Caltha. RANUNCULACE.'E. 17 



Tribe III. HELLEBOREjE. DC. 



Petals irregular, often bilabiate or tubular, nectariferous, sometimes wanting. Calyx petaloid. 

 Anthers mostly extrorse. Carpels few {rarely solitary), follicular, with several seeds. 



CONSPECTUS OF THE GENERA. 



5. CiLTHA. Sepals 6-0. Petals none. 



6. Tkollius. Sepals 5 - 15. Petals 5 - 20, small and one-lippcd. 



7. CopTis. Sepals 5-6, deciduous. Petals 5 - G, with claws. Follicles stipitate, membranaceous. 



8. Helleborus. Sepals 5, persistent. Petals 8 - 10, small, tubular. Follicles sessile, coriaceous. 



9. AaciLEGiA. Sepals 5, deciduous. Petals 5, each with a long spur. 



10. Delphinium. Sepals 5, irregular, one of them spurred. Petals 4, very irregular, two of them with spurs which are 



concealed in the spur of the calyx. 



11. AcoNiTtJM. Sepals 5, irregular, one of them large and vaulted. Petals 5, very irregular, the two upper ones on lonir 



claws. 



5. CALTHA. Linn.; DC. syst. 1. p. 30G; Endl. gen. i786. MARSH marigold. 



[From the Greek, kalathos, a cup ; in allusion to the form of the flowers.] 



Calyx of 6 - 10 petaloid sepals. Petals none. Stamens numerous. Ovaries 5-10-16. 

 Follicles compressed, spreading, many-seeded. — Perennial, very smooth herbs. Leaves 

 cordate or reniform. 



1. Caltha palustris, Linn. Common Marsh Marigold. 



Stem erect ; leaves orbiculate-cordate or reniform, obtusely crenatc, or nearly entire, the 

 lobes rounded ; sepals usually 5 (sometimes 6), broadly oval. — MicJix.Jl. l.p. 234; Pursh, 

 fl. 2. p. 390 ; DC.prodr. 1. /). 44 ; Darlingt. f,. Cest.p. 336 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fi. N. Am. 1. 

 p. 26. 



var. integerrima : radical leaves ■wholly entire ; floral ones sessile, obscurely crenatc ; 

 petals obovate. — Torr. ^ Gr. I. c. C. integerrima, Pursh, I. c. ; DC.prodr. l.p. 45. 



Root consisting of coarse fasciculate fibres. Stem 6-10 inches high, erect, rather thick 

 and succulent, corymbosely or dichotomously branched above. Radical leaves 2-4 inches 

 broad, on petioles 3-8 inches or more in length, sometimes acutely toothed. Flowers few, 

 somewhat corymbose, an inch or more in diameter, bright yellow. Sepals about twice as long 

 as the stamens. Carpels 8 - 10, oblong, somewhat recurved, mucronatc with the style. Seeds 

 oblong, dark purple, horizontally arranged in a double series. 



Common in swamps. Var. integerrima, near Peekskill (Dr. Crandcll). Fl. April - May. 

 In its early spring state, the plant is used as a potherb, or one of the numerous articles called 

 " greens " in the United States, A syrup prepared from it is a popular remedy for coughs. 



[Flora.] 3 



