I. RANUNCULACE.E. 



181 



18. *Helleborus. Sepals 5, regular, petaloid or sub-herbaceous, usually persistent. 

 Petals small, clawed, nectariform ; blade furnished at the base with an inner lip, or a scale. 

 Carpels many, sessile or subsessile, distinct or coherent at the base, many-ovuled, dehiscing 

 inwards at the top when ripe. Seeds 2-seriate ; testa crustaceous, shining. Erect herbs ; 

 rootstock perennial. Leaves palmati-sect or -lobed, or digitate, cauline few, the upper sometimes 

 involucriform or all bracteiform. Flowers large, white, greenish, yellowish or livid, solitary 

 orpanicled. Sepals large. Follicles coriaceous or membranous. Europe and Western Asia. 



H. nig(r. fi. foctidus. hranthis. 



Petal. Petal. Petal (mag.) 



Eranthis. 



Seed, entire and cut 

 vertically (mag.). 



Eranlliis hitinalis. 



H th it. Flower cut vertically. ' 



Kranlhis. Diagram. 



