4. Anemone L. (windflower, anemone)

Plants perennial herbs, with rhizomes or tubers, usually with 1–12 basal leaves and 3 or more opposite or whorled bracts along the stem (sometimes close to the flower and calyxlike). Stems erect or less commonly arching. Leaves deeply lobed or compound, the blades or leaflets kidney-shaped to obtriangular or lanceolate. Inflorescences of solitary flowers or open clusters or groups of 2–7 flowers at the stem tips. Flowers actinomorphic, perfect. Sepals 5–12, 7–24 mm long, petaloid, white, pink, purple, blue, green, or pale cream-colored, plane, not persistent at fruiting. Petals absent. Stamens prominent but scarcely showy, the anthers yellow or white. Staminodes absent. Pistils many, each with 1 ovule. Style present. Fruits achenes, usually somewhat flattened, with a beak 0.5–6.0 mm long, the fruit wall thick, not veined. Receptacle sometimes elongated at fruiting. About 150 species, nearly worldwide.