THE POLYPETAL.^ 5] 



CHAPTER V 



THE POLYPETAL.E 



The Polypetalpe group comprises all those Dicotyle- 

 dons the flowers of wliich possess free petals. In order 

 to determine whether a plant belongs to this group it is 

 only necessary — 



1. To prove that it belongs to the Dicotyledons. 



2. To ascertain that the petals of its flower are not joined. 



Tlie number botli of poisonous and of medicinal j^lants 

 m the Polypetalee is very large. 



Ranunculaceae. — Buttercup Family. This is a very im- 

 portant family from our point of view, as owing to the 

 fact that a poisonous, acrid, and narcotic principle pre- 

 vails in varying degree throughout the order, tliere is 

 scarcely one plant which can be regarded as harmless, 

 while some are deadly. 



The distinmiishino' marks of the order are: — 



n rt 



1. Free petals. 2. Numerous free stamens. 



3. Free carj^els (fig. 1). 



Some members of the Kose family (Rosacea) also 

 possess all three of these cliaracteristics; but in this 

 family all the flowers are perigynous, whilst in tlie 

 rianunculaceas hypogyny prevails. 



The number of distinctly poisonous plants is so large 

 m the Eanunculaceae that it is advisable to draw up a 



L 



separate diamiostic table for its members. 



Traveller's Joy (Clematis Vitalha). 



Greenish-white flowers. 



A hedge shrub. 



Styles of carpels converted wlicn ripe into long 



feathery tails. 



