40 
pressed, and marginate. 4%. H. Native of North America, 
not unfrequent on the low points of land near rivers on the north- 
west coast. This species comes very near to R. dichdtomus, 
D. C. and R. fascicularis, Muhl. 
Hard-beaked-leaved Crowfoot. Fl. May, Jul. Clt. 1826. P1.1 ft. 
161 R. suLgo`sus (Lin. spec. 778.) radical leaves stalked, 
ternate or quinate-pinnate, with trifid or quinquifid deeply- 
toothed 3-lobed segments ; middle segment stalked ; stem erect, 
bulbous at the neck ; calyx reflexed ; petals obcordate. Y. H. 
Native throughout Europe in pastures, meadows, grass-plats, 
and waste ground every where ; also in North America. Smith, 
eng. bot. 8. t. 515. Curt. lond. fase. 1. t. 38. Mart. rust. t. 28. 
Mill. illustr. t. 51. Fl. dan. t. 551. Plant more or less hairy. 
This species though acrid is commonly eaten along with other 
herbage, by domestic cattle. The root, which is said to be the 
most acrid part of the plant, and which is said to raise blisters 
with less pain and more safety than Spanish flies ; hence these 
roots have been applied for that purpose, particularly to the 
joints in cases of gout. According to Hoffman, beggars make 
use of them to blister their skin, with a view of exciting compas- 
sion. The juice of the herb is said to be more acrid than that 
of R. scelerdtus, and if applied to the nostrils excites sneezing. 
The roots lose their stimulating quality by drying, and are even 
eatable when boiled. Hogs are fond of them, and frequently 
dig them up. The flowers are vulgarly called butter-flower, 
butter-cups, king’s-cups, gold-cups, and they are the cuckoo buds of 
yellow hue of Shakspeare. R. répens and R. acris, however, are 
all confounded under these names by the vulgar. 
Var. B, multiplex; flowers double. This, with the double 
flowering R. acris, is called in the gardens Double yellow Bache- 
lor’s buttons. 
er y, bracteatus (Schleich. pl. helv. or brachiatus, Schleich. 
cat. 
Bulbous-rooted Crowfoot. Fl. May, Ju. Britain, Pl. $ to 2 ft. 
Secr. V.—EcHINE'LLA (exwoc, echinos, a hedge-hog; in 
allusion to the prickly or tubercled carpels,) D. C. prod. 1. p. 41. 
carpels scabrous, with tubercles or prickles (f. 9. e.) Annual plants 
with small yellow flowers, 
§ 1. Leaves dissected. 
162 R. puitondtis (Retz. obs. 6. p. $1.) leaves 3-lobed or 
ternate, with deeply-toothed blunt lobes; middle lobe stalked ; 
calyx reflexed; stem erect, many-flowered ; carpels bearing a 
row of small tubercles at the margin. @©.H. Native of south 
and middle Europe in moist meadows and waste or cultivated 
ground that is liable to be overflowed by water; also in North 
America in old meadow and low wet grounds, from New England 
to Pennsylvania. R. bulbdsus, var. 8. Huds. 241. R. agrarius 
All, auct, p. 27. R. sardous, Crantz. austr. 2. p. 84. R. pallí- 
dior, Vill. dauph. 4. p. 751. R. hirsùtus, Ait. hort. kew, ed. 1. 
vol. 2. p. 268. Curt. lond. 2. t. 40. Smith, engl. bot. t 1504 
R. pállidus, Reiss. in Schrad. journ. bot. 1. p. 425. R. Palénsis, 
Berg. fl. bass. pyr. 2. p. 405. Herb very variable in luxuri- 
ance, of a paler hue than most of this genus, and clothed with 
fine silky spreading hairs. The name sardous, given by Jacquin 
on account of its being supposed to be the plant that caused the 
sardonic laugh. 
Var. B, intermèdius (Poir. dict. 6. p. 116.) leaves almost with- 
out hairs. ©.H. Native in humid places. R. púmilus, Thuil 
fi. par. ed. 2. vol. 1. p. 277, but not of Poir. ' l 
Var. y, parvulus (Lin. mant. 76.) stem dwarfish 
flowered. ©. H. Native in dry, stony, i 
R. parviflorus, Gouan. fl. monsp. 270, 
 Moisture-loving oX Pale-hairy Crowfoot. F]. June Oct. Bri- 
tain. Pl. 4 to 1 foot. , 
usually 1- 
arid, exposed places. 
RANUNCULACER. XIV. RANUNCULUS. 
163 R. racıxia`rus (Baugm. enum. str. trans. 2. p. 1381. 
Schlecht. anim. 2. p. 36.) stem erect, silky-villous as well as 
the leaves, which are ternate-3-parted ; segments trifid, linear, 
toothed; peduncles elongated, filiform, densely pilose; calyx 
spreading ; carpels muricated and mucronate. ©. H. Native 
of Trannsylvania on-dry mountains, 
Jagged-leaved Crowfoot. Fl. June, July. Clt. 1828. Pl. 1 ft 
164 R. rusercura'tus (Kit. ex. Balb. cat. hort. taur. 1813. 
p. 64.) leaves smooth, deeply multifid, with linear acute lobes ; 
stem erect, many-flowered ; carpels compressed, furnished with 
very blunt tubercles at the sides. ©. H» Native of Hungary, 
Iberia, and north of Tauria in corn fields. Very like R. arvén- 
sis, but differing in the carpels being tubercled, not prickly. 
Tubercled-carpelled Crowfoot. Fl. Ju. Jul. Clt. 1817. Pl. 1 ft. 
165 R. arvensis (Lin. spec. 780.) leaves smooth, first ones 
toothed at the apex ; radical ones 3-parted ; cauline ones multi- 
fid, with linear lobes ; stem erect, many-flowered; carpels very 
prickly at the sides. ©. H. Native throughout middle and 
south Europe in corn fields common; in North America about 
Charlestown. Engl. bot. t. 135. Curt. lond. fasc. 6. t. 36. 
Mart. rust. t. 56. Fl. dan. t. 219. R. echinatus, Crantz. aust. 2. 
p- 118. but not of Lin. This plant is very acrid and dangerous 
to cattle, though they are said to eat it greedily. M. Brugnon, 
who has given a particular account of its qualities, relates that 
three ounces of the juice killed a dog in 4 minutes. Several 
sheep were killed by feeding on this herb near Turin, which first 
led to an investigation of the matter. Cholic, with inflammation 
of the stomach, were the symptoms, which were best removed 
by pouring vinegar down the animals’ throats. Hence, like most 
vegetable poisons, this Crowfoot seems to act on the nerves, and 
yet black spots were found in the sheep’s stomachs. 
Var. B, orientalis echinatus, arvensis, crassiore fructu, Vaill. 
herb. The carpels of this variety are almost double the size of 
those of var. a, and the prickle much longer. 
Corn-field Crowfoot. Fl. June, Aug. Britain. Pl. 1 foot. 
166 R. murica'tus (Lin. spec. 780.) leaves smooth, stalked, 
somewhat orbicular, 3-lobed, and coarsely toothed ; stem rather 
erect, or diffuse; peduncles opposite the leaves; calyx spread- 
ing ; carpels beset with prickly tubercles, each ending in a straight 
acuminated horn. ©. H. Native throughout the whole region 
of the Mediterranean, from Portugal to Tauria in low humid 
places. A very variable plant, therefore many names have been 
given to it by authors. Smith, fl. grec. t. 522. Lam. ill. 498. 
— Clus. hist. 233. f. 2, 
Var. B, Creticus (D.C. prod. 1. p. 42.) stem erect.—Mor. hist. 
2. p. 440. sect. 4. t. 29. f. 24, Native of Crete. 
Var. y, Carolinus (D. C. prod. 1. p. 42.) petals longer than 
the calyx. Native of Carolina and Virginia. R. muricatus, 
Michx. fl. bor. amer. 1. p. 321. R. echinatus, Vent. cels. t. 73. 
Var. 6, Tucumánicus (D. C. prod. 1. p. 42.) carpels less acu- 
minated. Native of South America near the river Plate. 
palústris echinatus. Fewill. obs. 3. p. 58. t. 18. 
, Var. e, Brasiliànus (D. C. prod. 1. p. 42.) sheaths of petioles 
dilated. Native of Brazil by the sea-side in humid places. R. 
ventricosus, Vent. cels. 73. R. muricatus, St. Hil. fl. bras. p- 7: 
Muricated-carpelled Crowfoot. Fl. Jul. Aug. Clt. 1683. Pl. gf. 
167 R. cnius (D. C. syst. 1. p. 800.) leaves rather villous, 
cordate, orbicular, broadly toothed; stems erect, villous; pedi- 
cels opposite the leaves; calyx reflexed ; carpels tubercled, eac 
ending in an acuminated hooked horn. ©. H. Native of the 
island of Scio. Root calyx, and petals like those of R. philond- 
tis. Leaves like those of R. parviflorus, and with the carpels of 
R. muricatus. 
Scio Crowfoot. Fl. June, July. Cit. 1827. Pl. 4 foot. 
_168 R. cornu'tus (D. C. syst. 1. p. 300.) leaves smooth, 
biternate ; segments 3-lobed, with the lobes oblong-linear, acute; 
eee 
