ORDER 1. RANUNCULACE^E. 209 



ovate, colored, deciduous; petals 5 25, small, linear, tubular at base ; 

 stamens oo, much shorter than the sepals; follicles oo, subcylindric, 

 sessile, many-seeded. 4 Smooth, with palmately parted leaves. 

 1 T. laxus Salisb. Sep. 5, oblong, spreading; petals 15 25, shorter than the 



stamens. In swamps, Can. to Perm. Not common. About 1 f. high. Lvs. 



deeply cleft into 5 segments, which are lobed and cut-dentate. Fls. !' diam., 



not globular. Sep. yellow, greenish outside. Petals very small, orange-colored. 



Follicles about 10, crowned with the persistent styles. This is the only American 



species. Jn. (T. Americanus Muhl.) 



2 T. Europaeus L. Sep. 15, incurved petals 5 10. as long as the stamens.; 

 From Europe. St. 2 3f high. Fls. of a rich yellow. A very ornamental 

 plant, of easy culture from seeds or roots. May, Jn.f 



3 T. Asiaticus L. Sepals 10, spreading; petals 10, longer than the stamens. 

 From Asia. Plant about 2f. high, with ample foliage, and large, deep orange- 

 colored flowers yellow in some of its varieties. Jn.f 



13. HELlf BORUS, L. HELLEBORE. ('EAwv, to cause death, fiopct, 

 food ; the poisonous qualities are well known.) Sepals 5, mostly 

 greenish, persistent; petals 8 10, very short, tubular, 2-lipped ; 

 stamens oo ; stigmas 3 10, orbicular; follicles cohering at base, 

 many-seeded. If Lvs. coriaceous, palmately or pedately divided. Fls. 

 large, nodding. 



H. viridis L. Glabrous; radical Ivs. pedately divided, segm. lanceolate, acute, 

 serrate; cauline Ivs. few, palmately parted, nearly sessile ; pods, often in pairs; 

 sep. roundish ovate, acute, green. A European plant, on Long Island. Stem 

 2 3f high, thick. Apr.f 



14. ZANTHORHIZA, L. YELLOW ROOT. (Gr. favfldf, yellow; 

 p/a, root.) Sepals 5 ; petals 5, of 2 roundish lobes raised on a 

 pedicel ; stamens 5 10 ; ovaries 5 10, beaked with the styles, 

 2 3-ovuled ; follicles mostly 1-seeded, seed suspended. Suffruticous, 

 stem and bark yellow, and bitter. Lvs. pinnately divided. Racemes 

 axillary, compound. Fls. small, dark purple, often $ $ . 



Z. apifolia L'Her. River banks K Y. to Ga. Rt. thick. St. short, woody, 

 leafy above. Lvs. glabrous, about 8' long, including the long petioles. Lfts. 5, 

 2 3' long, sessile, incisely lobed and dentate. Rac. many-flowered, appearing 

 with the leaves. Follicles spreading l.V long. March, Apr. (Z. simplicissima 

 MX.) 



15. NIGELLA, L. FENNEL-FLOWER. Fig. 143. (Lat. niger, black; 

 the color of the seeds, which are used in cookery.) Calyx of 3 sepals, 

 colored ; corolla of 5, 3-cleft petals ; styles 5 ; capsules 5, follicular, 

 convex. CD Oriental herbs. Lvs. in many linear and subulate seg- 

 ments. 



1 N. Damascena L. Fls. in a leafy involucre; carp. 5, smooth, 2-celled, united 

 as far as the ends into an ovoid-globose capsule. A hardy annual of the gardens, to 

 which have been applied the gentle names of "ragged lad}-," "devil in a bush," 

 &c. Lvs. twice and thrice pinnatifid, as finely cut as those of the fennel. Fls. 

 terminal, solitary, encompassed and over-topped by a circle of leaves divided like 

 the rest. They are often double, white or pale blue. Jn. Sept.f 



2 N. sativaL. NUTMEG-FLOWER. St. hairy, erect \Jls.ndked; capsules muri- 

 cate, not united. From Egypt. Rather smaller than the last. Jn. Sept.f 



16. AQUILEGIA, L. COLUMBINE. (Lat. aquila, the eagle; tho 

 spurred petals resemble the talons of a bird of prey.) Sepals 5, equal, 

 ovate, colored, spreading, caducous ; petals 5, tubular, dilated at tho 



14 



