WILD FLOWERS OF NEW YORK 107 



broad on hairy scapes 4 to 6 inches high. Each flower subtended by an 

 involucre of three sessile, obtuse, oblong, small leaves immediately under 

 the flowers. Sepals oval or oblong, obtuse, longer than the numerous 

 stamens. Fruit consisting of several oblong, acute, hairy achenes. 



In woods, often in large tufts. Nova Scotia to northern Florida, west 

 to Manitoba, Iowa and Missouri. Also in Alaska, Europe and Asia. Flow- 

 ering in earliest spring, with us usually early in April but sometimes in 

 March, and even unseasonably warm spells in midwinter may find it in 

 flower. The leaves of H e p a t i c a hepatica in central Europe 

 possess blunt lobes, while our form usually has perfectly rounded lobes. 



Sharp-lobed Hepatica or Liverleaf 



Hepatica acutiloba DeCandolle 



Plate 69b 



Resembling in most respects the Round -lobed Hepatica but the leaf 

 lobes and the leaves of the involucre are pointed, the scapes usually a little 

 longer, and the flowers somewhat larger. The flowers are often dioecious. 



In woods, Maine, Quebec and Ontario; south in the Alleghanies to 

 Georgia; west to Missouri and Minnesota. Rare or absent near the 

 Atlantic coast. 



Puzzling forms sometimes occur which are intermediate between this 



and the preceding species. 



Rue Anemone 



Syndesmon thalictroides (Linnaeus) Hoffmannsegg 



Plate 68b 



Stems slender and weak, glabrous, 4 to 10 inches high; the flowering 

 stem appearing in early spring from a cluster of tuberous roots, the 

 ternately compound basal leaves appearing later and resembling those 

 of the Meadow Rue, but smaller. Leaves of the involucre similar, sessile, 

 the leaflets long petioled. Flowers perfect, few or several forming a loose 

 umbel immediately above the involucre, white or pinkish, one-half to 1 

 inch broad; sepals five to ten, thin and soon falling, longer than the 

 numerous stamens. 



