BUTTERCUP FAMILY 83 



m. NELUMBO Adans. 



Rootstock large and stout. Leaves round, shield-shaped, 

 often raised above the -water. Flowers large, raised above water 

 at first, but often submerged after blooming. Sepals and petals 

 hypogynous, numerous, the inner sepals and outer petals not 

 distinguishable from each other. Stamens many, hypogynous. 

 Pistils several, 1-ovuled, borne in pits in the flattish upper sur- 

 face of a top-shaped receptacle, which enlarges greatly in fruit. 



1. N. lutea Pers. American Lotus, Water Chinquapin.. Root- 

 stock often 3-4 in. in diameter, horizontal. Leaves 1^-2^ ft. broad, 

 prominently ribbed, with much bloom above, often downy beneath. 

 Petioles and peduncles stout. Flowers pale yellow, 5-9 in. broad. 

 Sepals and petals falling quickly. Fruit top-shaped, 3-4 in. in diam- 

 eter ; the seeds | in. in diameter. In ponds and slow-running streams 

 W., introduced from the Southwest.* 



33. RANUNCULACE.S;. Buttercup Family 



Herbs, rarely shrubs, usually with biting or bitter juice. 

 Leaves basal or alternate (in Clematis opposite ; stem leaves 

 or involucre whorled in Anemone); stipules none or adnata 

 to the petiole. Floral organs all distinct and unconnected. 

 Sepals 5 or more (rarely 2-4), falling early, often petal-like. 

 Petals none, or 5 or more (rarely 3). Stamens many. Carpels 

 many, 1-celled ; stigmas simple ; ovules 1 or more. Fruit com- 

 posed of 1-seeded akenes or many-seeded follicles. Seeds smalh 



A 



Flowers zygomorphic. 



With a spur. Delphinium, XII 



With a hood. Aconitum, XIII 



B 

 Flowers actinomorphic. 



1. Petals present (in (c) not very unlike the stamens). 



(a) Petals very large and showy. Pseonia, IX 



(J) Petals small, tubular at the tip. Coptis, X 



(c) Petals narrow, spatulate, on slender claws. Actaea, XIV 



(d) Petals prolonged backward into spurs. Aquilegia, XI 



(e) Petals flat, with a little scale at the base, inside. Ranunculus, I 



