Adonis is a genus of about 20–30 species of flowering plants of the crowfoot family, Ranunculaceae, native to Europe and Asia. The species grow to in height, with feathery, finely divided leaves. Their flowers are red, yellow or orange and have 5–30 petals. The Autumn Adonis, pheasant's-eye (A. annua), has flowers with bright red petals. The generic name Adonis refers to the mythical character Adonis, a lover of the goddess Aphrodite or Venus, and of Persephone, goddess of the underworld. Red flowers of the Adonis genus are said to have grown from the grave of Adonis, after he was slain by a wild boar possessed with unusual viciousness through instigation by the jealous Ares. According to the Metamorphoses of Ovid the anemone, also of the family Ranunculaceae, was created when Venus sprinkled nectar on his blood. Selected species Adonis aestivalis - summer pheasant's-eye Adonis aleppica Adonis amurensis - Far East Amur adonis Adonis annua (syn. A. autumnalis) - pheasant's-eye or blooddrops Adonis bobroviana Adonis chrysocyathus Adonis coerulea Adonis cyllenea Adonis davidii Adonis dentata Adonis distorta Adonis flammea Adonis microcarpa Adonis nepalensis Adonis palaestina Adonis pyrenaica from the Pyrenees, has thick foliage and large golden yellow flowers in early summer. Adonis ramosa Adonis sibirica Adonis sutchuenensis Adonis tianschanica Adonis vernalis - spring pheasant's-eye Adonis volgensis Systematics Initial characterization by Wang Wen-Tsai Subgen. 1. Adonanthe (Spach) Perennial herbs, with robust rhizomes. Some or all of the basal leaves are reduced to vaginiform scales at the lower stem ridges. The last lobe of the leaves is ovate, triangular, lanceolate or linear. Petals (7-8-)9 or more, yellow, white, or blue, not dark-spotted at the base. The anthers are muddy. Carpel not dorso-ventrally compressed, dorsally not longitudinally ribbed, more or less distinct into ovary and style, ovaries usually pubescent rarely glabrous. Aggregate fruit broadly ovoid or globose, with an oblong or lanceolate receptacle. Type: A. vernalia L. Sect. 1 Leiocarpa Basal leaves 3-5 normally developed, 3-pinnate-sectate, long petiolate, base broadly and thinly sheathed, oblong plates, circ. 4 reduced to thinly membranous dark-brown narrowly ovate or oblong scales 7-10mm wide. The stem leaves all developed normally. Achenium glabrous, smooth, arched-convex on the back, lacking a transverse crest, longitudinally 2-ribbed on both sides, persistent style short circ. 0.8mm long straight. Type: A. nepalensis Simon Sect. 2 Ancistrocarpium Basal leaves 1-3 normally developed. 3-4-ternate-pinnate-secta, long petiolate, triangular plates, 3-5 membranous dark-brown oblong or ovate-oblong circ. 1.5 cm wide