Order 1.— RANUNCULACKdB. 209 



ovate, colored, deciduous; petals 5 — 25, small, linear, tubular at base ; 

 stamens go, much shorter than the sepals ; follicles co, subcylindric, 

 sessile, many-seeded. — U Smooth, with palmately parted leaves. 

 1 T. laxus Salisb. Sep. 5, oblong, spreading; ^efa& 15 — 25, shorter than th« 



stamens. — In swamps, Can. to Peun. Not common. About 1 1'. high. Lvs. 



deeply cleft into 5 segments, which are lobed and cut-dentate. Fls. 1 .]-' diam., 



not globular. Sep. yellow, greenish outside. Petals very small, orange-colored. 



Follicles about 10, crowned with the persistent styles. This is the only American 



species. Ju. (T. Americamis Muhl.) 



2 T. Buropaeus L. Sep. 15, incurved petals 5 — 10. as long as the stamens. — 

 From Europe. St. 2 — 3f high. Fls. of a rich yellow. A very ornamental 

 plant, of easy culture from seeds or roots. May, Jn.f 



3 T. Asiaticus L. Sepals 1 0, spreading ; petals 1 0, longer than the stamens. — 

 From Asia. Piant about 2f. high, with ample foliage, and large, deep orange- 

 colored flowers — yellow in some of its varieties. Jn.f 



13. HELLEBGRUS, L. Hellebore. ('E/le«', to cause death, /3opd, 

 food ; the poisonous qualities are well known.) Sepals 5, mostly 

 greenish, persistent ; petals 8 — 10, very short, tubular, 2-lippcd ; 

 stamens co ; stigmas 3 — 10, orbicular ; follicles cohering at base, 

 many-seeded. — U Lvs. coriaceous, palmately or pedately divided. Fls. 

 large, nodding. 



H. viridis L. Glabrous; radical lvs. pedately divided, segm. lanceolate, acuta, 

 serrate; cauline lvs. lew, palmately parted, nearly sessile ; peds. often in pairs; 

 eep. roundish ovate, acute, green. — A European plant, § on Long Island. Stem 

 2— 3f high, thick. Apr.f 



14. ZANTH0RHIZA, L. Yellow Root. (Gr. frvdug, yellow ; 

 pt^a, root.) Sepals 5 ; petals 5, of 2 roundish lobes raised on a 

 pedicel ; stamens 5 — 10 ; ovaries 5 — 10, beaked with the styles, 

 2 — 3-ovuled; follicles mostly 1-seeded, seed suspended. — Suffruticous, 

 stem and bark yellow, and bitter. Lvs. pinnately divided. Racemes 

 axillary, compound. Fls. small, dark purple, often $ £ $ • 



Z. apifolia L'Her. River banks N". Y. to Ga. Rt. thick. Si. short, woody, 

 leafy above. Lvs. glabrous, about 8' long, including the long petioles. Lfts. 5, 

 2 — 3' long, sessile, incisely lobed and dentate. Rac. many-flowered, appearing 

 with the leaves. Follicles spreading H" long. March, Apr. (Z. simplicissima 

 Mx.) 



15. KIGELLA, L. Fennel-flower. Fig. 143. (Lat. niger, black ; 

 the color of the seeds, which are used in cookery.) Calvx of 3 sepals, 

 colored; corolla of 5, 3-cleft petals; styles 5; capsules 5, follicular, 

 convex. — CD Oriental herbs. Lvs. in many linear and subulate seg- 

 ments. 



1 N. Daniascena L. Fls. in a leafy involucre; carp. 5, smooth, 2-celled, united 

 as far as the ends into an ovoid-globose capsule. A hardy annual of the gardens, to 

 which have been applied the gentle names of "ragged lady," "devil in a bush," 

 &c. Lvs. twice and thrice pinnatifid, as finely cut as those of the fennel. Fls. 

 terminal, solitary, encompassed and over-topped by a circle of leaves divided like 

 the rest. They are often double, white or pale blue. Jn. — Sepl.f 



2 N. sativaL. Nutmeg-flower. St. hairy, erect ; fls. naked; capsules muri- 

 cate, not united. From Egypt. Rather smaller than the last. Jn. — Sept.f 



16. AQUILEGIA, L. Columbine. (Lat. aquila, the eagle; tho 

 spurred petals resemble the talons of a bird of prey.) Sepals 5, equal, 

 ovate, colored, spreading, caducous ; petals 5, tubular, dilated at tho 



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