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CLASS I. DICOTYLE'DONS. 



DIVISION I. POLYPETAL.E. 

 ORDER I. RANUNCULA'CEJE. 



ANNUAL or perennial herbs, rarely shrubs. Leaves radical or alternate, 

 opposite in Clematis; stipules 0, or adnate to the petiole. Flowers 

 regular or irregular, 1-2-sexual. Disk 0. Sepals 5 or more, rarely 2-4, 

 deciduous, often petaloid, usually imbricate in bud. Petals 0, or 5 or 

 more, rarely 3, imbricate in bud, often minute or deformed. Stamens 

 many, hypogynous; anthers adnate, dehiscing laterally. Carpels many, 

 rarely 1, usually free, 1-celled; stigma simple; ovules 1 or more on 

 the ventral suture, anatropous, erect with a ventral or pendulous with a 

 dorsal raphe. Fruit of 1 -seeded achenes, or many-seeded follicles. Seed 

 small, albumen copious; embryo minute. DISTRIB. Abundant in temp, 

 and cold regions ; genera 30 ; species 500. AFFINITIES. With Serberidece 

 and Papaveracece ; analogies with Alismacece and Rosacece. PROPERTIES. 

 Usually acrid. EXCEPTIONAL FORMS (British). Stem woody in Clematis; 

 flowers polygamous in Thalictrum; pedicels bracteolate in Aconitum; 

 sepals persistent in Helleborus; stamens few in Myosurus; carpels connate 

 in Helleborus; follicle solitary in some Delphinia; berry solitary, and 

 stigma dilated in Actcea. 

 TRIBE I. djEMATTDE.ffi. Sepals valvate. Shrubs with opposite leaves. 



1. Clematis. 



TRIBE IT. ANEMO'NEJE. Sepals imbricate. Achenes with 1 pendulous 

 seed. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 4-5, petaloid. Petals 2. Thalictrum. 



Involucre of 3 leaves. Sepals 4-20, petaloid. Petals 3. Anemone. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 5-8, petaloid. Petals 5-16, conspicuous 3*. Adonis. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 5, spurred. Petals small, tubular 4. Myosurus. 



TRIBE III. RANUNCULE-ffi. Sepals imbricate. A chenes with one ascending 



seed 5. Kanunculus. 



TRIBE IV. HELLEB OREJE. Sepals imbricate. Follicles many-seeded, 

 except in Actcea. 



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