208 ORDER I. RANUNCULACE.E. 



lower ones oblong, irregular, deciduous, upper one concave, 

 shield-like. Petals 5, three lower ones minute, often wanting, 

 the two upper on long claws, concealed under the upper sepal. 

 Follicles 3 — 5, many-seeded. Stamens numerous. 



1. A. uncina'tum, (L.) Stem twining, branching, slender, pubescent 

 when young. Leaves 8 — 5-lobed, coriaceous, coarsely-toothed, trun- 

 cate at the base. Lobes M-ribbed, lateral segments often 2-lobed. 

 Flowers in a loose panicle, galea large, tapering to an obtuse beak, 

 spur thick, inclined. — Blue. If. Mountains. 2 feet. Monk's- hood. 



The same powerful, volatile principle noticed under Ranunculus exists in the 

 Aconitum in a state of much greater concentration. Another principle of a narcotic 

 character is found in the ditferent species of this genus, called Aconiiin. The leaves 

 of the Aconitum act powerfully on the human system, producing, in large doses, the 

 usual effects of the most violent poisons. In smad doses of one or two grains of the 

 powdered leaves, it has been employed in rheumatism (in which it has produced 

 most salutary effects), gout, scrofula, cancer, &<;. It acts most powerfully on the 

 nervous system, producing delirium in over doses. The A. uncinatum is cultivated 

 as an ornament of the flower garden. 



Genus XII.— ACTiE'A. L. 12—1. (Baneberry. Cohosh.) 

 (From the Greek akte, the elder, from a resemblance in the leaves.) 



Sepals 4 — 5, deciduous. Petals 4 — 8, spatulate, oblong, 

 shorter than the stamens, or none. Stamens numerous, anthers 

 introrse. Stigma sessile. Carpels baccate, solitary, many- 

 seeded. Seeds compressed, smooth. 



1. A. ai/ba, (Big.) Stem 2 — 3 feet high. Leaves ternately decora- 

 pound, leaflets acutely serrate, notched, slightly pubescent. Raceme 

 oblong, pedicels very thick when the fruit is matured, flowers crowded. 

 Fruit white. — Mountains. April — May. Necklace weed. 



Genus XIII.— CIMICIF'UGA. L. 12—5. (Bugbane.) 

 (From the Latin cimex, a bug, &n<\fugo, to drive away.) 



Sepals 4 — 5. Petals 4, sometimes none, concave or unguic- 

 ulate. Stamens numerous. Anthers introrse. Styles short. 

 Leaves 2 or 3-ternately divided. Segments incised, toothed. 

 Floivers in long racemes. 



1. C. racemo'sa, (Ell.) Stem 3 — 8 feet high, generally pubescent, 

 furrowed, leafy near the middle. Leaves decompound, incised, acutely 

 serrate. Flowers monogynous, bracteate, in long terminal racemes, 

 branched. Sepals caducous. Petals none, or very small, with long 

 claws. Capsules ovate, seeds 7 or 8, compressed. — Yellowish white. 

 "^ . Thick woods. Mid. Geo. 



2. C. America'na, (Mich.) Stem 2 — 4 feet high,- glabrous. Leaves 

 decompound, triternate, segments ovate, the terminal 3-parted or 3- 

 cleft, incisely lobed, cuneate or subcordate at the base. Flowers in 

 racemes, on short bracteate pedicels. Sepals 5, ovate. Ovaries 2 — 5, 

 stipitate, smooth, compressed, generally f.:wer in the upper than in the 

 tower flower. — Mountains. Aug. and Sept. 



3. C. cordifo'lia, (Pursh.) Resembles the two preceding. Leaves 

 biternate. Leaflets 3 — 5 — 7-lobed, cordate. Ovaries 2 — 3, glabrous 

 eessile. — Mountains. July. 



