RANUNCULACEAE (CROWFOOT FAMILY) 



59 



RANUNCULUS 



Annuals or perennials. Stem leaves alternate. Flowers soli- 

 tary or somewhat corymbed, yellow, rarely white. (A Latin name 

 for a little frog, the aquatic species growing where frogs abound.) 



R. aquatilis capillaceus, WHITE WATER BUTTERCUP. Leaves all 

 under water and mostly petioled, their capillary divisions and sub- 

 divisions rather long and soft, usually collapsing more or less when 

 withdrawn from the water. Common especially in slow flowing water. 

 Petals white. June-August. 



R. delphinifolius, YELLOW WATER BUTTERCUP. Stems floating or 

 submerged. Leaves all repeatedly 3-forked into long filiform divi- 

 sions. Petals 5-8, deep bright yellow, 8-12 mm. long, much larger than 

 the sepals. Carpels in a round head, slightly roughened, beaked, and 

 margined toward the base with a conspicuous border. Quiet water. 

 When rooting out of the water or left in the mud of drying ponds 

 the form becomes modified. 



Ranunculus, a, R. abortivus; b, R. acris. 



R. abortivus, SMALL-FLOWERED BUTTERCUP. Biennial, slightly suc- 

 culent. Stem 1.5-6 dm., sparingly-pubescent, primary root-leaves 

 round heart-shaped with a wide shallow sinus. Petals pale yellow, 

 shorter than the small calyx. Shady hillsides and along brooks. 

 Common. April-June. 



R. recurvatus, Hairy, 3-6 dm. high. The achenes with a long re- 

 curved beak. Root-leaves rarely divided. The achenes in globular 

 heads, compressed, and with margins. The leaves long-petioled, 

 deeply 3-cleft. Large. The petals shorter than the reflexed calyx, 

 pale. Common in woods. May, June. 



R. fascicularis, EARLY BUTTERCUP. Low, ascending, 1-2.5 dm. high, 

 finely pubescent. The root a cluster of thickened fleshy fibers. Rad- 



