I. RANUNCULACE^E 
Herbs of various habit or climbing shrubs (Clematis). Leaves 
radical, alternate or opposite (Clematis). Flowers usually 2- 
sexual, regular or irregular, presenting a great variety of form in 
the different genera. Sepals usually 5, free ; petal-like, when the 
petals are wanting or rudimentary ; falling off after flowering ; 
imbricate or valvate (Clematis ) ; all alike or sometimes differing 
much in shape. Petals variously formed, the same in number as 
the sepals or more, sometimes wanting or reduced, flat or spurred, 
imbricate. Stamens usually numerous, free. Carpels several or 
many, rarely only one or two, distinct, 1-celled, one- or many- 
ovuled, style simple. Fruit of one or more, usually numerous, 
achenes or follicles ; or a many-seeded berry (Actcea ). — Abundant 
in cold and temperate regions, rare in the tropics. 
In Banunculacece the sepals and petals present almost as great a variety of 
form as all the other orders of the Thalaviiflorece, but the great majority can 
be recognised by their numerous free stamens and free carpels. 
Shrubs. Leaves opposite. Sepals large, petal-like . . 1 . Clematis. 
Herbs. Leaves alternate or radical. 
Carpels 1-ovuled. Flowers regular. 
Petals none. Sepals 4-8, petal- like. 
Flowers in an umbelliform cyme, with ear-like 
involucres ........ 2. Anemone. 
Flowers in panicles, involucres none ... 3. Thalictrum. 
Petals 5-8, more conspicuous than the sepals. 
Petals scarlet, without a basal gland . . .4. Adonis. 
Petals yellow, with a basal gland . 5. Ranunculus. 
Carpels many-ovuled. 
Flowers very irregular. 
Sepals flat, regular. Petals spurred ... 7. Aquilegia. 
Upper sepal produced at the base in the form of 
a spur 8. Delphinium. 
Upper sepal helmet-shaped, base not produced . 9. Aconitum. 
Flowers regular or nearly regular. 
Flowers 1-2 in. diam., yellow 6. Caltha. 
Flowers 3-4 in. diam., red or white . . .12. Pceonia. 
Flowers hardly a in. diam., white. 
Carpels 2-5. Follicles flat 11. Cimici/uga . 
Carpel solitary. Berry ovoid 10. Actcea. 
B 
