122 EOSE FAMILY. 



6. GSIITM, AVENS. (From Greek word, meaning' tp give an agreeable 

 flavor ; the roots of some species somewhat scented.) Several wild species, 

 only the following common : fl. late spring and summer. 2j. 



G. rivile, Pukple or Water Avens. In bogs and low grounds N. : 

 thickish rootstock (sometimes used in medicine as an astringent) sending np 

 lyrately and interruptedly pinnate leaves, and rather naked several-flowered 

 stems (2° high) ; the flowers pretty large, nodding, with purplish-orange and 

 broadly obovate or obcordate petals •haiTowed at the base,, never spreading; in 

 fruit the head of akenes erect, stalked in the persistent calyx, the persistent 

 styles jointed and bent in the middle, the upper part plumose-hairy. 



G. vernum. Spring a. Thickets, from Ohio to Illinois and Kentucky : 

 slender, a°-3° high; root-leaves rounded heart-shaped and 3 - .5-lobed, or some 

 of them pinnate and cut ; flowers small, with yellow petals about the length of 

 the simply 5-lobed calyx ; the head of fruit raised above the calyx on a 6on- 

 spieuous stalk;- the styles, Sje,;smooth, the upper joint falling off. 



G. Strlctum, Field A. Moist grounds and fields : a coarse herb, 3° -5° 

 high, rather hairy, with root-leaves interruptedly pinnate and the leaflets wedge- 

 obovats, those of the stem with 3-5 narrower leaflets ; in summer bearing 

 panicled flowers with broadly obovate golden-yellow petals exceeding the calyx; 

 stipules large, deeply cut; head of fruit close in the calyx; the persistent naked 

 style hooked at the end after the short upper joint falls ; receptacle downy. 



G. Virginitoum, White A. Thickets and border of woods : coarse 

 and bristly-hairy herb 1° - 3° high, with root and lower leaves of several pin- 

 nate leaflets, the upper 3rparted and cut ; the panicled flowers small, with incoii- 

 spicnous greenish-white petals shorter than the calyx; head of fruit like, the 

 -last, but its receptacle smooth. , 



G. Alburn, White A. Grows in similar places with the preceding, and 

 like it, but smooth or soft-pubescent, with root-leaves of 3 - 5 leaflets, or some 

 of them rounded and simple except a few minute leaflets below ; the petals as 

 long as the calyx, white or pale greenishryellow ; receptacle of fruit bristly. 



7. POTENTILLA, CINQUEEOIL, FIVE-FINGER. (Name from 

 potens^ powerful, from reputed medicinal virtues, but these plants are merely 

 mild astringents.) Wild plants of the country, except those of the last 

 section, and one yellow one : but the Shrubby Cinqxiefoil is also planted. 



§ 1. Petals pale yellow, small, not surpassing the calyx, g) ® 



P. Norvfegioa, Norway C. An erect, hairy, weedy plant, 1° - 2° high, 

 branching above, with only 3 obovate-oblong and cut- toothed leaflets : fl. sum- 

 mer, in fields. 



P. parad6xa. A spreading or procumbent, pubescent, w^eedy plant, on 

 river-banks W., with pinnate leaves of 5 - 9 obovate-oblong cut-toothed leaflets, 

 and akenes with a thick appendage at their base : fl. summer. 



§2. Petals vfhitish or cream-color, broad, surpassing the calyx: akenes smooth. JJ, 



P. axgiltSb. A stout, erec^ brownish-hairy, coarse plant, l°-4° high, 

 rather clammy above, on rocky hills N. & W., with pinnate leaves of 3 ^ 9 oval 

 or ovate cut-toothed leaflets soft-downy beneath, and a close terminal cluster of 

 rather large flowers, of no beauty, in summer. 



§3, Petals bright ydlotVj larger than tM lobes of tlie calyx, y. 

 * Leaves of 5 digitate leaflets. 



P. r^cta. Cult, in some old gardens, from Eu. : a cosirse, erect, hairy 

 plant, 2° - 3° high, with sometimes 7 narrowly wedge-oblong leaflets coarsely 

 toothed, arid rather large cymose flowers. 



P. Canadensis, Common Wild C, or FiYE-FjNGER. Open diy ground : 

 dwarf, silky-hairy, with wedge-obovate leaflets, and axillary I -flowered pedun- 

 cles ; flowering from early spring to midsummer, and spreading by runners. 



Var. simplex, in moister or richer soil, usuallywell marked Tjy its greater 

 size and greener foliage ; the stems 1° — 2° long, ascending or spreading from 

 a short tuberous rootstock ; leaflets more oblong ; flowers produced through the 

 summer. 



