12 . BANUNCULACE^. [Trollius. 



Follicles transversely wrinkled, keeled, beaked. Seeds black, dotted. — 

 Distrib. Europe (Arctic) to tbe Caucasus. 



8. HELLEBORUS, L. HELLEBORE, BeAr's-FOOT. 



Coarse perennial herbs. Leaves palmately pedately or digitately lobed, 

 upper bract-like. Flowers corymbose, proterogynous. Sepals 5, large, 

 petaloid or herbaceous, imbricate in bud, persistent. Petals small, tubular, 

 2 -lipped, honeyed. Stamens many. Carpels separate, or cohering below. 

 Follicles dehiscing at the top. Seeds many, oblong, funicle thickened, 

 testa crustaceous shining. — Distrib. Europe, N. and W. Asia ; species 

 10. — Etym. ih\e[lopos, the Greek name. 



1. H. foe'tidus, L. ; stem many-fld. perennial, leaves pedate, sepals 

 erect. Stinking Hellebore, Setter-wort. 



Chalk-pastures and thickets S. and E. of England, rare, naturalized elsewhere ; 

 (a denizen, Wats.) ; fl. Feb.-March. — Glabrous below, glandular-pubescent 

 above. Stem 1-2 ft., leafless, scarred below. Lower leaves petioled, leaflets 

 5-7, nearly as in H. viridis, but the outer segments recurved, upper with 

 large sheaths. Flowers drooping, 1 in. diam. Sepals truncate, green, 

 bordered with dull-purple. Petals shorter than the stamens. Follicles 3, 

 wrinkled, glandular, style subulate.— Distrib. W. Europe, from Belgium 

 southd. — Plant foetid and cathartic. 



2. H. vir'idis, L. ; stem few-fid. annual, radical leaves digitate, cauline 

 sessile, sepals spreading. Bear's- foot. 



Woods, hedges, &c, chiefly on chalk in the S. and E. of England, naturalized 

 elsewhere ; (a denizen, Wats.) ; fl. March- April. — Glabrous, dark-green, 1-li 

 ft. Radical leaves fully developed after flowering ; leaflets 5-7, narrow, 

 serrate, lateral cleft. Flowers inclined, l|-2 in. diam. Sepals green, oblong. 

 Petals 9-12, minute, shorter than the stamens, curved. Follicles 3; style 

 straight, subulate. — Distrib. From Hollaud southd., but not well 

 established N. of the Mediterranean region, Ball. 



8*. EBAN'THIS, Salisbunj. Winter Aconite. 



Low herbs. BootstocJc stout, creeping. Badical leaves palmate ; cauline 

 whorled and involucriform. Flower solitary, pale yellow. Sepals 5-8, 

 narrow, petaloid, deciduous, imbricate. Petals small, clawed, 2-lipped. 

 Stamens many. Carpels 5-6, stipitate. Follicles separate. Seeds many, 

 ovoid or globose, testa smooth crustaceous. — Distrib. Europe, N. Asia ; 

 species 2. — Etym. tap, spring, and &v9os, flower. 



E. hyema'lis, Salisb. ; sepals 6-8 oblong. 

 In plantations, parks, &c, naturalized ; fl. Jan.-March. — Stem 4-6 in. Badical 

 leaves orbicular, 3-5-partite, segments obtusely lobed; petiole long. Invo- 

 lucre of 2 sessile lobed bracts. Flower cup-shaped, 1-1J in. diam. Petals 

 shorter than the stamens. — Distrib. W. Europe, from Belgium southd. 



9. AQUILEGIA, L. COLUMBINE. 

 Erect perennial herbs. Leaves 2-3-nately divided. Flowers panicled or 

 solitary, handsome, proterandrous. Sepals 5, regular, petaloid. Petals 5, 



