15. R. septentrionàlis, Poir. Low, hairy or nearly glabrous; stems ascending, or in wet ground some of them procumbent or forming long runners; leaves 3-divided, the divisions all stalked (or at least the terminal one), broadly wedge-shaped or ovate, unequally 3-cleft or parted and variously cut, never pinnately compound; petals obovate, much larger than the spreading calyx; carpels strongly margined, pointed by a stout straightish beak. (R. repens, of Manual, mainly.)—Moist or shady places, etc., May–Aug.—Extremely variable in size and foliage, commencing to flower by upright stems in spring before any long runners are formed.
[=][=][=] Style subulate, stigmatose along the inner margin, mostly persistent.
16. R. rèpens, L. In habit and foliage closely similar to the last species; leaves frequently white-variegated or spotted; commencing to flower somewhat later.—In low grounds; generally in waste grounds near the coast and probably introduced from Europe, but indigenous westward.
17. R. Pennsylvánicus, L. f. (Bristly C.) Stout and erect from a usually annual root, hirsute with widely spreading bristly hairs, leafy to the top, 1–2° high; leaves all ternately divided or compound, the stalked leaflets unequally 3-cleft, sharply cut and toothed, acute; flowers inconspicuous; calyx reflexed; head of carpels oblong.—Wet places, common. June–Aug.
18. R. hìspidus, Hook. (not Michx. or DC.). Resembling the last, but the ascending or reclining stems few-leaved, rarely if ever rooting, not always hirsute; petals (about 3´´ long) surpassing the hardly reflexed and soon deciduous calyx; achenes with a stout straight beak, in a globose or oval head.—On the northern shore of Lake Superior, and north and westward; probably in N. Minn.
R. bulbòsus, L. (Bulbous C. or Buttercups.) Hairy; stem erect from a bulb-like base, 1° high; radical leaves 3-divided; the lateral divisions sessile, the terminal stalked and 3-parted, all wedge-shaped, cleft and toothed; peduncles furrowed; petals round, wedge shaped at base; calyx reflexed; carpels tipped with a very short beak.—Fields; very abundant only in E. New England; rare westward. May–July.—Leaves appearing as if pinnate. Petals often 6 or 7, deep glossy yellow, the corolla more than an inch broad. (Nat. from Eu.)
R. àcris, L. (Tall C. or Buttercups.) Hairy; stem erect (2–3° high); leaves 3-divided; the divisions all sessile and 3-cleft or parted, their segments cut into lanceolate or linear crowded lobes; peduncles not furrowed; petals obovate, much longer than the spreading calyx.—Fields; common, especially eastward. June–Aug.—Flower nearly as large as the last, but not so deep yellow.—The Buttercups are avoided by cattle, on account of their very acrid or even blistering juice, which property, however, is dissipated in drying when these plants are cut with hay. (Nat. from Eu.)
[*][*] Achenes beset with rough points or small prickles; annuals.
R. muricàtus, L. Nearly glabrous; lower leaves roundish or reniform, 3-lobed, coarsely crenate; the upper 3-cleft, wedge-form at the base; petals longer than the calyx; carpels flat, spiny-tuberculate on the sides, strongly beaked, surrounded with a wide and sharp smooth margin.—Eastern Virginia and southward. (Nat. from Eu.)
R. parviflòrus, L. Hairy, slender and diffuse; lower leaves roundish-cordate, 3-cleft, coarsely toothed or cut; the upper 3–5-parted; petals not longer than the calyx; carpels minutely hispid and rough, beaked, narrowly margined.—Norfolk, Va., and southward. (Nat. from Eu.)
10. ISOPỲRUM, L.
Sepals 5, petal-like, deciduous. Petals 5, minute, wanting in the American species. Stamens 10–40. Pistils 3–6 or more, pointed with the styles. Pods ovate or oblong, 2–several-seeded.—Slender smooth perennial herbs, with 2–3-ternately compound leaves; the leaflets 2–3-lobed. Flowers axillary and terminal, white. (From ἰσόπυρον, the ancient name of a Fumaria.)
1. I. biternàtum, Torr. & Gray. Petals none; filaments white, club-shaped; pistils 3–6 (commonly 4), divaricate in fruit, 2–3-seeded; seeds smooth.—Moist shady places, Ohio to Minn. and southward. May.—Fibres of the root thickened here and there into little tubers. Aspect and size of the plant much as in Anemonella.
11. CÁLTHA, L. Marsh Marigold.
Sepals 5–9, petal-like. Petals none. Pistils 5–10, with scarcely any styles. Pods (follicles) compressed, spreading, many-seeded.—Glabrous perennials, with round and heart-shaped or kidney-form, large, undivided leaves. (An ancient Latin name for the common Marigold.)
1. C. palústris, L. Stem hollow, furrowed; leaves round or kidney-shaped, either crenate or dentate or nearly entire; sepals broadly oval (bright yellow).—Swamps and wet meadows, common northward. April, May.—Often called incorrectly Cowslips; used as a pot-herb in spring, when coming into flower. C. flabellifolia, Pursh, is a weak slender form, with open-reniform leaves and smaller flowers (1´ broad or less), occurring in cold mountain springs, N. Y. to Md. (Eu.)
12. TRÓLLIUS, L. Globe-flower.
Sepals 5–15, petal-like. Petals numerous, small, 1-lipped, the concavity near the base. Stamens and pistils numerous. Pods 9 or more, sessile, many-seeded.—Smooth perennials with palmately parted and cut leaves, like Ranunculus, and large solitary terminal flowers. (Name thought to be derived from the old German word troll, a globe, or something round.)
1. T. láxus, Salisb. (Spreading Globe-flower.) Leaves 5–7-parted; sepals 5–6, spreading; petals 15–25, inconspicuous, much shorter than the stamens.—Deep swamps, N. H. to Del. and Mich. May.—Flowers twice the size of the common Buttercup; the sepals spreading, so that the name is not appropriate, as it is to the European Globe-flower of the gardens, nor is the blossom showy, being pale greenish-yellow, or nearly white.
13. CÓPTIS, Salisb. Goldthread.
Sepals 5–7, petal-like, deciduous. Petals 5–7, small, club-shaped, hollow at the apex. Stamens 15–25. Pistils 3–7, on slender stalks. Pods divergent, membranaceous, pointed with the style, 4–8-seeded.—Low smooth perennials, with ternately divided root-leaves, and small white flowers on scapes. (Name from κόπτω, to cut, alluding to the divided leaves.)
1. C. trifòlia, Salisb. (Three-leaved Goldthread.) Leaflets 3, obovate-wedge-form, sharply toothed, obscurely 3-lobed, scape 1-flowered.—Bogs, abundant northward, extending south to Maryland along the mountains, and west to Iowa. May.—Root of long, bright yellow, bitter fibres. Leaves evergreen, shining. Scape naked, slender, 3–5´ high. (Eu.)
14. HELLÉBORUS, Tourn. Hellebore.
Sepals 5, petal-like or greenish, persistent. Petals 8–10, very small, tubular, 2-lipped. Pistils 3–10, sessile, forming coriaceous many-seeded pods.—Perennial herbs, with ample palmate or pedate leaves, and large, solitary, nodding, early vernal flowers. (An ancient name of unknown meaning.)
H. víridis, L. (Green Hellebore.) Root-leaves glabrous, pedate; calyx spreading, greenish.—Has been found wild on Long Island, in Penn., and W. Va. (Adv. from Eu.)
15. ERÁNTHIS, Salisb. Winter Aconite.
Sepals 5–8, petal-like, deciduous. Petals small 2-lipped nectaries. Carpels few, stipitate, several-seeded.—Perennial herbs, with palmately multifid radical leaves, the scape bearing a single large yellow flower surrounded by an involucre of a single leaf. (Name from ἦρ, spring, and ἄνθος, flower.)
E.