16 LETTER I. 



three bracts underneath the flower, and either six or 

 nine sepals and petals. 



You have seen the Globe-floicers (Trollius), with 

 their yellow heads, in the borders among American 

 plants ; these have a great many sepals, which give 

 the beauty to their flowers ; their petals are little 

 strap-shaped bodies lying on the outside of the stamens ; 

 and each of their carpels contains several seeds ; in 

 this they differ from the Crowfoots, but otherwise re- 

 semble them so much, that before the flowers appear, 

 you would take the Trollius for a Ranunculus. 



Marsh Marigoldy again (Caltha), which grows in 

 large green tufts in the meadows, and by the sides of 

 ditches, differs from the Globe-flower in having no 

 petals at all. Christmas Roses (Helleborus), and Winter 

 Aconites (Eranthis), are also of the Crowfoot tribe ; 

 each differing in one respect or other from those I 

 have mentioned, but possessing the essential charac- 

 ters already explained. 



All the plants yet mentioned, are so like the 

 Ranunculus, that it is impossible to overlook their 

 resemblance, even if it were not pointed out. But 

 there are some others in which the resemblance is 

 less striking at first, although it is equally great when 

 understood. Who has not heard of Larkspurs ? 

 Rocket Larkspurs, with their spikes of white, and 

 pink, and purple starry flowers ; of Bee Larkspurs, 

 which look as if the insect from which they take 

 their name were glued to their inside ; or Siberian 

 Larkspurs, with their branches of blue flowers, which 

 no gem nor mineral can emulate in brightness, or 



