BUTTERCUP FAMILY. Ranunculacc&c. 



There are only a few kinds of Actaea, tall perennials, 

 with large, alternate, thrice-compound leaves and small, 

 white flowers, in short, terminal clusters. The sepals 

 number about four and resemble petals; the petals are 

 from four to ten, or sometimes none, with claws; the 

 stamens are numerous, with conspicuous white filaments; 

 the one pistil has a broad, somewhat two-lobed, stigma, and 

 the fruit is a large, showy, red or white, somewhat poisonous 

 berry, containing many, smooth, flat seeds. 



This is a fine plant, from one to two 

 Actata arguta ^ eet ta ^ with a stoutish, smooth, branch- 

 White ing stem and handsome leaves, prettily 

 Spring, summer cut, with pointed teeth, thin and soft in 

 West, except Ariz. texture> with consp i cuous ve ins. The 



sepals and petals of the small cream-white flowers are less 

 conspicuous than the numerous white stamens, which give 

 a very feathery appearance to the flower-cluster, which is 

 one or two inches long and speckled with the dark tips of 

 the pistils. The sepals and petals drop off early and the 

 stamens lengthen, so that the cluster becomes very airy 

 and delicate. The general effect of the plant, which grows 

 near shady mountain streams, is striking and graceful. 

 It grows also in the East and is sometimes slightly sweet- 

 scented, but often has an unpleasant smell. The hand- 

 some, poisonous berries are oval or round, red or white, 

 with a polished surface, and contain many seeds. This 

 reaches an altitude of ten thousand feet. A very similar 

 kind, A . viridiflbra, grows in the mountains of Arizona. 



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