N. O. RANUNCULACEiK. 23 



from the sinus to the tip. 2-6 cm. across, 5-7-palmati-partite 



to f-g- in the inner, to f or less in the outer incisions, divisions 



broadly ovate-cuneate, 3- or (the outermost) 2-lobed to or 



beyond the middle, lobes narrow, sparingly crenate or inciso- 



crenate, crenae subobtuse, calloso-apiculate ; cauline blades 



similar to the lower, but smaller, less divided, with narrower 



and longer lobes and more pubescent. Inflorescence a shor' 



(up to 8-9 cm.), few-flowered, usually loose raceme, or with a few 



slender, few-flowered, additional branches from the uppermost 



of: the much reduced leaves, crispo-pubescent to tomentose ; 



lowest bracts 5«3-partite, very narrow divisions, or like the 



upper entire, linear, as long as or longer than the pedicels, 



uppermost much reduced or suppressed ; " bracteoles, if present, 



minute ; pedicels slender, lowest up to 2 cm. long, upper much 



shorter, erect in the mature state, more or less adpressed to the 



rhachis. Sepals pale or purplish blue or white or variegated, 



with saturated veins, more or less pubescent, overlapping at the 



base only in the fully open flowers ; uppermost navicular, more 



or less beaked, obliquely erect, 12-20 mm. high, 15-25 mm. long 



(from the beak to the base), 4-7 mm. broad, obliquely clawed; 



lateral sepals oblique, broadly obovate or suborbicular, about 



15 mm. long, 10-13 mm. broad ; not or obscurely clawed, lower 



sepals deflexed, elliptic-oblong, or elliptic-obtuse, about 8 mm. 



long. Nectaries glabrous, extinguisher-shaped ; claw very 



slender, 12-15 mm. long, leaning forward in the upper part, 



hood horizontal, or more or less deflexed, saccate, very obscure, 



top often widened and gibbous in front, lip 2-lobed, lobes often 



narrow and rather long. Filaments glabrous, very rarely with 



a few minute hairs, winged to the middle, wings gradually 



alternated or running into minute teeth. Carpels usually 5 



(4 or 6), contiguous, oblong, abruptly contracted into the style, 



softly villous. Follicles contiguous or almost so, oblong, truncate 



at the top, 9-13 mm. long, softly hairy. Seeds brown, obpy- 



ramidal, 3-angled, obliquely truncate at the top, 25-3 mm. 



long, angles unequally winged, wings hollow, faces smooth. 



General Properties :— On the authority of Col. Monro, the roots 

 of the Alpine form, it appears, are eaten by the hillmen of 

 Kanawar as a pleasant tonic, under the name of Atees (Stapf). 



