CHARACTEBi? OF RANUNCULAOKJS. 21 



The sytnbol oo means " indefinite," or " numerous," and 

 may be used when the parts of any organ exceed ten in 

 number. 



Under the head "Eemarks" you may describe any- 

 thing worthy of notice, for which provision is not made 

 elsewhere in the schedule. 



If you use the exercise-book which has been prepared 

 to accompany the text-book, you will find also space for 

 drmoing such parts as are not easy to describe in words. 



27. The three plants upon which we have been en- 

 gaged up to this point are representatives or types of a 

 very large group, called by botanists Ranunculacem, that 

 is, Rdnunculaceous plants. All the members of it, whilst 

 they may differ in certain minor cha,racteristics, agree in 

 a,ll the more important respects. The minor differences, 

 such as we have observed in our examination of the 

 specimens, lead to the sub-division of the group into 

 several smaller groups, but any plant exhibiting the 

 peculiarities common to all three may be regarded as 

 typical of the Order, which is the name given to the 

 group as a whole. These common peculiarities may be 

 summed up with sufficient accuracy for our present pur- 

 pose, as follows : 



1. TJie circles of flower-leaves, that is to say, the sepals, 



petals, stamens, and carpels, are' entirely distinct, 

 and unconnected with each other. 



2. The several members of each circle are also entirely 



separate from each other. * 



S. It may be added tJtat the stamens are almost invari- 

 ably numerous, and that the plants are acrid to 

 the taste. 



