Coptis.] i. RANUNCULACEJE. (Hook. f. & Thorns.) 23 



ovules many. Follicles many-seeded. Seeds with a black crustaceous testa. 

 DISTEIB.. North temperate zone ; species 6. Genus too nearly allied to 

 Isopyrum. 



1. C. Teeta, Wall, in Trans. Med. & Phys. Soc. Gale. viii. 347 ; H. f. 

 & T. Fl. Ind. 42 ; Griff. Journ. 37 ; Notul. iv. 733, Ic. iv. t. 660, f. 2. 



MISHMI MTS., east of Assam, in the temperate region. 



Rootstock horizontal, golden yellow, woody, densely fibrous, very bitter. Leaves 

 glabrous; petioles 6-12 in. ; leaflets 2-3 in., ovate-lanceolate, pinna tifid, lobes incised, 

 terminal largest. Scape slender, equalling the leaves. Flowers 1-3, pedicelled, bracts 

 leafy. Sepal* ^ in., oblong-lanceolate, acute. Petals narrow, ligulate, obtuse, | 

 shorter than the sepals. Characters taken chiefly from Wallich's description; Griffiths' 

 specimens are in leaf only. The very bitter rootstock is much used as a drug in 

 Bengal. 



13. ISOPVRUM, Linn. 



Small stemless herbs ; annual, or rootstock perennial. Leaves decompound. 

 Flowers regular, white, few or solitary, on leafless or leafy slender scapes. 

 SepaU 5-6, petaloid, deciduous. Petals 5, variable, very small or 0. Stamens 

 10 or more. Carpels 2-20, sessile ; ovules 3 or more. Follicles few or many- 

 seeded. Seeds with a smooth or granulated testa, crustaceous. DISTEIB. 

 North temperate regions ; species 7. 



1. I. adiantifolium, H.f. & T. Fl. Ind. 42; cauline leaves opposite 

 or whorled compound, petals long-clawed, carpels 3. 



TEMPERATE EASTERN HIMALAYA, outer moist valleys of Sikkim, alt. 7500 ft., 

 Hook.f., &c. 



Rootstock slender, horizontal, scaly. Radical leaves long-petioled, stipellate at the 

 top of the petiole ; terminal segment simple, lateral compound ; leaflets 5-7-petiolu!ate, 

 -4 in., cuneate at the base, obtuse, crenate. Flowers 4 in. diam. 



2. I. thalictroides, Linn. ; cauline leaves alternate 3-lobed or 3-folio- 

 late, petals hooded shortly clawed, carpels 2-4 DC. Prodr. i. 48 ; ff.f.d; T. 

 Fl. Ind. 43. I. anemonoides, Kar. & Kir. En. PI. Soong. No. 55. 



TEMPERATE WESTERN HIMALAYA, north of Kashmir, Winterbottom ; Lahul. 

 DISTRIB. AfFghanistan, Siberia. E. Europe. 



Rootstock horizontal, fibrous or scaly. Stem 4-8 in., slender. Radical leaves 2-3- 

 termite; leaflets 2-3-lobed, cuneate at the base, membranous. Flowers 4 in. diam.. in 

 few-flowered terminal panicles. Sepals oval, obtuse. Petals with a filiform claw. 

 Follicles 2-4, oval, beaked by the style. The petals are very variable in European 

 specimens. 



3. I. grandiflorum, Fisch. in DC. Prodr. i. 48; leaves all radical 2-4 

 times ternatisect, carpels 3-7. Wall. Cat. 9123 Royle 111. 54, t. 11, f. 3; 

 H.f. & T. FL Ind. 43. I. microphyllum, Royle III I.e. f. 4. 



WESTERN ALPINE HIMALAYA, from Kumaon to Balti, alt. 13-17,000 ft. DISTRIB. 

 Siberia. 



Stems densely tufted ; rootstock stout, clothed with rigid bristles. Leaves long- 

 petioled ; petiole auricled at the sheathing base ; leaflets small, cuneate-obovate, 2-3- 

 lobed. Scapes 3-4 in., equalling the leaves, with 2 small subopposite bracts. Flower 

 solitary, 1-1 j in. diam. 



14. AQUILEGIA, Linn. 



Erect, perennial-rooted herbs. Leaves ternately compound. Flowers re- 

 gular, handsome, drooping, white purple or yellow, tiepals 5, regular, 



