80 ELEMENTS OF BOTANY 



VIIi; SYNDESMON. 



Small, perennial herbs ; leaves decomponnd^ glabrous, those 

 from the root long-petioled, those of the stem sessile ; flowers 

 in a terminal umbel, slender pediceled ; sepals petaloid ; 

 petals none ; pistils 4-15, stigmas sessile, truncate. 



S. THALicTROiDES (L.) Hoffm. RuE Anemone. Stem slender, 

 G-10 in. high, from a cluster of tuberous roots ; radical leaves long- 

 petioled, biteruate, leaflets ov^al, cordate, 3-5-lobed ; stem leaves 

 2-3-ternate, whorled, the long-stalked leaflets veiny, forming an 

 involucre of 6-9 apparently simple leaves ; flowers 3-6 in an umbel, 

 i-| in. wide; sepals 6-10, white. March-May. In rich woods. 



IX. CLEMATIS. 



Perennial herbs or slightly woody vines, usually climbing 

 by the leaf stalks ; leaves opposite, simple or compound ; 

 sepals 4, petal-like ; petals very small or wanting ; pistils 

 numerous, tipped by the persistent styles which often become 

 long and plumose in fruit. 



1. C. CRisPA L. Marsh Clematis. Stem climbing, a little 

 woody below, slightly pubescent above, 3-5 ft. high ; leaves pinnately 

 compound ; leaflets 5-7, varying from lanceolate to ovate, thin, 

 entire or 3-5 lobed ; flowers show^y, perfect, solitary, on long, axil- 

 lary peduncles ; sepals lanceolate, acuminate, thick, wavy on the 

 margins, twice the length of the stamens, light bluish purple, 1-1| 

 in. in length ; tails of the ripened achenia 1 in. long, silky. March- 

 September. Rich woods and river banks. 



2. C. ViRGiNiANA L. YiRGix's BowER. Stem somewhat 

 woody, climbing over shrubs and trees ; leaves ternately compound ; 

 leaflets ovate, acute, lobed, cordate at the base, 2-3 in. long, smooth ; 

 flowers numerous, in axillary, panicled clusters, dioecious or polyg- 

 amous ; sepals obovate, hoary, spreading, white ; tails of the achenia 

 plumose, showy, 1 in. or more in length. June- July. River banks 

 and meadows. 



3. C. viORXA L. Leather Flower. Stem climbing, nearly 

 smooth, 6-10 ft. long ; leaves usually pinnately compound, the 

 lowest pair often tern ate and the upper pair simple ; leaflets usually 

 5-7, oblong-ovate or oval, acute, firm, entire or lobed ; calyx bell- 

 shaped, nodding ; sepals ovate, acuminate with a short, recurved 



