Ord. RANUNCULACE^E. 



Herbse vel suflrutices (succo aqueo acridi) exstipulatae, 

 plerumque dissectifolias, dicotyledoneas, polypetalas seu mo- 

 nochlamydese, hypogynas, polyandras ; carpellis discretis (in- 

 definitis vel paucis, raro solitariis) ; seminibus exarillatis ; 

 embryone in basi albuminis corneo-carnosi minimo. 



Randncdlace^, Juss. DC. Syst. 1. p. 127. Endl. Gen. p. 843. 



The Crowfoot Family presents so many gradations and diversities of 

 form and character, that it cannot readily be defined, although there is no 

 question as to its boundaries, nor any other hypogynous and polyandrous 

 family with which any of the genera are likely to be confounded. The prin- 

 cipal diversities it presents are brought sufficiently into view in the subjoined 

 conspectus of our genera, arranged under their proper tribes. It should be 

 mentioned, as exceptional to the ordinal character, that Zanthorhiza has few 

 and definite stamens, which is also the case, although less constantly, in sev- 

 eral other genera : and in Nigella the ovaries are more or less united. 



An acrid principle, which is mostly dissipated in drying or by heat, per- 

 vades the whole order; so that the fresh herbage, roots, &c, are poison- 

 ous. Many have showy flowers, and are cultivated for ornament. 



While engaged in preparing the drawings for these illustrations, during 

 the spring and summer of 1846, Mr. Sprague directed my attention to the 

 fact, that in all our Ranunculaceas with a solitary suspended ovule, the raphe 

 is dorsal, or external, that is, on the side next the dorsal suture of the car- 

 pel, and not on the side of the ovulum which is next the placenta, where it 

 properly belongs, according to the general rule long since laid down by Mr. 

 Brown.* I find that this anomaly has been noticed by Schleiden.f and re- 

 cently by Barneoud, % who, however, has not very clearly indicated the pe- 

 culiarity. It would appear that it arises from the very early reversion of an 

 ovule like that of Ranunculus, developed from the upper part of the ventral 

 suture, at a point which in subsequent growth becomes the summit of the 

 cell; and thus, like the case of later reversion in Euonymus, long since 



* In King's Narrative, App. 2. p. 549. 

 t In Wiegmann's Archiv fur Naturgesch. 1839, p. 285. t. 8. 

 t In Ann. Sci. Hat. for November, 1846 (published only in the spring of 1847). 

 2 



