ORDER I. RANUNCULACE^E. 203 



serrated. Involucre 3-leaved near the middle of the scape ; leaflets 3- 

 cleft, sessile. Sepals 16 — 20 ; the exterior oblong, oval, thick, and 

 sprinkled with purple specks ; the inner thin, petal-like, and sometimes 

 almost linear. Carpels in an oblong cylindrical head, covered with a 

 silky down. — White. ^ . March. Geo. and Car. 



2. A. nemoro'sa, (L.) Stem 6 — 12 inches high. Leaves ternate; leaf- 

 lets lobed, toothed, acute, 1-flowered. Corolla 5 or 6-petaled. Seeds 

 ovate, with a short, hooked point. 6 — 17 in. — White, tinged with 

 purple. March. Geo. and Car. Wood Anemone. 



3. A. Virginia'na, (L.) Stem 2 — 3 feet high, simple, pubescent. 

 Leaves ternate, rugose, hairy. Segments 3-cleft, acuminate, serrate. 

 Involucre similar, petiolate. Sepals 5, pubescent on the outer surface, 

 coriaceous ; the 2 exterior green, lanceolate, acute ; the interior ellipti- 

 cal. Carpels in an oblong ovate capitulum, woolly. Peduncles 1-flow- 

 ered, 3 — 4 from each involucrum. — Yellowish green. T <? . Car. and 

 Geo. July to August. 18 inches. Wind-flower. Thimble-weed. 



Many beautiful foreign species of this genus are cultivated, which are very showy, 

 varying in color through the series from blue to red ; but of our own species no care 

 has been taken for their improvement by cultivation, which would richly repay the 

 floriats care. 



Genus III.— HEPAT'ICA. Dill. 12—12. {Liver-leaf.) 

 (From the Greek hepai\ the liver, from the shape of the leaves.) 



Involucrum 3-leaved, resembling a calyx near the flower. 

 Leaves of the perianth 6 — 9, arranged in 2 or 3 rows. Ache* 

 nia numerous, without tails. 



1. H. tri'loba, (Chaix.) Leaves cordate, 3-lobed, entire, thick, coria- 

 ceous. Scape, petioles, aud involucrum villous. — Rose-colored. ^ . 

 Common. Feb. 5 in. Liverwort. 



This plant has enjoyed great celebrity, both in this country and Europe. It has 

 been deemed almost a specific in hepatic or liver aifections, and, not many years 

 since, was highly extolled as a certain cure for chronic coughs. It is a mild tonic and 

 astringent, and may be taken in any quantities by infusion in water. 



Genus IV.— ADO 'NIS. L. 12— 12. {Pheasant's Eye.) 



Sepals 5. Petals 5 — 15, emarginate, concave, connivent. 

 Achenia spicate, terminated by the short style. Leaves cauline, 

 tripinnate, segments linear and numerous. Flowers solitary, on 

 the extremity of the stem or branches. 



1. A. autumna'lis, (L) Stem branched, herbaceous. Carpels some- 

 what reticulate, collected into an ovate head — Bright scarlet. ©. Aug. 

 Car. and Lou. 



A beautiful plant of easy culture. Derives its name from the supposition that it 

 6prung from the blood of Adonis, when wounded by a boar. 



Genus V.— RANUN'CULUS. L, 12— 12. {Crowfoot. Buttercup.) 

 (From the Latin rana, a frog, the plants growing in wet places where frogs abound.) 



Sepals 5. Petals 5 or none, with a scale on the inside of 

 the base of the petals. Stamens generally numerous. Ache- 



