| TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993) |
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©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California
For up-to-date information about California vascular plants, visit the Jepson eFlora. |
AND IS MAINTAINED FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES ONLY |
Annual, perennial herb, sometimes aquatic
Leaves generally basal and cauline, generally alternate, simple or compound; petioles at base generally flat, sometimes sheathing or stipule-like
Inflorescence: cyme, raceme, panicle, or flowers solitary
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals generally 5, free, early deciduous or withering in fruit, generally green; petals 0–many, free; stamens generally 10–many; pistils 1–many, ovary superior, chamber 1, style 1, generally ± persistent in fruit as beak, ovules 1–many
Fruit: achene, follicle, berry, or utricle-like, 1–many-seeded
Genera in family: ± 60 genera, 1700 species: worldwide, especially n temp, tropical mtns; many ornamental (Adonis, Aquilegia, Clematis, Consolida, Delphinium, Erianthis, Helleborus ),some highly TOXIC (Aconitum, Actaea, Delphinium, Ranunculus )
Reference: [Duncan & Keener 1991 Phytologia 70:24–27]
Perennial from stout, branched caudex
Stems 1–few, ascending to erect, branched to not
Leaves 1–4(5), generally 1–3(4)-ternate, lowest scale-like, fibrous, sheathing
Inflorescence: raceme, axillary or terminal
Flower radial; sepals 3–5, petal-like, early deciduous; petals 4–10, rarely 0, oblanceolate to spoon-shaped; pistil 1, placentas 2, ovules several
Fruit: berry
Species in genus: 5–6 species: temp North America, Eurasia
Etymology: (Greek: ancient name, from wet habitat and similarity to Sambucus leaves)
Fr TOXIC to humans .