RANUNCULACK^l':. (CP.OWKOOT FAMILY.) 47 



palmately cleft or dissected leaves, and showy flowers in rarfincs or panirks. 

 (The anciont Greek and Latin name, of uncertain <jri<T^in.) 



1. A. Noveboracense, (iray. Krect from tuberous-thickened rootJ«, 

 2° high, leafy, tlie sumi/iit (itid strict loosely flowered rdcpmc. jmhescent ; leaves 

 rather deeply parted, the hroadly cuneate divisions 3-<.left and incised ; flowers 

 blue, the helmet (jihhous-ohovate with broad rounded summit and short descend- 

 ing beak. — Chenango and Orange Cos., N. Y. 



2. A. uncin^tum, L. (Wild Monkshood.) Glabrous; stem slender, 

 from tuherons-t/iickciicd roots, errrt, hut weak and dis])o.'^ed to climb; leaves firm, 

 deeply 3-5-lobed, petiolcd, the lobes ovate-lanceolate, coarsely toothed ; Jloinrs 

 blue ; helmet erect, obtuseli/ conical, com])ressed, sliglitly beaked in front. — Kich 

 shady soil along streams, I'cnn., and southwaid in the mountains; Wise. 

 June- Aug. 



3. A. reclin^tum, Gray. ( Trailing Wolfshane.) Glabrous; stems 

 trailing (3-8° long); leaves dee/>li/ 3-7-<-left, petioled, the lower orbicular in 

 outline; the divisions wedge-form, incised, often 2 - 3-lobed ; y/oM-crs white, in 

 very loose panicles ; helmet soon horizontal, elongated-conical, with a straight- 

 beak in front. — Cheat Mountain, Va., and southward in the Alleghauics. 

 Aug. — Lower leaves 5-6' wide. Flowers 9" long, nearly glabrous. 



19. CIMICIFUGA, L. Bic.nANE. 



Sepals 4 or 5, falling off soon after tlie flower expands. Petals, or rather 

 tran.sformed stamens, 1-8, small, on claws, 2-horned at the apex. Stamens 

 as in Aetata. Pistils 1 -8, forming dry dehiscent pods in fruit. — Perennials, 

 with 2-3-ternately-divided leaves, the leaflets cut-serrate, and white flowers 

 in elongated wand-likc racemes. (Name from cimex, a bug, andy»^o, to drive 

 away.) 

 § 1. CIMICIEUGA proper. Pistils 3-S, stijutafe ; seeds fattened laterallij, 



covered ivith chajfij scales, in one row /» the inembranaceotis pods ; style 



aivt-shaped ; sti<jma minute. 



1. C. Americana, Michx. (American Btorane.) Stem 2-4° high; 

 racemes slender, pauicled , ovaries mostly .5, glal)rons; pods flattened, veiny, 

 6 - 8-seeded. — Mountains of S. Penn. and southward. Aug. - Sept. 



§2. MACR6TYS. Pistil solitary, sometimes 2-3, sessile; seeds smooth, 

 fattened and packed horizontalli/ in the pod in two rows, as in Actaea; 

 stigma broad and /hit. 



2. C. racem6sa, Nutt. (Black Snakeuoot. Black Cohosh.) Stem 

 3-8° high, from a thick knotted rootstock ; racemes in fruit becoming 1 -3° 

 long; pods ovoid. — Kich woods, Maine to Wise, and southward. July. — 

 Var. DissEOTA, Gray. Leaves irregularly pinnately decomj)ound, the rather 

 small leaflets incised. — Centreville, Del. (Commons.) 



20. ACT-SI A, L. IJANEnERRV. Cohosh. 



Sepals 4 or 5, falling off wlien the flower expands. Petals 4-10. small, flat, 

 spatulate, on slender claws. Stamens numerous, witii slender white filaments. 

 Pistil single ; stigma sessile, depressed, 2-lobed. Fruit a many-seeded berry. 



