Orver I. RANUNCULACEZ Endl. Gen. 843. 
Sepals 3-6 or more but usually 5, distinct, hypogynous, often 
beloved and petaloid. Petals i-several or none, hypogynous. 
Stamens indefinite in number, hypogynous, distinct. Ovaries 
usually numerous, sometimes few or solitary, distinct: ovules 
solitary or several. Fruit achenes or follicles or baccate. Seeds 
anatropous. Embryo minute, near the base of horny or fleshy 
albumen. Herbs or rarely shrubs with colorless usually acrid 
uice, alternate or rarely opposite leaves without stipules, the 
ety of the petiole generally dilated and partly clasping the stem. 
TRIBE I. Leaves opposite. Sepals valvate in the bud, petaloid. 
Petals very small or none. Fruit a head of hairy-tailed achenes. 
1 Clematis,. Half-woody plants climbing by their petioles, or erect herbs, 
TRIBE 11. Sepals petaloid or greenish, imbricated in the bud. 
Fruit a head or spike of achenes. 
* Achenes in a more or less gloLular or obleng head. Sepals not 
spurred at base, petaloid. Petals none. . 
2 Anemone. Sepals indefinite in »>umler, ‘eaves on the stem opposite, 
or whorled on or below 1-flowered peduncles. 
3 Thaliectrum: Flowers mostly dicecious, panicled: leaves alternate, 
ternately decompound, 
* * Achenes numerous, in along and slenccr, or shert spike. Sepals 
_spurred at base. Petals present. 
4 Myosurus. Petals slender; flowers, solitary on scapes. 
TRIBE Il. Sepals imbricate in the bud. Pistils numerous, be- 
coming achenes. Ovule solitary, ascending. Leaves alternate. 
5 Trautvetteria. Flowers perfect, corymbosely panicled; sepals petal-. 
cid, soon deciduous; leaves alternate, palmately cleft. 
6 Batrachium: Flowers perfect: pecuncles solitary, opposite the leaves: 
petals white with a naked nectariierous pit near the esa -achenes trans- 
versely wrinkled on the sides. 
7 Ranunculus, Flowers perfect: peduncles axillary or terminal: petals 
mostly yellow, with a nectariferous spot or pit covered by a scale on the 
claw: achenes not wrinkled on the sides. 
TRIBE Iv. Sepals imbricated in the bud. Petals small or irreg- 
ular or none. Fruit 1-several follicles, or a 1-celled berry. Leaves 
alternate. 
* Fruit 1-several follicles. 
+ Flowers regular; follicles 1-15. 
$8 Caltha. Sepals petaloid; petals none; leaves simple; carpels 5-15. 
9 Trollius. Sepals 5-15, petaloid: petals 5-20, tubular at kase; follicles 
sessile; leaves palmately parted. 
10 Coptis. Sepals 5-6, greenish : petals 5-6 enlarged in the middle or at the 
_ summit; carpels 5-10, stipitate: leaves compound, persistent. 
il Aquilegia. Sepals 5, colored: petals 5, all spurred backwards: carpels 
5, ‘Sessile: leaves ternately compound. 
