Anemone. | 1, RANUNCULACE. 5 
becoming gradually more remote as the fruit ripens, and consisting of three 
sessile leaves, deeply cut into linear segments. Flower solitary, large, with 
6 sepals of a dull violet-purple, very silky outside. Awns of the carpels 
long and feathery, like those of a Clematis. 
In open limestone pastures, in the greater part of Europe and Russian 
Asia, but not very far northwards. Occurs in several parts of England, 
but not in Wales, Scotland, or Ireland. 7%. spring. 
2, 4. nemorosa, Linn. (fig.6). Wood A.—Rootstock black and horizon- 
tal, emitting from its extremity two or three leaves and a single flower-stalk, 
all glabrous or but slightly downy. Leaf-stalks long, with three ovate or 
lanceolate leaflets, toothed or lobed, or often divided almost to the base 
into three similarly-shaped segments. Peduncle 3 to 6 or 8 inches high, 
the involucral leaves at about two-thirds of its height, like the radical ones, 
but smaller, with shorter stalks. Sepals 6, white or reddish outside, and 
perfectly glabrous. Carpels downy, with a point nearly as long as them- 
selves, but not feathery. 
Common in and near woods, throughout Europe and North-West Asia 
and North America. Abundant in Britain. 7. early spring. 
IV. ADONIS. ADONIS. 
Annual or, in foreign species, perennial herbs. Leavesdivided. Flowers 
red or straw-coloured. Sepals 5. Petals 5 or more; sometimes more 
deeply coloured at the base, but without the nectary of Ranunculus. 
Stamens usually numerous, Carpels numerous, without awns, in a globular 
or oblong head, each containing a single pendulous ovule. S 
The species are few, chiefly from southern Europe and. western Asia. 
1, 4. autumnalis, Linn. (fig. 7). Common A., Pheasant’s Hye.—An 
erect annual, from 8 inches to a foot or rather more, glabrous or slightly downy. 
Leaves finely divided into numerous narrow linear segments. Sepals green 
or slightly coloured. Petals 5 to 8, rather longer than the calyx, ofa 
bright scarlet, with a dark spot at the base. Carpels numerous, and rather 
large, arranged ina head at first ovate or oblong, but which often lengthens 
considerably and becomes cylindrical as the fruit ripens. 
In cornfields, in central and southern Europe and western Asia. Not 
very common in Britain, but appears occasionally, especially in the warmer 
counties of England and Ireland, and sometimes in Scotland. FV. summer 
and early autumn. .A variety with larger flowers was formerly much 
cultivated in flower-gardens under the name of Flos Adonis. 
V. MYOSURUS. MOUSETAIL. 
Annuals with entire leaves. Sepals 5. Petals 5, small, linear, with 
tubular claws. Stamens few. Carpels small, one-seeded, very numerous, 
arranged in a long and dense cylindrical spike. Ovule attached near the 
top of the cell. 
A genus containing one European and one western America species, 
chiefly distinguished from the small-flowered Ranunculuses by the tubular 
claw of the petals, and genus, by the attachment of the ovule. 
1, M. minimus, Linn. (fig.8).. Common Mousetail.—A small annual with 
linear radical leaves, 1 to 3 inches, including their long footstalk. Peduncles 
also radical], rather longer than the leaves, often enlarged and hollow at the 
