Family 9. Polycarpicæ.
The flowers as a rule are ☿, regular and hypogynous; however in some orders they are unisexual, e.g. in the Myristicaceæ, or zygomorphic (in Monkshood and Larkspur in the Ranunculaceæ); in the Lauraceæ, (Fig. [386]) for example, perigynous, and in Nymphæa (Fig. [383]) even partially epigynous flowers are typical.—The flowers are acyclic in very many of the genera of the two first orders, if not completely so, at any rate in the numerous stamens and carpels, thus denoting an old type. It is a remarkable characteristic that in the majority of the orders the number 3 prevails in the calyx and corolla; the number 5 also occurs, but the number 2 is seldom met with. Most orders have a double perianth; chorisis does not occur, suppression is rare, and the parts of the flower are developed in acropetal succession. The most characteristic feature in the order is the free, one-leaved, as a rule numerous carpels (apocarpous gynœceum). The number of carpels in some of the last mentioned orders dwindles down to 1 (e.g. the Berberideæ and Myristicaceæ). The carpels in Nymphæaceæ become united into one pistil (syncarpous), a condition which we also find distributed among the other orders.
Endosperm occurs in almost all the orders (except e.g. Lauraceæ). The nutritive tissue in Cabombeæ and Nymphæeæ is chiefly perisperm.
Fig. 370.—Diagram of Aquilegia vulgaris: sp spur. A cyclic flower.
Fig. 371.—Diagram of a dichasium of Ranunculus acer: α1, α1, and β1, β1, bracteoles (the buds in the axils of the bracteoles, α and α1, are continued antidromously). The flower has cyclic calyx and corolla, bub acyclic (8/21) stamens.
Fig. 372.—Diagram of an acyclic Ranunculaceous flower (only 3 stamens are indicated). The spiral of the sepals has a divergence of 3/5; that of the corolla and subsequent leaves 3/8.
Order 1. Ranunculaceæ. Nearly all are herbs (except Clematis). The leaves are scattered (except Clematideæ), they have a large sheath with broad base (no stipules), and are most frequently palminerved with palmate lobes. The flowers are hypogynous, with most frequently a well pronounced convex receptacle (Figs. [374] B, 380), ☿, regular (except Delphinium and Aconitum); their structure varies very much; in some the leaves are verticillate, in others arranged spirally; in others, again, both modes of arrangement are found. It is a characteristic feature that the various series of leaves (especially calyx and corolla) are not so distinct or so sharply divided as is usual. The leaves of the perianth are free, imbricate (except Clematideæ); stamens numerous, with most frequently extrorse anthers; gynœceum free, apocarpous (except Nigella and partly Helleborus), with 1 or several ovules (Figs. [373], [378], [379]) borne on the ventral suture. The fruit is either a nut or a follicle (Actæa has berries). The seed has a large, oil-containing endosperm and a small embryo (Fig. [374]).