3. Ovule pendulous. Carpels arranged in a spike. Sepals with a short spur, yellowish. Petals narrow. Stamens few. Pericarp without a hardened layer. Small herbs. Leaves radical, undivided, linear.--Species 2. North-west Africa. Poisonous plants. “Mousetail.” =Myosurus= L. Ovule ascending. Pericarp with a hardened layer.--Species 50. Many of them are poisonous, some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. (Including _Ceratocephalus_ Pers. and _Ficaria_ Dill.) =Ranunculus= L. 4. Ovary and fruit with 1-3 longitudinal veins or without veins. Ovule with a single coat. 5 Ovary and fruit with 4 or more longitudinal or transverse veins. Ovule with 2 coats. Leaves alternate or all radical. 6 5. Leaves opposite. Herbs or more frequently climbing shrubs. Perianth-segments 4-8, petal-like, usually valvate in the bud.--Species 40. Many of them are poisonous; some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. =Clematis= L. Leaves radical and alternate, or the uppermost whorled. Herbs, rarely low shrubs. Perianth-segments 4-20, imbricate in the bud.--Species 15. North, South, and East Africa. Several are poisonous; some are used as ornamental or medicinal plants. (Including _Knowltonia_ Salisb.) (Plate 46.) =Anemone= L. 6. Perianth simple, of 3-5 segments. Carpels inserted upon a flat receptacle, marked with longitudinal veins. Flowers in racemes or cymes.--Species 4. Poisonous plants, used for dyeing and in medicine. =Thalictrum= L. Perianth of 5 sepals and 5-16 petals. Carpels inserted upon a cylindrical receptacle, marked with transverse veins. Flowers solitary, terminal.--Species 4. North Africa. Poisonous, also used in medicine and as ornamental plants. =Adonis= L. 7. (1.) Perianth consisting of 5 or more sepals and 5-8 red, not glandular petals. Stamens united at the base, slightly perigynous. Carpels several, separate, fleshy. Outer coat of the ovules longer than the inner.--Species 1. North-west Africa. Poisonous and used as an ornamental and medicinal plant. [Tribe PAEONIEAE.] =Paeonia= L. Perianth consisting of 5 petal-like, usually blue sepals and 1-8 glandular petals (nectaries). Stamens free, hypogynous. Carpels not fleshy. Outer coat of the ovules as long as or shorter than the inner. [Tribe HELLEBOREAE.] 8 8. Perianth regular. Petals 5-8. 9 Perianth irregular. Petals 1-4, usually 2. 10 9. Petals 5, large, with a long spur. Carpels separate. Leaves ternately dissected; segments broad. Tall, perennial herbs.--Species 1. North-west Africa. Used as an ornamental plant and in medicine. “Columbine.” =Aquilegia= L. Petals 8, small, not distinctly spurred. Carpels more or less united. Leaves pinnately dissected; segments narrow. Low annual herbs.--Species 6. North Africa. Some (especially _N. sativa_ L.) yield condiments and medicaments, others serve as ornamental plants. =Nigella= L.