reduced, rarely reduced to vaginiform scales. The leaves of the stem are all normally developed, the lowest one long petiolate. Achenium glabrous or pubescent, dorsum arched-convex, rarely truncate at very convex apex, provided with a narrow transverse crest or lacking it, inconspicuously or distinctly longitudinally veined on both sides, persistent style more or less elongate 1.2-4mm long with hooked-curved apex. Type: A. chrysosyatha Hook. f. and Thomas Sect. 3 Adonanthe Basal leaves all with lower stems reduced to brown papery scales narrowly oblong or oblong-lanceolate rarely oblong 3-8(-10)mm wide. Median and upper cauline leaves normally developed, 3-4-ternate-pinnate-sectate or 2-3-pinnate-sectate, longitudinally shortly petiolate or sessile, ovate or triangular plates, rarely elliptic. Achenium pubescent, very convex at the back tip, rounded-truncate, lacking a transverse crest, wrinkled or reticulate on both sides, short persistent style 0.4–1 mm long, often strongly recurved achene appressed, rarely straight substraight or slightly recurved. Type: A. vernalis L. Series 1. Amurenses Lower stem leaves petiolate, 3-4-ternate-pinnate-sectioned, ovate or triangular, rarely elliptic leaves. Petals yellow or white, (7-8-) 10-22. Persistent style often strongly recurved and appressed to the achene, rarely erect or slightly recurved. Type: A. amurensis Regel et Radde. Series 2. Coeruleae Lower stem leaves petiolate, 3-4-pinnate-sectate, oblong or ovate-oblong plates. Petals white or blue, 8-9. Style persistently erect or more or less recurved, not appressed to the achene, or very short. Type: A. coerulea Maxim. The species between A. brevistylam Franch. and A. coerulea Maxim, intermediate, differs from that with ovate-oblong or oblong 3-pinnate-sectioned leaf plates, fewer petals, and a much higher stem, white petals intact. A perennial herb. Stem 16–40 cm high, often branched far above the base, glabrous, the base provided with 3-4 papyracea brownish or brownish-white narrowly ovate or lanceolate-wide scales 0.6-1.5 cm long. Stem leaves petiolate, glabrous; blades ovate-oblong or oblong, 2.5–12 cm long, 1.2-3.5 cm wide, 3-pinnate-segmented, pinnae 3-4-ridged sessile or subsessile, the last lobes ovate-triangular or narrowly lanceolate, pointed at the tip; petiole 1-6.8 cm long, flower 1.2-2.4 cm diam.; sepals 5. subrhomboid or lanceolate, 5-8.5 mm long, glabrous; petals white, 8-9, broadly oblanceolate or oblong-oblanceolate, 7-11mm long, 2.6-5mm wide, apex obtuse or rounded; stamens numerous, 3-5mm long, oblong anthers 1-1.5mm long. Fruit aggregate globose, 7-9mm diam.; achene obliquely obovoid, the tip strongly convex on the back, circ. 4.5 mm long, 3 mm wide, reticulate-wrinkled, densely pubescent, persistent styles ca. 0.6mm long slightly recurved. Series 3. Apenninae Stem leaves sessile or