182 



I. EANUNCULACE^. 



19. *ErailtIlis. — Sepals 5-8, regular, petaloid, deciduous. Petals small, nectariform, 

 clawed ; blade furnished at the base with an inner scale-like lip. Carpels many, distinct, 

 stipitate, many ovaled, folUcnlar when ripe. Seeds ovoid or sub-globose ; testa crustaceons, 

 smooth. — Low herbs ; rootstock perennial, tuberous. Leaves radical, palmatisect, cauline 

 solitary, amplexicaul beneath the flower or peduncle, segments simulating the whorled leaflets 

 of an involucre. Flower solitary, yellow ; sepals narrow. Europe, and Mountains of Asia. 



20. Coptis. — Sepals 5-6, regular, petaloid, deciduous. Petals 5-6, small, cucullate or 

 linear. Carpels many, stipitate, distinct, many-ovuled, follicular when ripe. Seeds with 

 crustaoeous shining testa. — Low herbs; rootstock perennial. Leaves radical, temately 

 dissected. Scapes naked, 1-3-flowered. Flowers white. Europe, Asia, North America. 



MgeUa sativa. 



Mgella. 

 Diagram. 



N, DaiMlscen^t. 

 Fruit cut transversely to show 

 tbe cells and the spurious cells. 



21, *l80pyrum. — Sepals 5-6, regular, petaloid, deciduous. Petals 6, very short, nectari- 

 form or 0. Carpels 2-20, sessile, distinct, 8-oo -ovuled, follicular when ripe. — Slender low 

 herbs ; rootstock perennial. Leaves temately decompound ; cauline alternate or subopposite, 

 or 0. Flowers solitary or loosely panicled, white. Petals variable in form. Stamens some- 

 times reduced to about 10. Europe, Asia, North America. 



22. *Nigella. — Sepals 5, regular, petaloid, deciduous. Petals 5, clawed ; blade small, 

 2-fid. Carpels 3-10, sessile, more or less coherent, many-ovnled, opening when ripe at the top 



