ORDERS ros 
Character. “+ Comparison of the common plants mentioned 
istics of the above enables us to form some idea of the charac. 
se. teristics of the Order. 
1. With the exception of Clematis, which is a — 
shrub, all the plants are herbs. 
2. The leaves are usually simple and often very much 
divided. ‘They are often radical, and when cauline they are 
generally alternate. 
3. The flowers are mostly regular, Larkspur and Monkshood 
being the two chief examples of irregular flowers. All the 
parts of the flower are free. The stamens are numerous and 
often spirally arranged. 

Fics. 97 ro 100.—PEraLs or RANuNcuLUS AURICOMUS, 
SHOWING NECTARIES. 
p, pocket form ; sc, scale form ; ¢, tubular. 
_ 4. The fruit is compound, generally consisting of achenes or 
follicles. Where the carpels are numerous and one-seeded, 
achenes are pioduced ; where there are few carpels with many 
seeds, follicles. : 
Comparisonof ‘he Order with which a beginner is likely to » 
Gael confuse Ranunculacee is Rosaceew. Many of the 
Rosacez. flowers of these Orders are not unlike in appear- 
ance, but a careful examination shows the following differences : 
(a) The flower is hypogynous in Ranunculacex, and usually 
perigynous in Rosacez. 
(6) The stamens in Ranunculacex are usually spirally 
arranged ; in Rosacex they are whorled. 
Special The calyx is often very conspicuous; this is 
Structures. the case in the Marsh Mar igold—the yellow floral 
leaves are sepals, not petals. Hellebore, Globeflower, Clematis, 
