9 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
NATURAL ORDER I—RANUNCULACEA. 
Herbs with alternate leaves, often palmately cut or divided ; 
eenerally without evident stipules, but often having rudimentary 
ones, indicated by the expansion of the base of the leaf-stalk. 
Flowers perfect, generally regular, with 4 or 5 sepals, usually deci- 
duous, and more or less petaloid. Petals equal-in number to the 
sepals, or more numerous, absent in some cases, and in others very 
abnormal in form. Alstivation imbricated. Stamens indefinite, free. 
Anthers innate. Pistils numerous, rarely solitary, usually free, 
1-celled, with simple styles or sessile stigmas. Ovules anatropous. 
Disk none. Fruit of indehiscent achenes or dehiscent follicles. 
Seeds without an arillus. Embryo at the base of copious horny 
albumen. 
Exceptions in British genera to the above :— 
Clematis has a woody stem, opposite leaves, and valvate estivation. 
Myosurus and some Thalictra and Ranunculi have definite sta- 
mens. Ltanunculus Ficaria has only 3 sepals; and the upper leaves 
of Ranunculus hederaceus are opposite. 
Actea has the fruit a berry. 
Paonia has a more or less evident disk. 
Tripe I.—CLEMATIDEA. 
Sepals valvate. Petals none, or like abortive stamens. Carpels 
numerous, 1-ovuled. Ovules pendulous. Achenes indehiscent. Stems 
often woody, and climbing. Leaves opposite. 
GENUS .L—CLEMATIS. Linn. 
Sepals 4: (rarely 5—8), petaloid, valvate, deciduous. Petals none, 
or shorter than the sepals, and gradually passing into stamens. 
Achenes numerous, tipped by the persistent feathery style, which is 
often plumose. 
SPECIES L—CLEMATIS VITALBA. Linn. 
Prats I, 
Reich. Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. IV. Ran. Tab. LXIV. Fig. 4667. 
Sepals thick, downy on both sides. Carpels with feathery tails. 
Stem woody, climbing. Leaves pinnate. Leaflets ovate-acuminate. 
