2 THE RANUNCULUS FAMILY. [Clematis. 



with the present one, is that of Alismacece, among Monocotyledons ; but 

 besides the microscopical character derived from the embryo, there are 

 but three petals and sepals, as in most other Monocotyledons, a rare 

 circumstance in Ranunculacece. 



Ranunculacece are widely diffused over the globe, but more especially 

 in temperate or cool climates. Within the tropics they are, with the 

 exception of Clematis, almost confined to high mountain-ranges. Most 

 of the principal genera are represented in our Flora. 



Climber with opposite leaves. Carpels 1-seeded. Sepals coloured 1. Clematis. 

 Herbs with alternate or radical leaves, rarely opposite on runners. 

 Carpels several or numerous, one-seeded. Flowers always regular. 

 Sepals 4, 5, or more, often coloured and petal-like, but no real 

 petals. 

 An involucre of 3 leaves outside the flower or on the stalk . 3. Anemone. 

 No involucre. Floral leaves alternate. Stamens longer than 



the sepals 2. Thalictrum. 



Petals 5 or more, usually more conspicuous than the sepals. 

 Carpels very numerous, in a long, cylindrical column. 



Petals very small, with a tubular claw . . . .5. MYOSURUS. 

 Carpels in a globose or oblong head. Petals flat. 

 Petals (usually yellow or white) with a little scale, or a 



thickened hollow spot at the base of each . . .6. Ranunculus. 

 Petals (usually red) without any scale or thickened spot 



at the base 4. Aponis. 



Carpels several, each with several seeds. 

 Flowers very irregular or spurred. 

 Upper sepal helmet-shaped, without a spur . . . .12. Aconitum. 

 Upper sepal with a long spur at the base . . . .11. Delphinium. 

 Sepals flat and regular. Petals with a spur at the base of each 10. Aquilegia. 

 Flowers regular. 

 Sepals large, often coloured. Petals small or none. 

 Sepals bright yellow and petal-like. Real petals none . 7. Caltha. 

 Sepals pale yellow and petal-like. Petals small, flat, and 



linear 8. Trollius. 



Sepals greenish. Petals small and tubular . . .9. Helleborus. 

 Sepals green, smaller than the large red or white petals . 14. P^eonia. 

 Carpels solitary, with several seeds. 



Fruit a capsule. Flowers spurred 11. Delphinium. 



Fruit a berry. Flowers nearly regular, small . . . . 13. ACT.EA. 



Among old inhabitants of our gardens, which have spread spon- 

 taneously, are the exotic genera Eranthis (Winter Aconite) and Isopyrum, 

 both closely allied to .Helleborus ; and Nigclla (Devil-in-the-bush), which 

 differs from Helleborus in the more petal-like sepals, and the carpels 

 connected together in the middle, but diverging at the top into 5 long 

 points. 



I. CLEMATIS. CLEMATIS. 



Stem usually climbing, and often woody at the base. Leaves opposite. 

 Sepals 4 or 5, valvate in the bud, coloured and petal-like. No real 

 petals. Stamens numerous. Carpels numerous, 1-seeded. 



A numerous genus, well characterised, widely spread over the globe, 

 and almost the only representative of the Order in tropical climates. 

 Several exotic species are among the hardy climbers cultivated in our 

 gardens. 



1. C. Vitalba, Linn. (fig. 1*). Traveller s Joy, Old Mans Beard. — 



* These figures refer to the companion vol., "Illustrations of the British Flora," by 

 Fitch and Smith, 



