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CLASS I. DICOTYLE'DONES. 



SUB-CLASS I. ANGIOSPER'IkLE. 



ORDER I. RANUNCULA'CE^E. 



HERBS rarely shrubs. Leaves radical or alternate, opposite in Clematis ; 

 stipules 0, or adriate to the petiole. Flowers regular or irregular, 1-2- 

 sexual. Sepals 5 or more, rarely 2-4, deciduous, often petaloid, usually 

 imbricate in bud. Petals 0, or 5 or more, rarely 3, imbricate in bud, often 

 minute or deformed. Stamens many, hypogynous ; anthers basifixed, 

 dehiscence subdorsal. Disk 0. Carpels many, rarely 1, usually free, 

 1 -celled ; stigma simple ; ovules 1 or more on the ventral suture, anatro- 

 pous, erect with a ventral or pendulous with a dorsal raphe. Fruit of 

 1 -seeded achenes, or many-seeded follicles. Seed small, albumen copious ; 

 embryo minute. DISTRIB. Abundant in temp, and cold regions ; genera 

 30; species 503. AFFINITIES. With Berberidece and Papaveracece ; analo- 

 gies with Alismacece and Rosacece. PROPERTIES. Usually acrid. EXCEP- 

 TIONAL FORMS (British). Stem woody in Clematis ; flowers polygamous 

 in Thalietrum ; sepals persistent, carpels connate in Helleborus ; stamens 

 few in Myosurus ; follicle sometimes solitary in Delphinium ; berry 

 solitary, and stigma dilated in Actcea. 



TRIBE I. CIiEMATI'DEJE, Sepals valvate. Shrubs with opposite leaves . 



1. Clematis 



TRIBE II. ANEMO'NE-ffi. Sepals imbricate. Achenes with 1 pendulous 

 seed. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 4-5, petaloid. Petals 2. Thalietrum. 



Involucre of 3 leaves. Sepals 4-20, petaloid. Petals 3. Anemone. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 5-8, petaloid. Petals 5-16, conspicuous 3* Adonic. 



Involucre 0. Sepals 5, spurred. Petals small, tubular 4. Myosurus. 



TRIBE III. RANUN'CUIiEJE. Sepals imbricate. Achenes with 1 ascend- 

 ing seed , 5. Ranunculus. 



TRIBE IV. HEL.L.EBO RE-ffi. Sepals imbricate. Follicles many-seeded, 

 except in Actcea. 



