ORDER I. RANUNCULACEiE. 207 



Genus X.— DELPHINIUM. L. 12—5. {Larkspur) 



(Fiom the Greek delphin, a dolphin, from a fancied resemblance of some part of the 



flower.) 



Sepals 5, deciduous, irregular, petaloid, the upper one pro- 

 duced downward into a long spur. Petals 4, irregular, two 

 upper ones horned, with the horns inclosed in the spur of the 

 calyx. Capsules mostly 3, many-seeded. Flowers in terminal 

 racemes. 



1. D. Consol'ida, (L.) Stem erect, divaricately branched, glabrous. 

 Leaves petiolate, palmately divided. Flowers few, in a loose raceme. 

 Pedicels longer than the bracts. Petals united into ont. Carpels 

 smooth or pubescent. — White, blue. Common. Introduced. 



2. D. tujcor'ne, (Mich.) Root tuberous. Stem 8 — 12 inches high, 

 glabrous. Leaves 5-parted, with the divisions 3 — 5-cleft. Petioles 

 slightly dilated at the base, 2 — 4 inches, glabrous, lobes linear, acute. 

 Flowers in loose terminal racemes, large, 6 — 12-flowered, hairy on ihe 

 outside. Spur straight, as long as the calyx. Carpels 3, ovate. — Blue. 

 V Mountains. May. 



3. D. azu'reum, (Mich.) Stem 3 — 5 feet high, pubescent. Leaves on 

 short petioles, 3 — 5-parted, many-cleft, segments linear, pubescent. 

 Flowers in long racemes, on short peduncles, petals bearded at the 

 apex, shorter than the sepals, lower ones deeply 2-cleft, claw hispid on 

 one 6ide, the other with a spur-like process at its base. — Blue, large. 

 ^ . Middle Geo. May. 



4. D. exalta'tum, (Ait.) Ste?n 2 — 4 feet high, pubescent toward 

 the summit, branching. Leaves flat, 3 — 5-cleft below the middle, lobes 

 ■wedge-shaped, 3-cleft at the summit, acuminate. Lateral ones often 

 2-lobed. Racemes erect, petals pubescent on the outer surface, the 

 lower petals fringed. Spur straight, as long as the calyx. — Bright 

 blue. ^ . Mountains. 



5. D. vires'cens, (Nutt.) Stem8 — 12 inches high, pubescent. Leaves 

 3 — 5-parted, the middle division generally entire, lateral lobes 2 — 3- 

 cleft ; lobes lanceolate, petioles slightly dilated. Flowers in a loose 

 few flowered raceme, slightly pubescent. Sepals oblong or lanceolate, 

 marked with a spot near the apex, longer than the petal ; lower petals 

 deeply 2-cleft, densely bearded, capsules 3. — Flowers large, yellowish 

 or greenish white. ^ . June. Macon. 



6. D. vimin'eum, (Don.) Petioles scarcely dilated at the base. Leaves 

 flat, 3-parted, segments cuneate, obtuse, 3-lobed. mucronate, upper- 

 most ones linear, undivided or 3-parted, racemes loose, velvety, limbs 

 of the inferior petals bifid at the summit, spur straight, as long as the 

 6epal, ovary silky. — Torrey & Gray. — Azure. Texas. 



A beautiful genus, with every variety of hue through the blue series, much culti- 

 vated as a border flower. The D. consolida has been used in medicine. The flowers 

 ure bitter and acrid, and have been used in healing wounds. A tincture of an ounce 

 of seeds in a pint of alcohol is said to be useful in asthma and dropsy; ten drops a 

 dose. The root possesses the same properties. 



Genus XL— ACONITUM. L. 12—5. {Monk's-hood.) 

 (From Acoiie, a town in Bithynia.) 



Sepals petaloid, the two lateral ones orbiculate, the two 



