CROWFOOT FAMILY. 41 



blue, with lower petals also entire or nearly so ; the mostly downy leaves have 

 fewer and lanceolate or wedge-lanceolate divisions ; is now much mixed and 

 crossed with others : summer. 



D. aztireum, AZURE L. Wild S. & W., often downy, l-3 high, with 

 narrow linear divisions to the leaves, and a spike-like raceme of rather small, 

 azure, pale-blue, or sometimes white flowers, in spring ; sepals and 2-cleft lower 

 petals oblong. Var. with full-double flowers in gardens : summer. 



D. tricorne, DWARF WILD L. Open woods from Penn. W. & S. : 

 about 1 high from a branched tuberous root; has broader linear lobes to the 

 leaves, and a loose raceme of few or several rather large showy flowers, deep 

 blue or sometimes white, in spring ; sepals and cleft lower petals oblong ; pods 

 strongly diverging. 



D. exalt&tum, TALL WILD L., is the wild species (from Penn. W. & S.) 

 most resembling the next, 3 -5 high, but the less handsome flowers and 

 paiiicled racemes hoary or downy : fl. summer. 



D. elatum, BEE LARKSPUR. Cult, from Eu. : 3 - 6 high, with broad 

 leaves 5 - 7-cleft beyond the middle, and the divisions cut into sharp lobes or 

 teeth ; many flowers (in summer) in a long wand-like raceme, blue or purplish ; 

 the 2-cleft lower petals prominently yellowish-bearded in the common garden 

 form. There are many varieties and mixtures with other species, some double- 

 flowered. 



19. ACONITUM, ACONITE, WOLFSBANE, MONKSHOOD. (An- 

 cient name.) 1| Root thick, tuberous or turnip-shaped, a virulent poison 

 and medicine. Leaves palmately divided or cleft and cut-lobed. Flowers 

 showy : the large upper sepal from its shape is called the casque or helmet. 

 Under it are two long-stalked queer little bodies whicli answer for petals. 

 See Lessons, p. 92, fig. 185, 186, 193. The following are all cult, from Eu. 

 for ornament, except the first : fl. summer. 



A. uncinatum, WILD A. or MONKSHOOD. Stem slender, 3 -5, erect, 

 but bending over above, as if inclined to climb ; leaves cleft or parted into 

 3-5 ovate or wedge-lanceolate cut-toothed lobes ; flowers loosely panicled, blue ; 

 the roundish helmet nearly as broad as high, its pointed visor turned down. 

 Low grounds, from Penn. S. & W. 



A. variegatum, VARIEGATED A. Erect ; leaves divided to the base 

 into rather broad-lobed and cut divisions ; flowers in a loose panicle or raceme, 

 blue and often variegated with white or whitish ; the helmet considerably higher 

 than wide, its top curved forward, its pointed visor ascending or horizontal. 



A. Napellus, TRUE MONKSHOOD or OFFICINAL ACONITE. Erect, 

 from a turnip-shaped root ; leaves divided to the base and then 2-3 times cleft 

 into linear lobes ; flowers crowded in a close raceme, blue (also a white variety) ; 

 helmet ^road and low. 



A. Anthora, a low species, with very finely divided leaves, and crowded 

 yellow flowers, the broad helmet rather high, occurs in some old gardens. 



20. P.2EONIA, P^EONY. ( Ancient name, after a Greek physician, Pceon.) 

 \l Well-known large-flowered ornamental plants, cult, from the Old World. 

 Leaves ternately decompound. Roots thickened below. 



# Herbs, with single-flowered stems, in spring, and downy pods. 



P. officinalis, COMMON P. Very smooth, and with large coarsely di- 

 vided green leaves ; the great flowers red, white, &c., single or very double* 



P. peregrina, of Eu., in the gardens called P. PARODOXA, has leaves 

 glaucous and more or less downy beneath, and smaller flowers than the last, 

 rose-red, &c., generally full double, and petals cut and fringed. 



P. tenuifolia, SLKNDER-LEAVED P. of Siberia, is low, with early crimson- 

 red flowers, and narrow linear divisions to the leaves. 



* * Herbs, with sfveral-Jlowered stems, in summer, and smooth pods. 



P. albifldra, WHITE-FL. or FRAGRANT P., or CHINESE P. Very smooth 

 about 3 high, with bright green foliage, and white or rose-colored, often sweet- 

 scented, rather small flowers, single, also double, and with purple varieties. 

 S & F 13 



