82 NATURAL HISTORY OF PL^iNTS. 



subextrorsc. Ovaries 5-ovulate ; four superior ovules in two vertical 

 pairs, abortive, minute ; one inferior fertile usually descending ; 

 micropyle superior introrse. Fruit baccate or drupaceous, or more 

 usually of capitate achenia, surmounted by the sliort, or caudate, 

 naked or bearded styles. Seed ascending, or more usually de- 

 scending, micropyle introrse. — Perennial herbs, with a subterranean 

 stock, and alternate compound or lobed leaves. Flowers axillary, 

 or more usually terminal, solitary, or in pseudo-umbellate cymes ; 

 involucre 1 — 3 leaved, at a variable distance from the flower; leaves 

 entire or compound {Europe, Asia, S. Africa, Australia, N. and S. 

 Anwricn). See p. 41. 



13. Callianthemum C. A. Mey. — Perianth of Ranunculus, petals 

 with a nectariferous pit at the base. Stamens oo , free, spirally ar- 

 ranged ; anthers dehiscing by lateral or subintrorse clefts. Carpels 

 00, 2 -ovulate ; one ovule abortive, the other finally pendulous ; micro- 

 pyle superior extrorse, raphe introrse, achenes capitate naked. — 

 Perennial herbs with alternate compound or incised leaves. Flowers 

 terminal pedunculate {Eurojje, iem2:)erate parts of Asia). See p. 48. 



14? Hydrastis L. — Calyx 3-merous petaloid very caducous. 

 Stamens oo, spirally arranged ; anthers basifixed ; cells dehiscing by 

 lateral clefts. Carpels oo sessile 2 -ovulate ; one ovule usually 

 ascending with the micropyle extrorse inferior. Fruit baccate 

 capitulate ; seeds crustaceous embedded in pulp. — Erect herbs with 

 few alternate palmatifid leaves. Flowers solitary terminal {N. 

 America). See p. 49. 



III. CLEMATIDE^. 



1.5. Clematis L.— Calyx 4-, more rarely 5— 10-merous, petaloid 

 valvate or induplicate, after expansion often imbricate. Staminodes 

 external petaloid oo, or more often 0. Fertile stamens cd, free, spirally 

 inserted on the convex receptacle, anthers dehiscing by lateral, more 

 rarely introrse, clefts. Carpels co, free, ovaries 5-ovulate ; ovules 

 4-superior in 2-vertical pairs, abortive minute ; inferior fertile de- 

 scending ; micropyle superior introrse. Achenes capitate, surmounted 

 by the short or caudate, naked or bearded style. Seeds descending. 

 Flowers often polygamous or dioecious Most usually climbing 



