OF ORNAMENTAL PERENNIALS 29 
GENUS XII. 
COPTIS Sal. THE COPTIS, OR AMERICAN HELLEBORE. 
Lin. Syst. POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. 
Generic CHAiucTEa. — Calyx of five or six petal-like, deciduous I five. Capsules fiom six to ten, on long stalks, somewhat membranous 
sepals. Petals small, cucullate. Stamens from twenty to twenty. | four — six-seeded, pointed with the style, stellately disposed. (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. — There are only two species in this genus, which has been separated from Helleborus on 
account of the capsules being membranaceous, and on foot-stalks, and the calyx falling ofiF soon after its expansion ; 
while in all the species of Hellebore the capsules are leathery and without foot-stalks, and the sepals remain on 
till the seeds are nearly ripe. The name of Coptis signifies cut, in allusion to the numerous divisions of the leaves. 
1.— COPTIS TRIFOLIA Sal. THE THREE-LEAVED COPTIS. 
Synonymes. — Helleborus trifoliatus Lin. ; Anemone Greenlandica Oed. 
Engravings. — Lodd. Bot. Cab. t. 173; and our fig. 7 in Plate 7. 
Description, &c. — A pretty little plant with white flowers, and yellow roots. It is called Tissavoyaune- 
jaune by the French in Canada, of which country it is a native, as well as of other parts of North America, and 
Iceland, Norway, Siberia, and Kamtschatka. The leaves and stalks are used to dye yellow. It was introduced 
in 1782 ; and it flowers from April to July. It should be grown in peat, and it is increased by dividing the 
roots. After the sepals drop, the capsules fall back so as to form a kind of star. 
2.— COPTIS ASPLENIFOLIA Sal. THE FERN-LEAVED COPTIS. 
Syhonyhe. — Thalictrum japonicum ThurUi. 
Specific CHiRACTBR.— Leaves biternate ; leaflets rather pinnatifid, very acutely serrated j scape two-flowered. (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. — The leaves have very much the appearance of that elegant fern called spleenwort. The 
flowers are white, and longer than those of the preceding species. It is found wild in California, and also in 
Japan. It was introduced in 1827. 
GENUS XIII. 
ISOPYRUM Lin. THE ISOPYRUM. 
Generic Character. — Calyx of five petal-like, deciduous sepals. 
Petals five, equal, tubular, two-lipped, with the outer lip bifid. Stamens 
from fifteen to twenty. Ovaries from two to twenty. Style longi- 
Lin. Syst. POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. 
tudinally stigmatose on the inside. Capsules sessile, one-celled, oblong, 
compressed, membranous, many-seeded. Seeds minute, dotted. (G. 
Don.) 
Description, &c.— The name of Isopyrum signifies, equal to wheat ; but why it has been applied to the 
present genus it is hard to say. The species are pretty little herbaceous plants, with white flowers and much- 
divided leaves. 
