14 RANUNCULACE.E. 



naked peduncles, appearing with the leaves in spring from 

 the same axillary hud, terminating the abbreviated branch, 

 the crowded leaves of which often appear, at first sight, as 

 if verticillate around the stem of the preceding year (whence 

 the improper name of Clematis verticillaris, DC). Invo- 

 lucre none. 



Etymolocy. Adpayew], a name of Theophrastus, probably for Clematis 

 Vitalba, L. (DC.) 



Properties. The watery juice is acrid, as in most of the family ; the 

 acridity dissipated in drying. 



Geographical Distribution. Natives of the northern and cold or moun- 

 tainous regions of the northern hemisphere, in North America extending 

 southward to lat. 36°, both along the Alleghany and the Rocky Mountains. 



PLATE 1. Atragene Americana, Sims : — a flowering branch, of the 

 natural size. 



1. Sepal detached. 



2. A petal somewhat enlarged, seen from within. 



3. Another petal, seen from without. 



4. 5, 6. Stamens somewhat magnified; fig. 5, inside view. 



7. Pistils ; the rest of the flower removed from the receptacle. 



8. Separate pistil, enlarged. 



9. Vertical section of an ovary, more magnified, show-ing the suspended 



ovule with its raphe on the dorsal side. 

 10. Pistil in fruit, enlarged to four times the natural size ; the achenium 

 divided to display the seed. 



