14 THE RANUNCULUS FAMILY. [Aconitum. 



A natural genus, consisting chiefly of mountain plants, spread over 

 the greater part of Europe and central Asia, represented also in northern 

 America by a very few species. Two or three exotic species are often 

 cultivated in our perennial borders. 



1. A. Napellus, Linn. (fig. 30). Monkshood, or Wolfsbane. — Stem 

 firm and erect, 1J to 2 feet high. Leaves stalked, or the upper ones 

 nearily sessile, of a dark-green, glabrous or slightly downy, divided to 

 the base into 5 or 7 deeply cut, linear, pointed segments. Flowers 

 large, dark blue, on erect pedicels, forming a handsome, dense, terminal 

 raceme. The upper helmet-shaped sepal at first conceals the lateral 

 ones, but is ultimately thrown back. Spur of the small upper petals 

 short, conical, and more or less bent downwards. Carpels 3, often 

 slightly united at the base. 



In moist pastures and thickets and waste places, in mountainous 

 districts, in Europe and temperate Asia, extending northwards into 

 Scandinavia, and eastwards to the Himalaya. In Britain apparently wild 

 in some shady places in western England and South Wales. Fl. summer. 



XIII. ACT^A. BANEBERRY. 



Perennial herbs, with the leaves chiefly radical, their stalk divided, 

 the segments or leaflets distinct. Sepals 4, small, petal-like. Petals 4, 

 small, distinctly clawed. Stamens numerous, as long as or longer than 

 the petals, with small anthers. Carpel solitary, becoming a berry when 

 ripe, with several seeds. 



A small genus, spread over the northern hemisphere, with much of 

 the general habit of Thalictrum, but differing in the presence of both 

 sepals and petals, in the anthers, and fruit. 



1. A. spicata, Linn. (fig. 31). Baneberry, Herb Christopher. — Radical 

 leaves large, not unlike those of several Umbellifers, the stalk usually 

 twice divided into 3 or 5 pinnately arranged branches, the segments or 

 leaflets ovate, pointed, often 3-lobed and coarsely toothed, of a deep 

 green, and quite glabrous. Stem 1 to 2 feet high, with few leaves, 

 much smaller than the radical ones. Flowers small, nearly white, in a 

 short, loose, oblong, terminal raceme. Berries small, nearly black. 



In mountain woods and pastures, in central and eastern Europe, 

 Russian Asia, and northern America, extending to the Arctic circle. 

 In Britain very local, and only in northern England. Fl. May. 



XIV. P-ffiONIA. PiEONY. 



Large perennials, the leaves chiefly radical, with divided stalks and 

 distinct segments or leaflets, the flowers large and handsome. Sepals 

 5, herbaceous. Petals 5 or more, much larger. Stamens numerous, 

 inserted on fleshy disk. Carpels 2 to 5, each with several seeds. 



A very distinct genus, consisting of but very few species, indigenous 

 in southern Europe and temperate Asia. 



1. P. officinalis, Linn. (fig. 32). Common P. — Rootstock emitting a 

 cluster of thick tuberous roots. Stem 1 to 2 .feet high. Radical leaves 

 twice ternate, the segments ovate, entire or divided into two or three 

 deep lobes. Flowers deep red. Carpels large and thick, very downy, 

 and, when ripe, more or less recurved. 



