( 218 .) 
ACTVE'A* *. 
Linnean Class and Order. PoLYA'NDRiAf, Monogy'nia. 
Natural Order. Ranuncula'cea? +, Juss. Gen. PI. p. *231. — 
Sm. Gram, of Bot. 136. — Lindl. Syn. p. 7. ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. 
of Bot. p. 6. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 465. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 
495. ; Mag. of Nat. Hist. v. i. p. 137. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. 
and Bot. v. i. p. 2 . — Rosales ; sect. Ranunculus ; subsect. 
Ranunculianas ; type, Pteoniacete ; subty. Paionida: ; Burn. 
Out. of Bot. v.ii. pp. 614, 828, 832, & 842. — Multisiliqua:, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 4 roundish-oblong, 
concave, blunt, deciduous sepals. Corolla (see fig. 3.) of 4 oblong 
or inversely egg-shaped, unguiculated, deciduous petals, which are 
larger than the sepals, and alternate with them. Filaments (see 
figs. 3 & 4.) numerous, about 30, cylindrical, swelling upwards. 
Anthers of 2 lobes, sessile on tbe inner side of the summit of each 
filament. Germen (fig. 5.) superior, egg-shaped. Style none. 
Stigma (see fig. 5.) round, thick, obliquely depressed. Berry (f. 6.) 
nearly globular, with a lateral furrow, smooth, of 1 cell, not burst- 
ing. Seeds numerous, semiorbicular, depressed, ranged vertically 
over each other in two rows (see figs. 7 — 9.) 
The calyx of 4 sepals ; the corolla of 4 petals ; and the berry of 
1 cell ; with numerous depressed seeds, in 2 vertical rows ; will 
distinguish this from other genera in the same class and order. 
One species British. 
ACTjE'A SPICA'TA. Spiked Bane-berry. Black Bane-berry. 
Herb Christopher. 
Spec. Char. Racemes dense, egg-shaped. Petals the length 
of the stamens. Berries oblong, on slender pedicels. 
Engl. Bot. t. 918. — Linn. Sp. PI. p. 722. — Huds. FI. Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 228. — 
Sm. El. Brit. v. ii. p. 562. Engl. FI. v. iii. p. 3. — With. (7th ed.) v. iii. p. 642. — 
Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 710. — Lindl. Syn. p. 14. — Hook. Br. FI. p. 257. FI. 
Scot. p. 167.— Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. & Bot. v. i. p. 64.— Christophoriana, 
Ray’s Syn. p.262. — Johnson’s Gerarde, p.979. — Blackst. Spec. Bot. p. 14. — 
Aconitum racemosum, Acttxa quibusdam, Bauh. Hist. v. ii. pt. ii. p. 660. 
Localities. — I n bushy places, especially in limestone situations. Very rare. 
— Cumberland; Sandwicke, Ullswater: Hutchinson. — Essex; In a thick 
wood, two miles from Thorndon: Mr. Hill, in Black. Sp. Bot. — Westmore- 
land ; Mountainous pastures above Troutbeck, near Ambleside: Mr. Wood- 
ward. — Yorkshire ; Among the shrubs by Malhnm Cove: Mr. Newton and 
Mr. Lawson; before 1690. In the same place, and near Craven, 1836: E. F. 
Witts, Esq. At Hildersley ; and in Hovingham lanes: Teesoale. In Whit- 
fell Gill, or Arthur’s Moss, near Askrigg: Curtis. Wensleydale, truly wild : 
Mr. R. Bowman, in N. B. G. At Thorp Arch: Rev. W. Wood. Fissures of 
the curious natural pavement of limestone at the foot of Ingleborough : Dr. 
Stokes. Woods as Hackness, near Scarborough : Rev. A. Bloxam, in N. B. G. 
Fig, 1. Calyx. -Fig. 2. Calyx, with 2 of the sepals fallen off, showing the 
Gertnen, &c.— Fig. 3. A separate Flower, showing the Petals, Stamens, Ger- 
men, and Stigma.— Fig. 4. Two of the Stamens.— Fig. 5. The Germen and 
Stigma.— Fig. 6. A Berry.— Figs. 7 & 8. Vertical sections of the same. — Fig. 9, 
A transverse section of ditto. — Figs. 3 A 4, slightly magnified. 
* From Akte, the Greek name of the Elder, which these plants much re- 
semble in foliage and fruit. Don. 
f See folio 43, note f. 
t See folio 129, a. 
