LESSON 30.] HOW TO STCDY PLANTS. 185 



of the page where that family and the plants under it are described. 

 The propositions of the same grade, two or more, from which de- 

 termination is to be made, not only stand one directly under the 

 other, but begin with the same word or phrase, or with some 

 counterpart, — in the present case again with " Stamens,"/ and with 

 four propositions, with one and only one of which the flower in 

 hand should agree. It agrees with the last of the four : " Stamens 

 not monadelphous." 



633. The propositions under this, to which we are now directed, 

 are six, beginning with the word " Pistils " or " Pistil." The one 

 which applies to the flower in hand is, clearly, the fourth : " Pistils 

 numerous or more than one, separate, on the receptacle." 



634. The terms of the analysis directly subordinate to this are 

 only two : we have to choose between " Stamens borne on the 

 calyx," and " Stamens borne on the receptacle." The latter is true 

 of our flower. The terms subordinate to this are four, beginning 

 with the word " Leaves." The fourth alone accords : " Leaves not 

 peltate ; herbs," — and this line leads out to the Crowfoot 

 Family, and refers to p. 33. 



535. Turning to that page, a perysal of the brief account of the 

 marks of the Ranunctjlace^ (the technical Latin name) or Crow* 

 FOOT Family, assures us that the Key has led us safely and readily 

 to a correct result. Knowing the order or family, we havte next to 

 ascertain the genus. Here are twenty genera to choose from ; but 

 their characters are analyzed under sections and successive sub- 

 sections (§, * ,-!-,++, &c.) so as to facilitate the way to the desired 

 result. Of the two primary sections, we must reject § 1, as it agrees 

 only in respect to the pistils, and diflfers wholly in the characters 

 furnished by the sepals, the petals, and the leaves. With " § 2. 

 Sepals imbricated in the hud: not climbing nor woody," it agrees. It 

 also agrees with the sub-section immediately following, viz. : " * Pis- 

 tils and ahenes, several or many in a head, one-seeded." The sub- 

 division following : " ^- Petals none: sepals petal-like," is inapplicable ; 

 but its counterpart, " n- -i- Petals and sepals both conspicuous, Jive or 

 more : ahenes, naked, short-pointed," suits, and restricts our choice to 

 the three genera, Adonis, Myosurus, and Ranunculus. The deter- 

 mination is soon made, upon noting the naked sepals, the petals with 

 the little scale on the upper face of the short cla*, and the akenes 

 in a head: so the genus is, 7. Ranunculus. 

 16* 



