68 



NATURAL mSTOEY OF PLANTS. 



surface, and formed like those of the other Ea/iunculacca (^g. 109). 

 Like Clt'inath and Thalidnnu, any of the species of Adeea may, 



Actaa hracht/peiala. 

 Fig. 104. 

 Flower. 



Act(ta spicnta. 



Fig. 105. 

 Floriferous branch 



Fig. 106. 

 Flower. 



chiefly owing to cultivation, acquire petaloid lamina} of variable size 

 and position,' which represent the outer stamens transformed into 

 staminodes (figs. 1 OG, 107). They are herbaceous plants found in the 



Fig. 107. 

 LongitudinaV section of flower. 



Actaa »picata. 



Fig. 108. 

 Fruit. 



Fig. 109. 

 Transverse section of fruit . 



cold and temperate regions of Europe,' Asia,'' and North A 



ni erica. 



^ In A. spienin we may observe four or five 

 pctuloid Htaininodes nearly exactly alternate with 

 the Bcpalu (a» in li^fs. 100, 1U7), but this position 

 18 not constant. We also hud nearly complete 

 ulternation in the totrainerons flower of A. 

 brfu-hi/ptliihi, represented in i'n:. 101. In Cimi. 

 cifuija frill idn W.\i.l,. and Arlinoxpvrii dnhurica 

 FlBfll. & Mky., are often seen the whole set of 

 tnmsitional forms between entire jietals, bilid 

 petals, and stamenH with bifurcated tilaments, 

 each bramh of which sui)iH)rlM an ubnoriiial 

 anther-cell. 



-• Okkn. & OoDR., Fl. /v.. i. 51. IvEUiin., 

 Iron., iv. 121. — II. Bn., Atlnnmnia, iv. 51; 

 Dirt. Eiicycl. Si: Med., i OGS.— W.vli-., Rep., i. 

 1(1 ; ii. 7:J8 ; Ann., \. 5, 1)53 ; ii 5 ; iv. U. 



^ SiEU. & Zl'CC, Act. Phy». Monac, iii. 

 734, t. 3.— Fiscii. k Met., LhI. Srm. Jfort. 

 Petrop. (1835),i. 20.— WaI-I... Pl.Aniat. rarior., 

 t. 12l>, 2(54. — Hook. F. & TuoM«.. Fl. Lid., i. 



r.H. 



* Hook., Fl. Bor.-Amer., t. 2.— Hafin., •« 

 A^.- York Med. Rtpog., ii. v. 350- A <;u vv, 7//.. 

 t. 1!», 20. 



