^^^o The Scottish Naturalist. 



Ranunculus peltatus. frequent ; and R. circinatus, not scarce. 

 There also occurs another Batrachian Ranuncukis with long- 

 stalked, twice trifurcate, collapsing leaves, which may be R. pelta- 

 tus, var. elongatus, but I had no opportunity of examining flowers 

 or fruit. 



On the 27 th of July last a small party of us, consisting of Mr 

 J. Knox, Mr W. Graham, and myself, paid a visit to the loch, 

 when Mr Graham observed a number of small star-like flowers 

 at a considerable depth in the water. This proved to be the 

 Batrachian Ra7iunculus I have already referred to in the begin- 

 ning of this report. Though there was a depth of water of from 

 2/^ to 3^ feet, we found to our surprise not only buds and 

 flowers but well-matured fruit ! As several eminent botanists 

 seem to doubt the possibility of any Ranunculus fertilising under 

 water, I insist that it is an impossibility that any of these flowers 

 could ever have been near the surface of the water. The whole 

 plant does not exceed a foot in length ; it is procumbent in 

 habit and roots at the nodes ; the peduncles do not stand an 

 inch in length ; it was found in 3 feet and upwards of water ; 

 and at the time the loch stood at its lowest summer level. ^ 



It may not be amiss that I should append a description of 

 the plant as we found it. 



Stems about a foot long, slender, rooting at the nodes. 

 Leaves all submersed, shortly stalked, mostly twice trifurcate, 

 with multifid segments, collapsing. Stipules adnate, not auricled. 



^ I can quite corroborate ]\Ir Sturrock's statement as to the entirely sub- 

 mersed habit of this curious Ranunculus, as, by Mr Sturrock's invitation, 

 Colonel iJrummond Hay and I paid a visit to tlie loch in August. So far as 

 we could judge — and we investigated tlie matter very thoroughly — theye seemed 

 to be not the least grounds for doubting that the flowers had been perfected 

 and the ovules fertilised without ever reaching the air. Some of our esteemed 

 English friends, botanists of the highest repute, think this impossible, but I 

 do not see why they should. Subularia almost alwayr> flowers under water, 

 but may sometimes, though rarely, flower out of warcr. (I saw it doing so 

 this year.) Why, then, should a Batrachian Ranunculus not sometimes flower 

 and produce seed in the water? As to how fertilisation is accomplished I 

 ofl"er no suggestion, beyond remarking that so far as inspection of a few buds 

 goes, it is not accomplished before the flowers open. The plant is allied to 

 Drouettii, but the species has not yet been determined. — Since the hbove was 

 written, 1 have shown specimens to Dr lioswell, and compared them with 

 the Batrachian Ranunculi in his herbarium. Dr Boswell is inclined to refer 

 the Rescobie plant to the Scandinavian species confoToides, to which cer- 

 tainly it has much rcsemblnncc, tliough the carpels seem a little diff"ercnt. — 

 Ed. Sc. Nat. 



