R A N U NC U LAC EJE. 



193 



about 15, nearly or quite concealed beneath the many stamens; 

 stamens in 5 or 6 series; anthers yellow; stiginatic rays 13 to 16 or 22, 

 usually not reaching the edge of the disk; neck beneath the disk 

 scarcely constricted. 



Sloughs near Stockton, Sanford, Setchell and Jepson; flowering in 

 summer. 



2. N. polysepalum Engelm. Indian Pond Lily. Leaves as 

 in the preceding, the sinus J to £ the length of the blade; calyx sub- 

 globose or somewhat cup-shaped, 3 (or when fully expanded 4 to 5) 

 in. in diameter; sepals 9 to 12, yellow or brownish-red; petals 12 to 

 18, 6 lines long, 4 lines broad, nearly or quite concealed beneath the 

 many stamens; anthers dark red; stigmatic rays 15 to 24; fruit sub- 

 globose, \\ in. in diameter, with short constricted neck and convex 

 disk. 



Near Santa Cruz, Hartweg (in 184G), to Marin Co. and northward 

 in the mountains. Flowering in summer. The seeds were used as an 

 article of food by the Klamath Indians. 



34. RANUNCULACE/E. Buttercup Family. 



Herbs with alternate or radical leaves, excepting Clematis, a 

 shrubby climber with opposite leaves. Flowers solitary or in terminal 

 racemes or panicles, with the parts all free and distinct. Sepals more 

 than two, usually 5, often petal-like. Petals usually 5 or more, but 

 sometimes minute or altogether wanting. Stamens indefinite, usually 

 numerous. Pistils several, each 1-celled, bearing a single style. 

 Fruit an achene, follicle or berry. Seeds containing abundant 

 endosperm and a minute embryo. The leaves are mostly palmately 

 divided or lobed and in all cases exstipulate, but the petioles often 

 have a broad sheathing base. The flowers are regular, except in 

 Delphinium and Aconitum, and most frequently have a pronounced 

 convex receptacle. Aconitum Fischeri, of the High Sierras, has the 

 upper sepal conspicuously hooded and concealing the upper 2 petals, 

 the lower 3 petals being obsolete or minute. All our genera are 

 common to the Eastern United States and to Europe. This is a 

 widely diffused order to which belong many choice garden plants and 

 very many medicinal herbs. 



Flowers complete. 

 Fruit a follicle. 



Petals red, roundish, concave, inserted on a fleshy disk adnate to the base of 



the calyx 1. P^onia. 



Petals all spurred 3. Aquilegia. 



Upper sepal spurred; petals 4 4. Delphinium. 



Fruit an achene. 



Sepals spurred; petals small, white; achenes numerous on a slender spike- 

 like receptacle; diminutive herbs 7. Myosurus. 



Sepals not spurred; petals plane, yellow or white; achenes capitate 



8. Ranunculus. 



Fruit a berry. 



• Flowers very small, whitish, in a short raceme 10. Act^a. 



Flowers incomplete; petals wanting. 

 Sepals petal-like. 



Stem leafv; fruit a follicle 1 2. Isopyrum. 



15 



