208 ORDER I. — RANUNCULACE^. 



lower ones oblong, irregular, deciduous, upper one concave, 

 shield-like. Petals 5, three lower ones minute, often wanting, 

 the two upper on long claws, concealed under the upper sepal. 

 Follicles 3 — 5, many-seeded. Stamens numerous. 



1. A. uncina'tum, (L.) Stem twining, branching, slender, pubescent 

 when young. Leaves 3 — 5-lobed, coriaceous, coarsely -toothed, trun- 

 cate at the base. Lolpes 3-ribbed, lateral segments often 2-lobe(i. 

 Flowers in a loose panicle, galea large, tapering to an obtuse beak, 

 spur thick, inclined. — Blue. 2^. Mountains. 2 feet. MonJSs-hood. 



The same powerful, Tolatile principle noticed under Kanunculus exists in the 

 Aconitum in a state of much greater concentration. Another principle of a narcotic 

 character is found in the different species of this genus, called Acuniiin. The leaves 

 of the Aconitum act powerfully on the human system, producing, in large doses, the 

 usual effects of the most violent poisons. In small doses of one or two grains of the 

 powdered leaves, it has been employed la rheumatism (in which it has produced 

 most salutary oft'ects), gout, scrofula, cancer, &c. It acts most powerfully on the 

 nervous system, producing delirium in over doses. The A. uncinatum is cultivated 

 as an ornament of the flower garden. 



Genus XII.— ACT^'A. L. 12—1. {Baneherry. Cohosh.) 

 (From the Greek akte, the elder, from a resemblance in the leaves.) 



Sepals 4 — 5, deciduous. Petals 4 — 8, spatulate, oblong, 

 shorter than the stamens, or none. Stamens numerous, anthers 

 introrse. Stigma sessile. Carpels baccate, solitary, many- 

 seeded. Seeds compressed, smooth. 



1, A. al'ba, (Big.) Steyn 2 — 3 feet high. Leaves teruately decom- 

 pound, leaflets acutely serrate, notched, slightly pubescent. Raceme 

 oblong, pedicels very thick when the fruit is matured, flowers crowded. 

 Fruit white. — Mountains. April — May. Necklace iveed. 



Gexus XIIL— CBIICIF'UGA. L. 12—5. (Bugbane.) 

 (From the Latin clmex, a bug, and/agfo, to drive away.) 



Sepals 4 — 5. Petals 4, sometimes none, concave or unguic- 

 ulate. Stamens numerous. Anthers introrse. Styles short. 

 Leaves 2 or 3-ternately divided. Segments incised, toothed. 

 Flowers in long racemes. 



1. C. RACEMo'sA, (Ell.) Stem 3 — 8 feet high, generally pubescent, 

 furrowed, leafy near the middle. Leav^es decompound, incised, acutely 

 eerrate. Flowers monogynous, bracteate, in long terrninal racemes, 

 branched. Sepals caducous. Petals none, or very small, with long 

 claws. Capsules ovate, seeds 7 or 8, compressed. — Yellowish white. 

 ^ . Thick woods. Mid. Geo. 



2. C. America'na, (Mich.) Stem 2 — 4 feet high, glabrous. Leaves 

 decompound, triternate, segments ovate, the terminal 3-parted or 3- 

 cleft, incisely lobed, cuneate or subcordate at the base. Flowers in 

 racemes, on short bracteate pedicels. Sepals 5, ovate. Ovaries 2 — 5, 

 stipitate, smooth, compressed, generally fewer in the upper than in the 

 lower flower. — Mountains. Aug. and Sept. 



3. C. coedifo'lia, (Pursh.) Resembles the two preceding. Leavet 

 biternate. Leaflets 3 — 5 — 7-lobed, cordate. Ovaries 2 — 3, glabroufi^ 

 sessile. — Mountains. July. 



