186 Neilgherry Plants. 



ner of the Butter Cups which so charmingly variegate the 

 Hill-side pastures of our Father Land. It is also met with 

 in swampy grounds about Ootacamund. 



The number of truly native species on the hills, so far as 

 yet found, amounts only to nine or perhaps ten. Thirteen are 

 described in our Prodromus, but three of these I have since 

 satisfied myself are introduced, namely the Adonis (Pheasant's 

 eye) and two species of Delphinuim (Larkspur.) The remain- 

 ing plant, excluded from the present list, is Anemone dubia, 

 which I have ascertained to be a mere variety of A. Wightiana. 

 These nine are referable to five genera, namely, Clematis 3, 

 Naravelia 1, Thalictrum 1, Anemone 1, and Ranunculus 3. 

 In still further proof of the extra- tropical character of this 

 family I may mention, that Dr. Royle enumerates in his Il- 

 lustrations of the Himalayan Flora, no fewer than 72 species 

 of Ranunculacece found on the Himalayas and in Cashmere. 



CLEMATIS. Linn. : (Travellers' Joy — Virgin Bower.) 



Involucre none or resembling a calyx, and placed under the flower. 

 Sepals 4-8, coloured, in aestivation either valvate or with their edges 

 bent inwards. Petals none, or shorter than the sepals. Stamens 

 numerous. Achenia several in each flower, terminated by a long tail. 

 Seed erect. — Perennial plants with opposite leaves, which are simple, 

 trifoliate, or once or twice pinnate, with a terminal leaflet. 



This is a fine genus of beautiful climbing plants, — all the species 

 of which seem well adapted for arbours, — and in Europe are much 

 employed for the formation of these retreats, (hence I presume the 

 old English names) as well on account of their rich foliage as for the 

 profusion of their flowers, a feature long preserved by the beautiful 

 silky hairs of the long feathery tail of their seed, (a rude idea of 

 which I have attempted to convey in Plate No. 2), a mark which 

 readily distinguishes this section from the rest of the family. The 

 genus Clematis includes about 150 species which are scattered all 

 over the world. The flowers are apetalous with petaloid sepals. Na- 

 ravelia differs in having both Calyx and Corolla. 



