BUTTERCUP FAMILY. Ranancalaceae. 



There are only a few kinds of Actaea, tall perennial; 

 with large, alternate, thrice-compound leaves and smal 

 white flowers, in short, terminal clusters. The sepa, 

 number about four and resemble petals; the petals ai 

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

 stamens are numerous, with conspicuous white filament; 

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

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

 berry, containing many, smooth, flat seeds. 



This is a fine plant, from one to t\\ 

 feet tal1 ' with a stoutish > smooth, brand 

 White ing stem and handsome leaves, pretti! 



Spring, summer C ut, with pointed teeth, thin and soft 

 West, except Ariz. texture) with consp icuous veins. Tl 

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

 conspicuous than the numerous white stamens, which gh 

 a very feathery appearance to the flower-cluster, which 

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

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

 stamens lengthen, so that the cluster becomes very ail 

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

 near shady mountain streams, is striking and graceft 

 It grows also in the East and is sometimes slightly swee 

 scented, but often has an unpleasant smell. The han< 

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

 with a polished surface, and contain many seeds. Th 

 reaches an altitude of ten thousand feet. A very simil; 

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



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