352 ORDER RANUNCULACE^:. 



is to those of Rosacese ; but they may be at once distinguished 

 by the position of the stamens, which in the latter, are adherent 

 to the calyx, instead of arising at once from the receptacle. 



507. All the plants agreeing in these general characters, also 

 agree in their properties; for their juice is constantly acrid and 

 nauseous, though in a degree which varies in the different species. 

 In some of them, there is also a certain amount of a narcotic 

 principle. These properties cause several species to be useful in 

 medicine, as will be presently noticed ; but they prevent them 

 from being of much utility as food, causing them to be usually 

 rejected by cattle, which eagerly devour the harmless plants 

 around. The Ranunculaceae further agree in being either her- 

 baceous or shrubby plants; never rising to the dignity of standard 

 trees. 



508. Of the Ranunculus itself, many species are natives of 

 Britain. Among the commonest are the R. acris of our mea- 

 dows, and the R. sceleratus, or Celery-leaved Crowfoot, of the 

 sides of pools and ditches. Both these derive their specific 

 names from the acridity of their juices, which excoriate the skin, 

 and even form ulcers that are difficult to heal ; and the simply 

 holding specimens in the hand for a short time, will sometimes 

 inflame its surface. The R. aquatilis, or Water-Crowfoot, is 

 one of the least virulent of the order ; and in some parts of the 

 country, where it abounds, it is employed by cottagers as a 

 fodder for cows and even horses. There is a curious distinction 

 between the leaves of this species, some being submersed beneath 

 the water in which the plant grows, whilst others float upon its 

 surface; the former are subdivided into a large number of 

 rounded hair-like filaments ; whilst the latter are but little 

 separated into lobes. Some foreign species of Ranunculus are 

 much cultivated in gardens, on account of the beauty of their 

 flowers, which have a tendency to become double, that is, to have 

 one or more additional whorls of petals developed within the 

 ordinary corolla, at the expense of a corresponding number of 

 stamens. 



509. To this group also belong the well-known Anemonies, 

 whose flowers are so attractive with their white, blue, or purple 



