FLORA iNDicA. [Ranunculacea . 



first indicated by Lindley. The great sheathing base of the petiole, occasionally, 

 though rarely, developed into a stipule, is remarkably different from anything met 

 with in the Anonal families, but has much similarity to very common states of 

 herbaceous Saxifragacece and Rosacea, where the stipules are imperfectly or not 

 at all developed. In Araliacem we occasionally see these organs largely developed. 

 This is also the case in most species of Thalictrum, in which genus also we have 

 frequently stipellse, analogous in position and function to those of Leguminosce. 



The tribe Glematidea, which differs from the rest of the Order by its frnteseent 

 and generally scandent habit, and by its opposite leaves, is not equally distinct in | 

 the floral organs, which are only distinguishable from those of Anemone by the val- i 

 vate aestivation of the calyx and the elongated stamens. The opposite leaves are, 

 however, a very remarkable character, to which there is no approximation iu any 

 other part of the natural class, as it is usually understood, but which recurs in 

 Monimiacece, a small Order usually placed near Lauraceix, which we propose to in- 

 clude in this part of the series. 



The position at the commencement of the linear series, which has been as- 

 signed to Eanunculacete , must not be understood to indicate that they are considered 

 the most highly-developed family of plants, though ttis was in all probability as- 

 sumed to be the case by the founder of our present arrangement. No part of the 

 Dicotyledonous class presents such a well-marked superiority in organization, as to 

 enable us to place it without hesitation at the commencement of the series. It has, 

 however, been conjectured, with some appearance of plausibility, that those families 

 in which special adaptation of the floral organs has attained its utmost limit, are 

 situated at the highest part of the scale. Gamopetalous plants would therefore be 

 more perfect than polypetalous ones, syncarpous ones more complete than apocarpous! 

 and those with adherent sepals would take a higher place than those in which th^ 

 ovary is free. It might for the same reason be conjectured that one-ovuled plants ar(| 

 of a superior grade to those in which many seeds are developed, especially if many 

 carpellary leaves surround and protect a single ovule. If these views were carriei' 

 out, the highest position in the vegetable kingdom would appear to belong to tho 

 family of Lorcmtkacece, in which all these features are combined with the utmost 

 simplicity of ovule, with a system of parasitism, and a highly abnormal mode of ve- 

 getation. 



Contemplating plants from this point of view, 'Ranunoulacece occupy a compal 

 ratively low place. In this Order all the parts of the flower exhibit the minimunf 

 amount of deviation from the ordinary type of leaf, and a most remarkable tendency 

 to revert to it. They exhibit also a very great tendency to irregularity, not only 

 in the assumption of abnormal forms, but also in the great variation of size of 

 which they are susceptible iu each species. These circumstances are, we think, 

 highly confirmatory of the propriety of assigning to these plants-a low place in the 

 scale, since in all Orders in which special adaptation is carried to a high degree, the 

 shape of the calyx-tube, as well as of the petals, and of eveiy part of the flower, re^ 

 mains remarkably constant in each species. The anthers of Ranunculacea are irl 

 like manner invariably basifixed, so that the stamens do not deviate so far from the] 

 ordinary type of the leaf, as is the case in many other groups. This is also the 

 case with the carpels, in which the analogy to leaves is very manifest, especialljl 

 in the follicular species. Both stamens and carpels vary much in size in differenfjl 

 individuals of the same species, as has already been indicated with regard to th* 

 sepals and petals. It is very important that the student should bear this fact in 

 mind iu the determination of species, undue weight having in many instances been 

 given to the size of these organs, which frequently continue to enlarge after the ex- 

 pansion of the flower, in consequence of which many species have been founded on 

 trivial and unsatisfactory characters. 



It has been usual to describe the typical Ranunculacea as having extrorse anthers, 

 but this is far fi-om being universally, or even generally, the case, the cells being 

 most commonly exactly lateral ; it is only in the genus Ranunculus that the de"i 

 hisecnce of the anthers is evidently extrorse. This was first indicated by Asa[ 



