2 RANUNCULACE^E. [CLEMATIS. 



* Flowers reaular. Follicles many-seeded. 



Sepals petaloid. Petals 6. Caltha. 



Sepals petaloid, deciduous. Petals small, entire 7. Trollius. 



Sepals herbaceous, persistent. Petals small, 2-lipped 8. Helleborus. 



Sepals petaloid, deciduous. Petals small, 2-lipped 8*. Eranthis. 



Sepals 5-6, petaloid. Petals large, spurred 9 . Aquilegia. 



** Flowers irregular. Follicles many-seeded. 



Sepals many, the dorsal spurred 9*. Delphinium. 



Sepals many, the dorsal arched and hooded 9**. Aconitum. 



*** Flowers nearly regular. Fruit a \-seeded berry 10. Actsea. 



1. CLEM'ATIS, L. TRAVELLER'S JOY. 



"Woody, usually climbing under-shrubs. Leaves opposite, usually com- 

 pound, exstipulate ; petioles often twining. Inflorescence axillary or 

 terminal. Sepals usually 4, petaloid, valvate. Petals 0. Stamens many. 

 Carpels many, each with 1 pendulous ovule. Fruit a head of sessile or 

 stalked achenes, with long bearded styles. DISTRIB. All temp, climates, 

 rarer in the tropics; species 100. ETYM. K\rinarls, the Greek name 

 for this or a plant of similar habit. 



1. C. Vital'ba, L.; leaflets 3-5 remote. Old Man's Beard. 

 Hedges and thickets, most common on chalky soil ; not a native of Scotland 



or Ireland (?) ; fl. July- Aug. A climbing under-shrub. Leaflets 2-3 in. 



ovate-cordate, entire toothed or lobed ; petioles persistent when twining. 



Flowers 1 in. diam., odorous, greenish-white. Sepals 4, pubescent. Achenes 



hairy ; awns 1 in. feathery. DISTKIB. Europe, from Holland southwards, 



N. Africa, W. Asia. 



2. THALIC'TRUM, L. MEADOW-RUE. 



Erect perennial herbs. Leaves compound, stipulate. Flowers panicled 

 or racemed, often polygamous. Sepals 4-5, petaloid, imbricate. Petals 0. 

 Stamens many. Carpels with 1 pendulous ovule. Fruit a small head 

 of sessile or stalked achenes; style persistent or deciduous. DISTRIB. 

 Temp, and colder regions of the N. hemisphere; species 50. ETYM. 

 Probably the TJialictrum of Pliny. 



1. T. alpi'num, L. ; raceme simple, flowers few drooping, anthers 

 linear apiculate. 



Alpine and subalpine bogs ; rare in Ireland ; ascends to 4,000 ft. ; fl. July-Aug. 

 Stem 4-10 in. wiry, simple, often stoloniferous. Leaves 2-ternate ; 

 leaflets to i in., suborbicular, glaucous beneath, obtusely lobulate. Raceme 

 drooping, then erect ; pedicels recurved in fruit. Sepals 4, purplish. 

 Stamens 8-20, pendulous. Achenes 2-3, stipitate, curved, ribbed. DISTRIB. 

 N. and Arctic Europe, N. and W. Asia to Himalaya, N. America. 



2. T. mi'nus, L. ; stem more or less striate, panicle lax, flowers 

 drooping, anthers ;;piculate, fruit erect. , 



Dry places; ascends to 1,800 ft. in the Lake District; fl. July-Aug. Stem 

 i-4 in. stout, rigid, often "igzag, striate throughout or towards the nodes 

 only, usually furrowed wnen dry. Leaves triangular, 3-4-pinnate ; leaflets 

 variable, ^-1 in. ; lobes 3-6, acute or obtuse ; stipules formed by the sheath- 

 ing leaf-bases. Sepals 4, yellow-green. Achenes 3-6 ovoid, ascending, 



