44 CROWFOOT FAMILY. 



» * Leaves divided to very base. 



A. variegatum, l.iiiii. Vauikcatki) A. Erect, l°-6° high ; leaves 

 divided into rathir ljix)ad-lobed and cut divisions ; flowers in a loose 

 panicle or raceme, blue and often variegated with white, or wiiitish ; the 

 helmet considerably higher than wide, its top curved forward, its pointed 

 visor ascending or horizontal. Eu. 



A. Napellus, Linn. Tkuk Monkshood or Officinai- Aconite, from 

 Eu. Erect, 3°-4° high, from a turnip-shaped root ; divisions of leaves 

 2-3 times cleft into linear lobes; flowers crowded in a close raceme, blue 

 (also a, white variety) ; helmet broad and low. 



A. Anthora, Einn. Erect, l"-2° high ; leaves very finely divided into 

 linear lobes ; crowded flowers yellow ; helmet broad, rather high. Eu. 

 Various garden forms. 



19. ACT.^A, BANEBERRY. (Greek name of the Elder, from some 

 likeness in the leaves.) 2/ Flowers in spring, ripening the berries 

 late in summer ; growing in rich woods. Leaflets of the thrice-ternatc 

 leaves ovate, sharply cleft, and cut-toothed. 



A. spicata, var. rtibra, Ait. Ukd Bankhkuuy. Flowers in a very 

 short, ovate raceme or cluster, on slender pedicels ; berries red. 



A. alba, Bigel. Whitk Banebkuky. Taller than the other, smoother, 

 and flowering a week or two later, with an oblong raceme ; pedicels in 

 fruit very thick, turning red, the berries -white. 



20. CIMICIFUGA, BUGBANE. (Latin: to drive aivay Intys.) 11 

 Like baneberry, but tall, with very long racemes (l°-3"), and dry pods 

 instead of berries ; flowers in sunmier. 



C. Americana, :Miclix. Amhkican B. Slender, 2"-4° high ; pistils 5, 

 with sh'iidrr style and iiiinutc stiguia; pods raised from the receptacle 

 on slender sialks, flattish, containing few scaly-coated seeds. AUeghanies 

 from Penn., S. ; flowers, late summer. 



C. raceni6sa, Nutt. Tall B. or Black Snakekoot. Stem with the 

 long raceme 4°-8° high ; pistil mostly single, with a flat-topped stigma ; 

 short pod holding 2 rows of horizontally flattened seeds. Rich woods. 



21. PiEONIA, PEONY. (Ancient name, after a Greek physician, 

 Pwon.) 11 ^Vell-known large-flowered ornamental plants, cult, from the 

 Old World. A fleshy disk at the base of the 2 or more pistils which form 

 leathery pods in fruit. Seeds largo, rather fleshy-coated. Leaves ternately 

 decompound. Roots thickened below. Known in old gardens as Piney. 



« Herbs with single-flowered stems in spring, and downy pods. 

 P. officinalis, Retz. Common P. Very smooth, with large, coarsely divided, 

 green leaves ; the great flowers red, white, etc., single or very double. 



p. peregrlna, Mill., including P. pakadoxa. Leaves glaucous and 

 more or le.ss dt)wny beneath, and smaller flowers than the last, rose-red, 

 etc., generally full double, with the petals cut and fringed. 



P. tenuifolia, Linn. Slendeu-leaved P. Low, with early crimson 

 red flowers, and narrow linear divisions to the leaves. Siberia. 



* * Herbs with several-flowered stems in snnDuer, and smooth pods. 



P. albiflbra. Pall. White-fl. or FuAonANx P., or Chinese P. Very 

 smootli, about 3° high, with bright green foliage, and white or rose-colored, 

 often sweet-scented, rather small flowers, single, also double, and with 

 purple varieties. 



