RANUNCULACE^E 



Ranunculus: for derivation see acris. 

 Repens: Latin for creeping. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: damp ground, by roadsides, 

 and in waste places. 



THE PLANT: spreading by runners and forming large 

 patches; the stem generally hairy, but sometimes only 

 slightly so. 



THE LEAVES: mostly basal; three-divided, all divisions or 

 the end ones only petioled; ovate; acute at the apex; 

 wedge-shaped at the base; often blotched or white-vari- 

 egated. 



THE FLOWERS: nearly one inch broad; the five petals 

 obovate, much longer than the sepals. 



THE FRUIT: achenes; the seed vessel tipped with a short, 

 stout spine. 



This is that creeping or spreading Buttercup that grows 

 on long straight stems and has frequently white-variegated 

 or spotted leaves, and large deep-yellow flowers nearly an 

 inch across. 



RANUNCULACEjE CROWFOOT FAMILY 



Anemone quinquefolia, L. 



White or tinted with Wood Anemone, Wood-flower, 



pink Five-leaved Anemone, May-flower, 



Wind-flower, Nimble Weed, 



May- June Wild Cucumber, Herb Trinity. 



Anemone: the ancient Greek and Latin name, a corrup- 

 tion from the Semitic name for Adonis, from whose 

 blood the crimson-flowered anemone of the Orient is 

 said to have sprung. 



Quinquefolia: Latin for five-leaved. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: thickets and open woods. 



103 



