RANUNCULAGEJS. 23 



including in this group Glmcidinm pabiiatinn S. & Zccc.,' the single 

 species of a genus which, as we shall afterwards see, evidently links 

 RanuncidacecB to Berberidacece and Papaveracea. Its flowers are her- 

 maphrodite, and on the convex receptacle are successively inserted a 

 calyx, an androceum, and a gyna^ceum. The calyx consists of four 

 free petaloid imbricated sepals, very caducous, as are also the very 

 numerous stamens, each of which consists of a free filament, and a 

 basifixed two-celled anther dehiscing by lateral clefts. The gynse- 

 ceum is formed of one or few carpels' inserted obliquely on the upper 

 tapering portion of the receptacle, and containing a large number of 

 anatropous ovules inseiied along the inner angle. The ovary is 

 traversed by a longitudinal groove and surmounted by a depressed 

 emarginate papillose stigma. The fruit is formed of one or several 

 follicles dehiscing dorsally, with numerous flattened seeds surrounded 

 by a marginal wing. It is a perennial herb found in Japan, with 

 few alternate palmatilobed leaves, and pedunculate flowers recalling 

 those of Podopliyllum? 



IRREGULAR FORM. 



If we examine an Aconite,'' as, for instance, A. Napcllu^ L., we see 

 that its flowers (figs. 43-47) are irregular and hermaphrodite. The 

 calyx is formed of five unlike coloured sepals, quincuncially imbri- 

 cated in the bud. The posterior sepal is like a hood covering the 

 two lateral sepals, which are symmetrical with respect to each other, 

 hardly irregular, and much broader than the two anterior ones, by 

 which they are also covered in the bud. These anterior sepals are 

 narrower and lonsrer than the lateral ones, but are not altosrether 

 similar to one anotlier,' for sepal 3 is both broader and less 

 regular than sepal 1, which overlaps it on one side. There 



stamens with linear compressed filaments, and flowers we have been able to observe, there were 



mucronate anthers quadrilocular (?) in front. two inserted obliquely opposite one another on a 



The carpels, few in nnniher, are multiovulate ; receptacle bevelled to form a dihedral angle, 

 and the fruits are, it is said, capsular. Only one '^ It is to the Fodophyllea, we have said {Adan- 



species is known, native in Japan ; A. macrophylla sonia, iv. 57), that this plant presents a striking 



S. & Zucc, which is a herb with broad ternately likeness when its gynteceum is of one carpel, 

 compound radical leaves. See H.By. on the Genus * Aconitum T., Inst., 424, t. 23J), 240. — 



Anemonopsis, its Position and Affinities, Adan- L., Gen., n, 682. — J., Gen., 234. — DC, Frodr., 



sonia, viii. 14. i. 56.— Spach, Suit, a Buff., vii. 360.— Endl., 



' Fl. Jap. Fam.^'af. ,\.76,t.l.—Eyvt., Gen., Gen., n. 4797.— B. H., Gen., 9, n. 26.— H. 



n. AS04:K—Waj.v., Ann., i. 955.— B. H., Gen., By. Adansonia, iv. 50; Bict. Enc. Sc. Med., 



7, n. 15. i. 574. — JS'irbisia Dox, Gen. St/st., i. 203 - 



- SiEBOLD and ZrcCARiNi have represented Endi., Gen., n. 4786 a. 

 the plant with a single carpel. In the few * See Adansonia, iv. 9, 50. 



