RANUNCULUS. 47 



The leaves are many. Most of them are radical, arising 

 with the stem from the root (radix); others are cauline, 

 growing from the stem (caulis) above the base. They are 

 also alternate in arrangement one above another, spirally (p. 

 193). The lower leaves are borne on long, slender petioles ; 

 the upper are sessile, having no petiole. The blades are 

 ternately divided, i. e., into three divisions, or pinnately 

 into five, and the terminal division is stalked ; then all the 

 divisions are cut into lobes. 



The Terns, although present, are not always discernible. 

 In Spring Beauty they are concealed. In Crowfoot they are 

 not conspicuous, yet evidently are not parallel, as in Ery- 

 thronium. Under a magnifier they seem to form a net- 

 work ; that is, they are reticulated (reticula, a net). 



The Flowers are borne on peduncles, which terminate 

 the stem and branches one on each peduncle. They are 

 perfect and complete, having all the proper and essential 

 floral organs. * The calyx .consists of five lanceolate, green- 

 ish, spreading sepals, much smaller than the petals. The 

 corolla consists of five yellow, shining, spreading petals. In 

 outline the petals are inversely lanceolate or ovate (o#-lance- 

 olate or o^-ovate), being broadest above the middle. At the 

 base there is a honey-pore, which we may call a nectary, 

 covered by a little scale (Fig. IX, 2). The stamens are many 

 in number said to be indefinite (denoted thus, oo), although, 

 if carefully counted, they will generally be found some multi- 

 ple of 5; as 25, 30, etc. The term polyandrous (polys, many, 

 andres, stamens) is of a similar meaning. The x filament, 

 anther, and pollen we leave to be identified by the student. 



* A flower is botanically perfect when it has both stamens and pistils. The sym- 

 bol is 5 . It is complete when it has stamens, pistils, calyx and corolla all the 

 proper organs. A flower is apetalous when the calyx is present without the corolla ; 

 it is staminate ( 6 ) when having stamens without pistils, end pistillate ( $ ) pistils 

 without stamens. 



