220 NATURAL HISTORY. 



gold color, giving the fields a gay appearance ; blooms in 

 May or June ; many call it buttercup. As it is very 

 acrid, it is bad food for cattle, and as a troublesome weed, 

 very detrimental to the meadows. By boiling, it loses 

 its acrid property. The garden ranunculus is considered 

 quite ornamental, but there are many wild plants belong- 

 ing to this species, which are very poisonous. 2. Class 

 13, Linn. 



Tall Crow Foot (Ranunculus ficarius). Leaves heart- 

 shaped, lanciniate, somewhat fleshy ; roots tuberculated ; 

 flowers yellow, with from eight to ten petals. Found in 

 spring ; very common in woods. Leaves and tubers eat- 

 able ; the last, when washed out by the rain, has a sweet 

 taste, and obtained for itself the very popular name of 

 Rain Manna. 



The Wood Anemone or Wind Flower (Anemone 

 nemorosa), Linn. Leaves tripartite with lancet-shaped, 

 acuminate tips ; flowers whitish. Found everywhere in 

 woods in March and April : is acrid and often injurious 

 to cattle grazing where it grows. It . A species consid- 

 ered ornamental is cultivated in gardens. 



Virgin's Bower (Clematis vitalba), Linn. Leaves 

 tailed, feathered, and deeply notched; the stalk flexible 

 and climbing. Frequent in moist woodlands and thick- 

 ets, clinging to supports by its petiolate leaves ; the flow- 

 ers white and umbelliferous. 



The Pcsony (Pseonia officinalis). CoreJJa full-leaved ; 

 petals leaf-shaped, numbering from five to tea: flat, red 

 mostly, but sometimes sprinkled with white, and from 

 two to five germ buds. Leaves feathered ; fruit-pods 

 felt-like. This handsome plant grows wild on the rocky 

 hills of southern Europe, but is cultivated in gardens for 

 sake of its beauty. Blooming in May or June, the 



