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.)