming a many-seeded berry. Flowers In 



short oblong ni ernes. Leaves compound. 



17. cimk in<;\. Petals 8 6 2-oleft. Ovaries 1-8, forming many-socded follicles. Ra- 



cemes elongated. Leaves compound. 



