BUTTERCUP FAMILY, Ranunculaceae. 
There are a few kinds of Atragene, resembling Clematis. 
Parga Coens This is peculiarly attractive, as the 
Atrégene occi- | OWers are large and beautiful and the 
dentalis (Clematis) foliage very pretty. The leaves are 
Violet, blue divided into three, pointed leaflets, which 
a are thin in texture, light bright-green and 
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prettily cut or lobed, and the trailing or 
climbing stems are almost smooth, slender and purplish 
above and woody below. The flowers, which are not in 
clusters, measure from two to three inches across, with 
four, sometimes five, violet or blue sepals, spreading widely 
as the flower grows older, and the outer stamens are broad 
and resemble small petals. The flowers are followed by 
handsome feathery heads, which are large and silky. This 
pretty vine is found in the Grand Canyon, not far below the 
Rim, and in many mountain places. The foliage varies 
somewhat in different climates. 
There are many kinds of Thalictrum, not easily dis- 
tinguished, widely distributed, a few in the Andes, India, 
and Africa; perennials, with tall stems, from a short root- 
stock, and handsome, compound leaves; the flowers perfect 
or imperfect, many, small, in clusters, with four to seven 
sepals and no petals; the akenes tipped with the long styles 
and forminga head. Someof these plants havea disagree- 
able smell. They grow in moist places, both East and West. 
Though its flowers are small and color- 
Meadow Rue : : : ‘ 
Thalictrum less, this plant is conspicuous for delicacy 
Féndleri and grace. The leaves of tender green 
Greenish-white suggest the fronds of Maidenhair Fern 
ees and are almost as beautiful, while the 
flowers are odd and pretty. A shower of 
numerous, pale-yellow stamens, with purplish, threadlike 
filaments, falls from the center of four, greenish-white 
sepals and forms a charming little tassel. These tassels 
hang on the ends of very slender pedicels, in loose clusters. 
The smooth stems are from one to three feet tall and the 
smooth leaves are thin in texture, thrice-compound, with 
many, rounded leaflets, the lower leaves with long leaf- 
stalks. This Meadow Rue has its pistils and stamens on 
different plants, the flowers with tassels of stamens being 
prettier and-more conspicuous than the small, green, pis- 
tillate ones. The variety Wrightit is common in Arizona. 
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