BANUNCULAGE^. 



45 



is at some distance from the flower ; but in Repafica^ and Bar- 

 neoiidia^ the sessile leaves are normally so near the coloured peri- 

 anth as to play the part of a true foliaceous calyx. Finally, in 

 some species, it is said, the involucre is completely wanting.^ 



Adonis' has been considered by all botanists as a distinct genus 

 from Anemone, because the inner leaves of the perianth are more 

 distinctly petaloid than the outer ones, which their more greenish 

 tint has alone led to be considered as sepals. But we shall not admit 

 this separation, because this difference in the coloration and texture 

 of the two whorls of the perianth exists also, though to a less degree 



umbellata. The principal axis ends in a flower, 

 and the younger flowers axilhiry to the leaves of 

 the involucre grow quickly enough to simulate a 

 sort of umbel with the central flower. This is 

 in appearance only, however, for the inflorescence 

 is really a centrifugal cyme with only secondary 

 flowers. In other species, as A. virginiana, 

 ranunculoides, we usually only observe two 

 flowers — one terminal, the other in the axils of 

 one of the bracts of the involucre. JrssiEU 

 long ago remarked [Mem. Acad. Ann. 73, p. 229) 

 that one of these flowers may have only male 

 organs. In A. nemorosa, the existence of the 

 lateral flower is quite exceptional (See Bull, Soc. 

 Bot. Fr., vi. 290). 



' Hepatica Dili., Nov. Gen. Giess., 108. — 

 DC, Prodr., i. 22.— Spach, Suit, a Buff., vii. 

 240. — H. triloba Chaix. ap. Vill., Daupli., i. 

 336. — H. nohiUs Eeichb., Ic. Ran., 47. — 

 Anemone Hepatica L., Spec, 758. — Geen. & 

 Goi)E., Fl. Fr., i. 15. The petaloid perianth of 

 Hepatica is double and trimerous, the outer 

 whorl alternating with the involucre, and the 

 inner whorl with the outer ; but this inner whorl 

 has far more often four, five, or more leaves, owing 

 to the occurrence of the deduplication. The 

 lateral anther cells have a nearly marginal 

 dehiscence, rather introrse than extrorse. Each 

 carpel contains five ovules, the development of 

 the four highest of which (arranged in two pairs) 

 is early arrested [Adansonia, ii. 206). Another 

 very remarkable peculiarity of Hepatica is that 

 of its mode of growth, very clearly explained by 

 Beaux in his work, I)as Individuum der 

 Pjlanze (63, 73, t. 1, fig. 3). We have seen 

 {Adansonia, ii. 204) that the rhizomes of Hepatica 

 bear buds destined to become true branches in 

 the following Spring, bearing leaves and flowers. 

 " These branches with very short axes at first bear 

 alternate whitish scales. These are enlarged pe- 

 tiolary sheaths, and may bear a small rudimentary- 

 blade at the tip. The lowest are sterile, hut 

 higher up each bears a flower in its axil. Still 

 higher the scales become perfect three-lobed 

 leaves. This explains how it is that the flowers 



of this plant appear above ground before the 

 leaves. The parts expand in order of formation : 

 first the flowers, answering to the scales or lower 

 leaves, and afterwards the leaves at the top of 

 the branch." Finally, the flowers of Hepatica 

 are axillary, and the axis of vegetation not 

 terminated. See here, as elsewhere, the works 

 of Iemisch (p. 41, note 3). 



It is only exceptionally that the involucre of 

 Hepatica is at a distance from the flower. It is 

 normally so near it as to play the part of a calyx 

 to the petaloid pieces of the perianth. We may, 

 indeed, even consider it as such, following Patek 

 {Organog., 254), who regards it as analogous to 

 that of Ficaria (see Adansonia, ii. 204). It is 

 difficult to pronounce decisively what absolute 

 value we must assign to the involucres and calx ces 

 in a family of plants which instead of being, as 

 is usually held, a type of organic perfection, is 

 probably a collection of degenerate types in which 

 there is no precise boundary-line between the 

 floral organs and those of vegetation. (See, on this 

 subject, M. Cuatin's work entitled F.ssai sur 

 la Mesiire d'Flevation, on de Perfection Or- 

 ganiqv.e, &c.) We have seen the involucre of ^. 

 pavonina entirely formed of red petaloid blades 

 like those which usually form a perianth, and at 

 a variable distance from the rest of the flower. 



" Barneoiidia chilensis C. Gay, Fl. Chil., \. 

 29, t. 1, fig. 2. — Anemone B. H., Gen., 4. — 

 The leaves of the involucre, five or six in number, 

 closely applied to the flower are considered by 

 Bextham & Hooker as only three leaves, 

 bipartite and lobed. 



3 «• In A. integrifolia Spe., Peitz., Zinneea, 

 XV. 694 (Hamadryade andicola Hook., Icon. PL 

 ii., t. 137), involucrum omnino deest. Ccetera 

 omnia cum Anemone conveniunt" (B. H., Gen., 4). 



* Adonis Dill., Nov. Gen. Giess., 109.— L., 

 Gen.,n.6Q8.—J.,Gen.,232.—DC.,Prodr.,\.23.— 

 Spach, Suit, a Buff., vii. 222.— Exdl., Gen., n. 

 4778.— SxEV., Ann. Sc. Nat., ser. 3, xii. 370. 

 — B. H., Gen., 5, n. 6.— H. Bx. Adan- 

 sonia, iv. 52. — Ranunculi spec. T., 291. — Sar- 

 pedonia Adaxs., Fam. PL, ii, 601. 



