ANEMONE, a genus of plants of the natural order ranunculaerm, having an involucre of three divided lea ;es, more or less remote from the flower, a petaloid calyx, scarcely distinguishable from the corolla, and soft woolly achenia (see AcnEyium), which in some species have tails. The name is originally Greek, and is said to be derived from the word for wind, because ninny of the species love very exposed situations. The species are numerous, and generally beautiful. Most of them flower early in sprino-. They are natives of temperate and cold climates, chiefly of the northern hemisphere. 'One species, A. nemorosa, the wood A., is a common native of all parts of Britain, and its white flowers, externally tinged with purple, are an ornament of many a woodland scene and mountain pasture in and May. Another species, A. puisatilla, the pasque flower, adorns chalky pastures in some parts of England at the same season. Its flowers are purple and externally silky. The garden A. is a favorite florist's flower; the varieties are very numerous, and whole works have been published on them and their cultivation, which is most extensively carried on in Holland, and has prevailed from a very early period. It is generally supposed that all these varieties have originated from two species, A. curoruiria and A. hortensa or stellata. Both are natives of the Levant; the latter is found also in Italy and the south of France. By cultivation, the size of the flower is increased, its form and colors are modified, and many of the stamens are often changed into small petals, forming a sort of heart of the flower. The cultivation of A. requires
great attention. It prefers a light soil. The root, which consists of clustered tubers, is taken up after flowering-. The plant is propagated by parting the roots, or by seed. In the latter way, new varieties are obtained. Seedling plants do not flower till the second or third year. —Besides the species which have been named, others occasionally appear as ornaments of our flower-gardens. A. apeaniaa and A. have beautiful blue flowers. They are both natives of the south of Europe. A. japonica, a most beautiful species, has recently been introduced from Japan.—The species of this genus are char acterized by the acridity prevalent in the natural order to which they belong; and the rhizomes of A. nonnro.Ra and others have been recommended in obstinate rheumatism and in tienia.—The genus hepatica was formerly included in A. II. triloba (A. hepatica), with 3-lobed leaves, grows wild in most parts of Germany and throughout the n. of Europe, but is not a native of Britain. It is also found in North America. Varieties of different colors, and both single and double, are among the finest ornaments of our flower-borders in etuqy spring. The plants are very apt to suffer from being removed or having the earth much loosened about them, and must be permitted to remain as much as possible untouched.