RANUNCULACEAE. [Von. II- 
5. Thalictrum venulésum release. 
Veiny Meadow-Rue. (Fig. 1636.) 
Thalictrum venulosum Trelease, Proc. Bost. Soc. 
Nat. Hist. 23: 302. 1886. . 
T. campestre Greene, Erythea, 4: 123. 1896. 
Glabrous, pale green and glaucous, stem pur- 
plish, erect, or assurgent at the base, 6’—2° tall. 
Leaves 3-4-ternate, long-petioled; leaflets firm, 
obovate or suborbicular, rounded at the apex, 
cuneate, obtuse or subcordate at the base, 4’’-8’” 
long, 3-5-lobed, the lower surface rather promi- 
nently rugose-veined; panicle narrow, its 
branches nearly erect; flowers dioecious; sta- 
mens 8-20; filaments slender; anthers linear, 
slender-pointed; achenes ovoid, nearly sessile, 
tapering into a short beak, thick-walled, 2-edged. 
In dry soil, Manitoba and South Dakota to the 
Northwest Territory and Washington, south to Col- 
orado. May-June. 
6. Thalictrum purpurascens L, 
Purplish Meadow-Rue. 
(Fig. 1637.) 
Thalictrum purpurascens 1, Sp. Pl. 546. 1753- 
Thalictrum purpurascens var. ceriferum Aus- 
tin; A. Gray, Man. Ed. 5, 39. 1867. 
Stout, erect, 4°-7° high, leafy, branching 
above, glandular, pubescent or even glabrous; 
leaves 3—-4-ternate; leaflets thick, oblong or 
obovate, dark green above, commonly waxy 
beneath, with revolute margins, and 3 main 
apical pointed lobes; panicle compound, leafy, 
1° long or more; flowers polygamous; fila- 
ments narrow, slightly widened aboye; an- 
thers linear or linear-oblong, cuspidate; 
stigma linear, persistent; achenes ovoid, 
glabrous or pubescent, short-stipitate, with 
6-S longitudinal wings. 
In copses and woodlands, Nova Scotia and 
Anticosti to Florida, west to the Saskatchewan 
and Arizona. Stems often purplish. Ascends 
to 6000 ft. in North Carolina. June-Aug. 
7. Thalictrum polygamum Muhl. Tall 
Meadow-Rue. (Fig. 1638.) 
Thalicitrum polygamum Muhl. Cat. 54. 1813. 
Thalictrum Cornuti T. & G. Fl. N. A. 1: 38. 1838. 
NotL. 1753. 
Stout, 3°-11° high, branching, leafy, smooth or 
pubescent but not glandular nor waxy. Leaves 
3-4-ternate; leaflets moderately thick, light 
green above and paler beneath, oblong, obovate 
or orbicular, with 3 main apical pointed or obtuse 
lobes; panicle compound, leafy, a foot long or 
more; flowers polygamous, white; filaments 
broadened; anthers oblong, short; achenes ovoid, 
stipitate, 6-S-winged, glabrous or pubescent. 
Labrador and Quebec to Florida, west to Ohio. 
Its favorite habitat is in open sunny swamps, 
blooming one to four weeks later than 7. purpur- 
ascens. The two species are easily distinguishable 
in the field; less easily in herbarium specimens, the 
characters being similar and variable. Ascends to 
2500 ft. in Virginia. 
Ks 
