THALAMIFLOR/ 35 
Amongst this order are included such plants as 
Clematis or Old Man’s Beard, Meadow Rue, Ane- 
mone, Adonis, Mousetail, Hellebore, Marsh Mari- 
gold, Globeflower, Winter Aconite, Columbine, 
Larkspur, Monk’s Hood, Baneberry. The first five 
and Ranunculus or the Crowfoot have but one seed 
in each carpel, whilst the rest have many, including 
the Pzeony, which is a member of the order also. 
They are, as a whole, herbaceous plants, but a few 
are shrubs, such as Peony and Bear’s Foot, whilst 
the Traveller’s Joy isa climber. 
They are found in all parts of Europe, and in 
countries around the Mediterranean, being confined 
mainly to temperate regions. 
As a rule they have the leaves much divided, and 
have the rosette habit, or the trailing habit, in some 
cases as in Larkspur forming a tall and pyramidal 
plant. 
There is one property of the Buttercup and Crow- 
foot which is very general, that is, their acrid or 
burning taste, and they are capable of serving as 
blistering agents, often acting upon cattle. 
Some are caustic and even poisonous, as Monk’s 
Hood. The Water Buttercups, however, are not so 
acrid, and on the banks of the Kennet are gathered 
and given to cattle as a fodder. 
All are beautiful plants, the graceful Traveller’s 
Joy forming arbours in the chalk-downs, and I have 
known parts of the Downs in Surrey, as at Boxhill 
and Reigate, simply covered by such shelters, which 
