I. RANUNCULACEiE 
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 Ranunculacece the sepals and petals present almost as great a variety of 
form as all the other orders of the Thalamiflorece, but the great majority can 
be recognised by their numerous free stamens and free carpels. 
Shrubs. Leaves opposite. Sepals large, petal-like . 
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 ....... 
Flowers in panicles, involucres none 
Petals 5-8, more conspicuous than the sepals. 
Petals scarlet, without a basal gland 
Petals yellow, with a basal gland 
Carpels many-ovuled. 
Flowers very irregular. 
Sepals flat, regular. Petals spurred 
Upper sepal produced at the base in the form of 
a spur ........ 
Upper sepal helmet- shaped, base not produced 
Flowers regular or nearly regular. 
Flowers 1-2 in. diam., yellow .... 
Flowers 3-4 in. diam., red or white 
Flowers hardly J in. diam., white. 
Carpels 2-5. Follicles flat .... 
Carpel solitary. Berry ovoid .... 
1. Clematis. 
2. Anemone. 
3. Thalictrum. 
4. Adonis. 
5. Ranunculus. 
7. Aquilegia. 
8. Delphinium. 
9. Aconitum. 
6. Caltha. 
12. Pceonia. 
11. Cimicifuga. 
10. Actcea. 
