T H A L I C T R U M minus.
Lejfer Meadow-rue.
P O L Y A N D R I A Polygynia.
G e n . C h a r . Cal. none. Petals four or five. Seeds
naked and beardlefs.
S p e c . C h a r . Leaves in fix divifions. Flowers nod-
ding.
S y n . Thalidtrum minus. Linn. Sp. PI. 769. Hud/.
FI. An. 238. With. Bot. Arr. 569. Relh. Can-
tab. 210. Raii Syn. 203.
A N A T IV E of chalky and lime-ftone foils in various parts
of England; but being only found in fuch, it is by no means
a common plant.
The eflential chara&er of this fpecies, as given by Linnaeus,
is not at all clear : but it appears he meant that the leaves are
compounded in a fixfold order, which is generally near the
truth; not (as fome have underftood it) that the foliola are in
fix divifions, which can never be the cafe, unlefs by accident,
as they have a central lobe, and confequently an odd number
of divifions.
The purple tips of the leaves, and a blueifh bloom on the
ftem, are pointed out by Linnaeus as charadleriftics of this
plant; and he alfo mentions it as flowering rather early. With
us it is feldom feen in flower before July.