RANUNCULACEAE 443 
long as the reflexed sepals : head of fruit globose, 4 mm. in diameter: achenes oblique, 
compressed, each tipped with a minute straight style. 
On dry hillsides, Missouri and Arkansas. Spring. 
7. Ranunculus abortivus L. Foliage glabrous or only sparingly pubescent. Stems 
erect or nearly so, 1.5-6dm. high, branched. Basal leaves several ; blades long-petioled, 
bright green, thick, crenate or sometimes lobed, broadly ovate, obtuse, and generally cor- 
date or reniform ; blades of the cauline leaves sessile or nearly so, divided into oblong or 
linear somewhat cuneate lobes: corolla yellow, 4-6 mm. broad: petals oblong, shorter 
than the reflexed sepals: head of fruit globose, the receptacle short, pubescent : achenes 
1-1.5 mm. long, each tipped with a minute curved beak. 
In woods and moist grounds, Labrador and Nova Scotia to Manitoba, Florida, Arkansas and 
Colorado. Spring. : 
8. Ranunculus micránthus Nutt. Similar to R. abortivus but usually rather more 
slender, the foliage villous. Stems 1-5 dm. tall: leaf-blades relatively thin, dull green, 
those of basal leaves ovate or suborbicular, 3-lobed or crenate, narrowed, rounded or nearly 
truncate at the base; segments of the upper stem-leaves narrow, entire or sharply toothed : 
corolla pale yellow, about 6 mm. broad: petals oblong or oval, 2-3 times as long as 
wide: head of fruit rather longer than thick, the receptacle linear, glabrous or very 
nearly so. 
In rich woods, often on rocks, Massachusetts to Minnesota, Georgia and Arkansas. Spring. 
9. Ranunculus Allegheniénsis Britton. Similar in aspect to R. abortivus and R. 
micranthus, the foliage glabrous. Stems widely branched, 2-6 dm. tall : basal leaves several ; 
blades reniform or suborbicular, 1-2.5 cm. wide, long-petioled, crenate or some of them 
lobed, the teeth and lobes subacute ; Blades of stem-leaves sessile or the lower petioled, 
divided nearly or quite to the base into linear, acute, entire, toothed or cleft segments : 
corolla about 6 mm. broad: petals oblong, not exceeding the calyx, yellow, glandular : 
head of fruit globose, or globose-oblong, 4 mm. in diameter: achenes slightly compressed 
and margined, each tipped with a subulate hooked or recurved style of about 3 its length. 
tie open woods, eastern Massachusetts and in the mountains to North Carolina and Tennessee. 
10. Ranunculus sceleràtus L. Foliage glabrous or nearly so. Stems stout, 1.5-6 
dm. high, freely branching, hollow: basal leaves with thick, 3-5-lobed reniform or cor- 
date blades, 2.5-5 em. broad, on long and broad petioles ; blades of the stem-leaves petioled 
or the upper sessile, deeply lobed or divided, the lobes obtuse, cuneate-oblong or linear, 
toothed or entire : flowers numerous : corolla yellow, 6-8 mm. broad: petals about pcs 
ling the calyx in length: head of fruit oblong or cylindric, 8-12 mm. long: achenes about 
1 mm. long, very numerous, merely apiculate. 
In swamps and wet ditches, New Brunswick to Florida, abundant along the coast, and locally in 
the interior to Minnesota, preferring saline or alkaline situations. Also in Europe and Asia. Spring 
and summer. 
_ ,1l. Ranunculus recurvàtus Poir. Foliage usually hirsute. Stems erect, 1.5-6 dm. 
high, branching : leaf-blades all petioled, broadly reniform, 5-7.5 cm. wide, deeply 3-cleft, 
the divisions broadly cuneate, acute, toothed and lobed: corolla light yellow, 8-18 mm. 
broad : petals shorter than or equalling the reflexed calyx: head of fruit globose, 12 mm. 
shat achenes compressed, margined, each tipped with a recurved hooked beak of 3 its 
ength. 
In rich woods, Nova Scotia to Manitoba, Florida and Missouri. Spring. 
12. Ranunculus Pennsylvánicus L. f. Foliage pilose-hispid. Stems erect, 
branching, 3-7 dm. high, leafy : leaf-blades thin, 3-divided, the divisions deeply 3-cleft, the 
lobes lanceolate, cuneate, acute, incised: corolla yellow, 6-8 mm. wide: petals equalling 
the reflexed sepals or shorter: head of fruit oblong or cylindric, 6 mm. thick, sometimes 
S vue : receptacle hairy: achenes smooth, each tipped with a sharp beak one-third 
ength. 
In wet open places, Nova Scotia to British Columbia and Georgia. Summer. 
. 13. Ranunculus bulbósus L. Foliage pubescent. Stems erect from a bulbous- 
thickened base, 1.5-5 dm. high: leaf-blades petioled, 3-divided, the terminal division 
stalked, the lateral ones sessile or nearly so, all variously lobed and cleft: corolla bright 
yellow, about 2.5 cm. broad: petals much longer than the reflexed sepals, obovate, 
rounded : head of fruit globose, 10-12 mm. broad : achenes compressed, very short-beaked. 
E In fields and on roadsides, quite common in most sections of North America. Naturalized from 
urope. Spring. 
14. Ranunculus palmatus Ell. Foliage glabrate, strigillose or sparingly hirsute. 
Roots clustered, slightly thickened : stems usually several together, slender, becoming de- 
