10 
BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
OTHER SPECIES OF ANEMONE. 
THE BLUE MOUNTAIN ANEMONE. (A. apennina, Lin.) 
This beautiful plant can hardly be called a native of England, as though it is occasionally found growing 
wild in woods, it has probably only sprung from seeds which have been thrown out with some garden rubbish, 
or have been carried there by the wind. It has more the appearance of an Aster than an Anemone, as it has 
from twelve to twenty bright blue petals surrounding a yellow centre ; but it is easily distinguished by 
its involucre, which is at a considerable distance from the flower, and consists of three deeply cut leaves. 
THE YELLOW WOOD ANEMONE. (A. ranunculoides, Lin.) 
This is a very rare species, having been found in only two places—one in Hertfordshire, and the other in 
Kent. It very closely resembles the Ficaria, a species of Ranunculus, but is distinguished by the absence of a 
green calyx, and the presence of an involucre at some distance from the flower. 
GENUS Y. 
THE MOUSE-TAIL. (Myosurus, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. PENTANDRIA POLYGYNIA. 
Description, &c. —There is only one species in this genus, (M. minimus ,) a little insignificant plant, with 
very small flowers. The name of Myosurus is derived from two Greek words signifying Mouse-tail; and this 
odd name alludes to the shape of the torus on which the seed-vessels are placed, and which is elongated, so as to 
bear some resemblance to a mouse’s tail. There are only five stamens, and hence it is placed in the Linmean 
class Pentandria. 
GENUS VI. 
THE CROW -FOOT. (Ranunculus, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. POLYANDRIA POLYGYNIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx of five sepals, which are not cion- ending in a short horn or mucro, arranged in a globose or cylindrical 
gated at the base. Petals 5—10, with a nectariferous scale at the head. Roots fascicled. ( Lindley.) 
base. Stamens numerous. Cariopsides ovate, somewhat compressed, 
Description, &c.— The genus Ranunculus is a very extensive one, and it is well known, not only from the 
numerous species that are natives of Britain, but from the beautiful Asiatic kinds which are so ornamental in 
our flow'er-gardens. The British species have generally very showy flowers of a brilliant golden yellow (only 
two kinds having white flowers), and they are all very common. The word Ranunculus is derived from rana, 
a frog, in allusion to the marshy ground in which most of the species grow, and which is exactly the situation in 
which frogs are found. The name of Crow-foot relates to the shape of the leaves, which bear some resemblance 
to a crow’s foot. All the species are perennials, and some of them have creeping under-ground stems, or tuberous 
roots, by which they increase rapidly. The seed-vessels are of the kind called cariopsis, that is, they contain 
but one seed each, and each carpel is so united to the seed it contains that they cannot be separated. 
