220 The Ottawa Naturalist. 



Our next genus is Myosurus, (Mousetail), represented by one 

 species M. mittimus, L. This is a very remarkable and inconspicuous 

 little plant but most interesting withal. It is a very small annual with 

 entire, linear leaves in a radical tuft, and simple one-flowered scapes. 

 After flowering the carpel-spike becomes elongated an inch or two 

 which gives the name Mousetail. The only recorded localities in 

 Ontario are in the vicinity of Belleville where it was found many years 

 ago in damp places subject to overflow, on limestone shingle west of 

 Albert College and at the Ferry House in Prince Edward County 

 opposite Belleville. 



Following this is the large genus Ranunculus which is represented 

 by nineteen species, three of them introduced from Europe. This genus 

 takes a multiplicity of forms and grows in all kinds of localities. 



In our waters we have at least two species of White-flowered 

 Crowfoots. One, R. circinattis, Sibth., is apparently uncommon in 

 Ontario but very common in Manitoba and westward. The leaves ot 

 this species are sessile and are orbicular in outline and do not collapse 

 in the least when taken from the water. We have this form from 

 Patterson's Creek, Ottawa (Mr.Wm. Scott), and from Wingham (Mr. J. A. 

 Morton). 



The other, R. agualilis, L. is very variable and takes many forms 

 both in America and Europe. This species unlike R. circinattis has 

 petioled leaves which collapse more or less when taken from the water. 

 One form, var. trichophyllus, Gray, represents those specimens with 

 rather short and slightly rigid leaves. We have this from Belle" 

 ville, Owen Sound and Port Arthur. The second, var. flaccidus, Pets.-' 

 has much longer, soft and capillary dissected leaves all collapsing when 

 withdrawn from the water. This is the deep water lorm and is no 

 doubt plentiful in many of our streams, yet in our herbarium we have 

 no Ontario specimens. 



R. Cymbalaria, Pursh, is a low glabrous species that is at home 

 along the sea coast or on the margin of brackish pools in the prairie 

 region but is occasionally found in mud along river margins 

 where possibly there is saline ooze. Collected along the Ottawa at 



