WOOD ANEMONE. WATER COWBANE. 59 



class and order " Polyandria polygynia'' of Linneus, and the 

 natural order " Ranunculacese" of Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx none. Corolla : petals in two 

 or three rows, three in a row, somewhat oblong. Stamina : 

 filaments numerous, capillary half the length of the corolla ; 

 antherge, twin, erect. Pistil ; germs numerous, in a head ; 

 styles acuminate ; stigmas obtuse. Pericarp none ; recepta- 

 cle globular or oblong, hollowed, and dotted. Seeds very 

 many, acuminate, retaining the style. 



Essential character. — Calyx none; petals six or nine; 

 seeds many. 



The "wood anemone" has the seeds acute ; leaflets gashed; 

 stem one-flowered. The root is perennial, and the height of 

 the whole plant is from five to ten inches. It grows in woods 

 among bushes, and in hedges, and in pastures, and flowers in 

 March, April, and May. In fine clear weather the blossoms 

 are expanded, and become so erect as to face the sun ; but 

 in the evening, and in wet weather, they are closed, and hang 

 down. The plant is acrid, and in some degree poisonous. 

 Horses, cows, and swine refuse it. 



The root, being perennial, must be raised and destroyed by 

 spades and forks ; but such plants generally yield to good 

 top-dressings, and pasturing of the land with sheep, assisted 

 by folding the animals in order to deposit the excrements 

 regularly over the surface. 



23. The " Water cowbane,"' or the Cicuta" of botany, 

 is a plant of a poisonous nature, and communicates an un- 

 pleasant odour to the milk of cows that eat the plants. The 

 plant belongs to the class and order " Pentandria digynia'' 

 of Linneus, and the natural order " Umbelliferse" of Jussieu. 



Generic character. — Calyx : umbel universal, roundish ; 

 rays very many, equal ; partial roundish, with very many 

 equal setaceous rays ; involucre universal none ; partial many- 

 leaved ; leaflets bristly, short ; perianth proper ; scarcely 

 visible. Corolla universal, uniform, floscules all fertile ; pro- 

 per of five, ovate, inflected, nearly equal petals. Stamina : 

 filaments five, capillary longer than the corofla ; antherae 

 simple. Pistil : germ inferior ; styles two, filiform, longer 



