RANUNCULACE^. (CROWFOOT FAMILY.) 



Order L RANUJVCULACE^. (Crowfoot Family.) 



Herbs or climbing shrubs, with a watery acrid juice. Leaves com- 

 monly divided, their petioles dilated at the base, without stipules. 

 Flowers regular or irregular. Sepals 3-15, distinct, often colored. 

 Petals 5-15, deciduous, often wanting. Stamens hypogynous, indefi- 

 nite. Ovaries distinct, numerous, rarely few or solitary, 1-celled, 1- 

 many-ovuled. Fruit dry or baccate. Embryo minute at the base of 

 fleshy or horny albumen. 



Synopsis of the Genera* 



Tribe I. CLEMATIDEjE. Sepals valTate in the bud, colored. Petals stamen-like 

 or none. Stylo elongated, persistent. Fruit an achenium. — Chiefly vines. Leaves 

 opposite. 

 L ATRAGENE. Petals small and stamen-like. 



2. CLEMATIS. Petals none. 



Tribe II. ANEMONE.^. Sepals imbricated in the bud, colored. Petals none. 

 Ovules solitary. Fruit an achenium. — Herbs, rioral leaves often whorled, forming 

 an involucre. 



3. ANEMONE. Involucre leaf-liko and distant from the long-peduncled flowers. 



4. HEPATICA. Involucre calyx-like and close to the flower. 



5. THAIilCTRUM. Flowers panicled and without an involucre (except in No. 6). Achenia 



ribbed or inflated. Leaves compound. 



6. TRAUTVETTERIA. Flowers corymbed. Involucre none. Achenia 4-angled. Seed erect. 



Leaves simple, lobed. 



Tribe III. RAWUNCUIiE-ffi. Sepals imbricated in the bud, mostly herbaceous. 

 Petals manifest. Ovules solitary. Fruit an achenium. — Herbs. Leaves alt:-rnate. 



7. MYOSURXJS. Sepals spurred at the base. Achenia spiked. Leaves radical, liaear. 



8. RANUNCULUS. Sepals spurless. Achenia capitate. Stems leafy. 



Tribe IT. HELLEBORINEiG. Sepals Imbricated in the bud, colored. Petals of 



various forms, or none. Fruit a 1- many-seeded follicle. Leaves alternate. 



9. CALTIIA. Petals none. Follicle many-seeded. Sepals yellow. Leaves simple. 



10. ISOPYRUM. Petals none. Follicle few-seeded. Sepals white. Leaves compound. 



11. AQUILEGIA. Sepals 6, regular. Petals 6, spur-shaped, hollow. Follicle many-seeded. 



Leaves compound, 



12. DELPHINIUM. Sepals 5, irregular ; the outer one spurred. Petals 4, small ; two of them 



spurred, the others stalked. Follicle many-seeded. Leaves lobed. 



13. ACONITUM Sepals 5. in-egular ; the outer one large, hooded, and enclosing two long- 



stalked, hooked petals ; the other petals stamen-like or wanting. Follicle many -seeded. 

 Leaves lobed. 



14. ZANTHORHIZA. Flowers regular. Sepals and petals 6; the latter 2-lobed. Follicle 



1-2-seeded. Shrubby. Leaves compound. 



Tribe V. CIMICIPUGE^. Sepals imbricated in the bud, colored. Petals small and 

 flat, or none. Fruit a follicle or berry. — Herbs. Leaves alternate. 

 15 HYDRASTIS. Petals none. Ovaries numerous, forming a head of 1-2-seeded berries. 

 Stems 1-flowered. Leaves simple, lobed. 



16. ACTJEA. Petals 4- 8, entire. Ovary solitary, forming a maoy-seeded berry. Flowers in 



short oblong racemes. Leaves compound. 



17. CIMICIFUGA. Petals 3-5 2-cleft;' Ovaries 1-8, forming many-seeded follicles. Ra- 



cemes elongated* Leaves compound* 



