Variation in Eranthis hyemalis, Ficaria verna, and 
other Members of the Ranunculaceae, with Special 
Reference to Trimery and the Origin of the Perianth. 
BY 
E. J. SALISBURY, D.Sc., F.L.S., 
Lecturer in Botany , East London College , University of London. 
With twenty Figures in the Text and Tables I-X. 
T HE observations embodied in the present paper were made with a view 
to obtaining more detailed information than was available regarding 
the structure of 5 indefinite ’ flowers. The results seemed sufficiently inter- 
esting to warrant their publication, since they appear to justify certain con- 
clusions regarding the character of the perianth in the Ranunculaceae. 
The material employed has been derived from several widely separated 
localities, in order, as., far as possible, to ensure the inclusion of extremes. 
Reliance has, however, been chiefly placed on a detailed examination of 
numerous specimens from one or two habitats. 
L Eranthis' hyemalis, Salisbury. 
(a) The structure of the normal flower . 
Examination of nearly four hundred specimens of Eranthis hyemalis 
shows that by far the greater number exhibit a coloured perianth of six 
members disposed in two whorls of three members each, thus corresponding 
to the one-third phyllotaxy of the foliage and scale-leaves (cf. Irmisch, 1860). 
As the flower emerges from the soil (Salisbury, 1916 a) it is protected by an 
involucre of three bracts. These are connate at the base and form a whorl 
immediately below the flower. A close examination will show that of the 
three bracts one is completely external, the adjacent member has one margin 
underlapping and the other overlapping, whilst the third is completely 
internal. The bracts are thus arranged in a spiral which may pass either in 
the clockwise or anticlockwise (Fig. 2, c) direction. 
Each bract exhibits three principal lobes, which are usually deeply 
divided, and the whole is supplied by three vascular strands that anastomose 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XXXIII. No. CXXXX January, 1919.] 
