412 FLORA. 



i. HYDRASTIS Ellis. 



Erect perennial pubescent herbs, with palmately lobed reniform leaves, and 

 small solitary greenish-white flowers. Sepals 3, petaloid, falling away at anthesis. 

 Petals none. Stamens numerous. Carpels 00 , each bearing two ovules near the 

 middle, and in fruit forming a head of 1-2-seeded crimson berries. [Greek, water- 

 acting, from its supposed drastic properties.] Two known species, one of eastern 

 N. Am., the other Japanese. 



1. Hydrastis Canadensis L. Orange-root Golden-seal. (I. F. f. 1544.) 

 Rootstock thick, yellow; stem erect, about 3 dm. high. Basal leaf long-petioled, 

 12-20 cm. broad, 5-9-lobed, the lobes broad, acute, sharply serrate; cauline leaves 

 2, borne at the summit of the stem, the upper one subtending the greenish white 

 flower, which is 8-IO mm. broad when expanded; filaments widened, about 4 mm. 

 long; anthers oblong, obtuse; head of fruit ovoid, blunt, about 16 mm. long, the 

 fleshy carpels tipped with a short curved beak. In woods, Conn, and southern 

 N. Y. to Ont., Minn., Ga. and Ark. April. 



2. CALTHA L. 

 Succulent herbs, with simple mostly basal cordate or auriculate leaves. Flowers 

 yellow, white or pink. Sepals large, deciduous, petal-like. Petals none. Sta- 

 mens numerous, obovoid. Carpels numerous or few, sessile, bearing ovules in 2 

 rows along the ventral suture, in fruit forming follicles. [Latin name of the Mari- 

 gold.] A genus of marsh plants, comprising about 10 species, of temperate and 

 arctic regions. In addition to those here described, three others are found on the 

 western side of the continent. 



Stems erect or ascending, not rooting at the nodes; flowers yellow. 



Leaves cordate, generally with a narrow sinus; flowers 2.5-4 cm. wide. 



1. C. palustris. 

 Leaves flabelliform with a broad sinus; flowers 1-2.5 cm « wide. 2. C. /label li/olia. 

 Stems floating or creeping, often rooting at the nodes. 



Flowers yellow, 1-2.5 cm « broad ; upper leaves more or less triangular-cordate, 



dentate. 3. C. radicans. 



Flowers white or pinkish, 8-16 mm. broad ; all the leaves reniform, wavy or entire. 



4. C. natans. 



1. Caltha palustris L. Marsh-marigold. Meadow- gowan. (I. F. f. 

 1545.) Stout, glabrous; stem hollow, 3-6 dm. high. Basal leaves on long and 

 broad petioles, cordate or reniform, 5-18 cm. wide, the upper shorter-petioled or 

 sessile, with nearly truncate bases; sepals oval, obtuse; follicles 3-12 or even more, 

 compressed, 10-12 mm. long, many-seeded. In swamps and meadows, Newf. to 

 S. Car. and Neb. April-June. 



2. Caltha flabellifolia Pursh. Mountain Marsh-marigold. (I. F. f. 1546.) 

 Weak, slender, 3-4 dm. long, glabrous. Basal leaves 5-10 cm. broad, long- 

 petioled; the upper sessile or short-petioled, similar or with truncate bases, all 

 crenate or dentate; flowers solitary or 2-3 together; sepals oval; achenes 4-10, 

 about 8 mm. long, compressed. In cold shaded mountain springs, Penn. and 

 northern N. J. to Md. June-July. 



3. Caltha radicans Forst. Rooting Marsh-marigold. Slender, prostrate 

 or reclining, 1-4 dm. long. Basal leaves 4-8 cm. broad, reniform with a broad 

 sinus, long-petioled; upper short-petioled, all dentate, thin and lighter- colored 

 than in the preceding; sepals rounded, oval; follicles about 8 mm. long. In 

 swamps, Woodlawn, N. Y., and West Hampton, Long Island. (Circumboreal). 



4. Caltha natans Pall. Floating Marsh-marigold. (I. F. f. 1547.) Stems 

 slender, 1.5-3 dm. long, branching. Lower and basal leaves slender-petioled, 

 3-5 cm. wide, wavy or entire, thin, with a narrow sinus; upper leaves short- 

 petioled, smaller ; sepals oval, obtusish ; follicles several or numerous, rather 

 densely capitate, about 4 mm. long, the beak short and straight. In pools and 

 streams, Tower, Mich.; Athabasca; arctic Am. and northern Asia. Summer. 



3. TROLLIUS L. 



Perennial herbs, with palmately divided or lobed leaves, thickened fibrous 



roots, and large usually solitary yellowish or purplish flowers. Sepals 5-00, 



petaloid, deciduous. Petals 5-00 , small, unguiculate. linear, with a nectariferous 



pit at the b.ise of the blade. Carpels 5 00 , sessile, many-ovuled. forming a head 



