CROWFOOT FAMILY. 27 



1. H, tri'loba, Chaix. Leaves broadly heart-shaped, or somewhat 

 kidney-shaped, with 3 obtuse lobes ; sepals blue or purplish. 



THREE-LOBEB HEPATICA. Liverwort; Liverleaf. 



Leaves on petioles 3 - 5 inches long. Scapes several, 4-6 inches long, silky-villous. In- 

 volucre villous externally. 

 Open woodlands ; common. April. 



06s. One of the earliest flowers of spring, blooming in rocky woods 

 as soon as the snow disappears. The leaves remain through the 

 winter, and when old are purplish below. A variety, or what is by 

 some considered a species (H.acutiloba, DC.), has very acute lobes to the 

 leaves. This plant, which has no especial interest to the agriculturist, 

 is noticed on account of some popular reputation it has as a remedy. 

 It forms a slightly astringent mucilaginous infusion, which is used by 

 the " herb doctors" in diseases of the lungs, in which it is probably as 

 harmless as any other warm drink. 



2. THALIC'TRUM, L. MEADOW-RUE. 



[A name of obscure derivation.] 



Often dioecious or polygamous. Sepals 4-5, petal-like, soon falling. 

 Petals none. Akenes 4-15, ribbed or grooved, pointed by the short 

 style. Perennial herbs, with 2 - 3-ternately compound leaves and corym- 

 bose or paniculate flowers. 



1. T. Cqrim'ti, L. Dioecious or polygamous ; leaves ternately decom- 

 pound, divided to the base ; those of the ctem without common petioles ; 

 leaflets 3-lobed at the apex, glaucous and more or less pubescent ; 

 flowers white, in loose compound panicles. 



COENUTUS'S THALICTRUM. Meadow-rue. 



Stem 3-6 feet high, rather stout, branching, furrowed and hollow. 



Obs. This is very common in wet meadows and along rivulets, where 

 its showy white flowers are likely to attract the notice of the farmer. 

 It can hardly be considered a troublesome plant. * 



3. RANUN'CULUS, L. BUTTERCUP. CROWFOOT. 



[Latin, Rana, a frog ; the plant often growing where that animal is found.] 



Sepals 5. Petals 5, with a scale or pit on the inside, at the base. Sta- 

 mens mostly numerous. Akenes numerous, compressed, ovate, pointed, 

 disposed in roundish or cylindrical heads. Annual or perennial herbs, 

 with mostly radical leaves, and solitary or somewhat corymbed mostly 

 yellow flowers. 



