RANUNCULA CE&. 



257 



definite, varying from five to nine usually. The stamens are 

 more numerous, as is the general rule in the members of the 

 family, but the number of the pistils is small. Each one is 

 separate, and forms a little pod when the seed is ripe. The 

 marsh-marigold, as its name implies, occurs in marshy or wet 

 places and along the muddy banks of streams. It is one of the 



common flowers in April and 



May. 



Exercise 7 1 . 



415. The Buttercup. — If preferred, a 

 species of buttercup may be studied instead 

 of the marsh-marigold, but a comparison 

 with the latter is de- 

 sirable. 



The entire plant. 



— Describe form and 



habit of the plant ; 



the character of the 



stem ; branching ; 



the form and arrangement of the 



leaves ; the character of the roots 



(these characters will depend on the 



species). 



The inflorescence. — What kind of in- 

 florescence ? What parts of the flower 

 are present? Describe the color and 

 form of members of the different sets of 

 the flower. Determine the number of 

 members in each set (approximately if not ac- 

 curately). 



Sketch a sepal, a petal (is a nectar gland pres- 

 ent?), a stamen, and a pistil, noting carefully the characters of each. 



Do the stamens all ripen their pollen at the same time ? Is there any ad- 

 vantage as regards the time of ripening of the stamens ? 



What is the relation of the members of a set among themselves ? What is 

 the relation of the sets to each other ? 



Is the flower perfect or imperfect ; complete or incomplete ? Is it regular 

 or irregular ; hypogynous, perigynous, or epigynous ? Are the parts of the 

 flower free and distinct, or adherent, or coherent? 



Fig. 221. 

 Diagram of marsh-marigold 



