354 RANUNCULACE^E. 



or baccate or follicular (figs. 443, 468). Seeds albuminous, erect, or 

 pendulous; albumen horny (fig. 561 p) ; embryo minute (fig. 561 e). 

 Herbaceous, suffruticose, or rarely shrubby plants, having alter- 

 nate or opposite, simple, much-divided leaves, with dilated sheathing 

 petioles (fig. 233). Juice watery. Hairs, if present, simple. 



739. The plants of the order are found in cold damp climates, and 

 in the elevated regions of warm countries. Europe contains one-fifth 

 of the order, and North America about one-seventh. The order is 

 divided into five suborders: 1. Clematidege; 2. Anemones (fig. 247) ; 

 3. Ranunculea? (fig. 233) ; 4. Helleboreae (fig. 443) ; 5. Actsea?, or 

 Pseoniae (fig. 370), according to the .aestivation of the calyx, the nature 

 of the fruit, &c. Henslow gives the following analysis of these sub- 

 orders, with the number of British species in each : 



Spec. Brit Anther. Carpel Seed. ^Estiv. 



1. Clematideae, 1^| "i -. valvate. 



2. Anemone*, 9 j^^ ' } pendulous imbricate. 



3. Banunculeaj, 20 { ) * ' erect. 



4. Helleboreae, 9j poly sperm. 



5. Paeoniaj 2 introrse 



Lindley enumerates 41 known genera, comprising 1000 species. 

 Examples of the genera Clematis, Anemone, Ranunculus, Helleborus, 

 Delphinium, Aconitum, Actasa, Paaonia, PodophyUum. 



740. The order has narcotico-acrid properties, and the plants are 

 usually more or less poisonous. The acridity is frequently volatile, 

 and disappears when the plants are dried or heated. It varies in dif- 

 ferent parts of the plants, and at different seasons. Ranunculus (the 

 genus whence the order is named) contains many acrid species, such 

 as R. sceleratus, alpestris, bulbosus, gramineus, acris, and Flammula; 

 while others, such as R. repens, aquatilis, Lingua, and Ficaria, are 

 bland. The acridity is entirely lost by drying, and it disappears in the 

 pericarps as the seeds, which are themselves bland, ripen. The leaves 

 of Aconitum Napellus, Monkshood, contain a narcotic alkaloid, called 

 aconita or aconitina. They are used as an anodyne in neuralgic affec- 

 tions, in the form of extract and tincture. The root of Aconitum ferox 

 furnishes the powerful East Indian poison, called Bikh or Nabee. The 

 leaves of Clematis recta and Flammula have been used as vesicants. 

 The seeds of Delphinium Staphisagria, Stavesacre, are irritant and 

 narcotic, and are used for destroying vermin. They owe their activity 

 to an alkaloid principle, called delphinia. The Hellebores have been 

 long noted for their irritant qualities. Helleborus officinalis, niger, 

 fcetidus, and viridis, act as drastic purgatives ; hence the use of some 



of them in ancient times in cases of mania. The rhizome of Podophyl- 

 lum peltatum, May-apple, is employed hi America as a purgative. 

 Some of the Ranunculaceae are chiefly marked by bitter tonic pro- 

 perties. 



