Gf.nus 



CROWFOOT FAMILY 



I. Isopyrum biternatum (Raf.) T. & G. 

 False Rue Anemone. Fig. i860. 



Enemion biternatum Raf. Journ. Phys. 91 : 70. 1820. 

 /. biternatum T. & G. Fl. N. A. i : 660. 1840. 



Slender, erect, paniculately branching above; roots 

 fibrous and sometimes tuberiferous. Basal leaves 

 long-petioled, biternate, thin, the ultimate segments 

 broadly obovate, obtuse, lobed or divided; upper 

 ones similar but sessile or short-petioled ; flowers 

 several, terminal and axillary, white, $"-9" broad; 

 sepals S, oblong or somewhat obovate, obtuse ; petals 

 none; stamens many; filaments slender, white, thick- 

 ened above; carpels few; follicles widely spreading, 

 ovate, 2" long, several-seeded, tipped with a beak 

 nearly one-half their length. 



In moist woods and thickets, Ontario to Minnesota, 

 Kansas, Florida and Texas. May. 



8. XANTHORRHIZA L'Her. Stirp. Nov. 

 79. 1784. 



A low shrubby plant, with pinnate or bipinnate leaves, and small compoundly racemose 

 flowers. Sepals 5, petaloid, deciduous. Petals 5, smaller than the sepals, unguiculate, con- 

 cave, 2-lobed. Stamens S or 10. Carpels 5-15, sessile, 2-ovuled, forming i-seeded follicles 

 at maturity by the suppression of one of the ovules; styles short, at length dorsal. [Greek, 

 yellow root.] 



A monotypic genus of eastern North America. 



I. Xanthorrhiza apiifolia L'Her. Shrub 

 Yellow-root. Fig. 1861. 



X. apiifolia L'Her. Stirp. Nov. 79. 1784. 

 Xantlwi-rhica simplicissima Marsh. Arb. Amer. 

 168. 1785. 



Glabrate, i°-2° high, the bark and long 

 roots yellow and bitter. Leaves pinnate or 

 sometimes bipinnate, clustered at the summit 

 of the short stem, the blade s'-6' long, slender- 

 petioled; leaflets S, thin, I'-f long, incisely 

 toothed, cleft or divided, sessile, ovate or 

 oblong, acute, cuneate, shining; branches of 

 the raceme or panicle slender, drooping, 2'-3' 

 long; flowers about 2" broad, pedicelled, soH- 

 tary or 2-3 together, brownish-purple ; sepals 

 ovate, acute ; follicles 4-8, inflated, light yel- 

 low, l-seeded, diverging, curved at the apex, 

 minutely beaked. 



In vi^oods, southwestern New York to Kentucky 

 and Florida. Also called Yellow-wood. The low- 

 est leaves are sometimes 3-foliolate. Parsley- 

 leaved yellow-root. April-May. 



9. ACTAEA L. Sp. PI. 504. 1753. 



Erect perennial herbs, with large ternately compound leaves, and small white flowers 

 in terminal racemes. Sepals 3-5, petaloid, fugacious. Petals 4-10, small, spatulate or narrow, 

 clawed. Stamens numerous ; filaments slender. Ovary i, many-ovuled, forming in fruit a 

 large somewhat poisonous berry; stigma broad, sessile. Seeds numerous, in 2 rows, hori- 

 zontal. [An ancient name of the elder.] 



About 6 known species, natives of the north temperate zone. Besides the following another 

 occurs in the western United States. Type species : Actaea spicata L. 



Pedicels slender; berries red. i. A. rubra. 



Pedicels stout ; berries white. 2. A. alba. 



