14 RANTJNCULA-CEjE. (CROWTOOT FAMILY.) 



1. Z. nj>ii folia, L'Her. Shady banks of streams, in the mountains of 

 Pennsylvania and southward. Sherburne, New York, Dr. Dow/lass. Stems 

 clustered, 1 - 2 high. Leaflets cleft and toothed. The roots of this, and also 

 of the next plant, were used as a yellow dye by the aborigines. 



19. IIYDRASTIS, L. ORAXGE-ROOT. YELLOW PUCCOON. 



Sepals 3, petal-like, falling away when the flower opens. Petals none. Pistils 

 12 or more in a head, 2-ovuled : stigma flat, 2-lipped. Ovaries becoming a head 

 of crimson l-2-seedcd berries in fruit. A low perennial herb, sending up in 

 early spring, from a thick and knotted yellow rootstoek, a single radical leaf, 

 and a simple hairy stem, which is 2-leaved near the summit, and terminated by 

 a single greenish-white flower. (Name perhaps from vSo>p, water, and Spd&>, 

 to act, alluding to the active properties of the juice.) 



1. II. CanadcilSiS, L. Rich woods, New York to Wisconsin and 

 southward. Leaves rounded, heart-shaped at the base, 5-7-lobcd, doubly 

 serrate, veiny, when full grown in summer 4' - 9' wide. 



2O. ACTjA, L. BANEBERRY. COHOSH. 



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

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

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

 Seeds smooth, flattened and packed horizontally in 2 rows. Perennials, with 

 ample 2-3-ternately compound leaves, the ovate leaflets sharply cleft and 

 toothed, and a short and thick terminal raceme of white flowers. (Name from 

 OKTT/, the Elder, from some resemblance in the leaves.) 



1. A. spicsita, L. (A. Americana, Pursh. A. brachyp6tala, DC.) 

 Called HERB CHRISTOPHER in Europe. 



Var. rubra, Michx. (RED BANEBERRY.) Petals about half the length 

 of the stamens; pedicels slender; berries cherry-red, oval. (A. rubra, Willd., 

 !}/</</. <j-c. Rich woods, New England to Penn. and Wisconsin, and northward. 

 April, May. Plant 2 high. (Eu.) 



Var. alba, Michx. (WHITE BANEBERRT or COHOSH.) Petals rather 

 longer and narrower; pedicels thickened both in flower and fruit; buries milk- 

 white, short-oval or globular. (A. alba, Ui'/cL A. pachypoda, Kit.) Rich 

 woods, more common southward, extending to Virginia and Kentucky. May. 

 Plant 2 -3 high. Pedicels in fruit often almost as thick as the main peduncle. 

 Berries sometimes tinged with red or purple, very rarely deep red (J)r. A"/,/V.s- 

 Icern) ; while in some districts white berries occur abundantly on slender pedi- 

 cels (Mr. Oakes, Prof. Chadbourne) ; also in Siberia. Ner docs the length of the 

 petals afford marked distinctions. So that all probably belong to one sp< 



21. CIUIICiFUCA, L. BUGBANB. 



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

 transformed stamens, 1-8, small, on claws, 2-horned at the apex. Stamens as 



