48 RANUNCULACE^E. 



(or rarely three-) leaved near the summit, and terminated by 

 a greenish-white flower. Leaves rounded-cordate, becoming 

 large (4 to 10 inches broad) after flowering, and somewhat 

 resembling those of the Grape-vine, palmately 5 - 7-cleft, 

 toothed and doubly serrate, veiny ; the upper near the flower 

 and sessile ; the lower petioled. Petioles dilated at the base. 



Etymology unexplained. Possibly from vbap, loater, and 8pda>, to act ; 

 in allusion to the medicinal properties of the plant. 



Properties much like those of Zanthorhiza. The bitter rootstock is ton- 

 ic, and apparently somewhat narcotic. Its yellow juice was used by the 

 aborigines for dyeing. 



Geographical Distribution. The single species is a native of the 

 Northern United States and Canada, in damp woods. 



PLATE 18. Hydrastis Canadensis, Linn.; — natural size, in flower; 

 the caducous sepals fallen. (Botanic Garden, Cambridge.) 



1. Diagram of the aestivation of the calyx. 



2. A fallen sepal, enlarged. 



3. A stamen, magnified. 



4. A pistil, magnified. 



5. Vertical section of the ovary of the same. 



6. An ovule, more magnified. 



7. Pistils in fruit ; natural size. 



8. Vertical section of the same. 



9. A seed, magnified. (The hilum in this, as also in the next figure, is 



wrongly representerJ. It is not so salient, but is linear and longer, 

 and extends downward nearly to the smaller end of the seed.) 



10. Vertical section of the same, showing the embryo. 



11. Embryo detached, highly magnified. 



