EANUNCULACEAE 443 



long as the reflexed sepals : head of fruit globose, 4 mm. in diameter : achenes oblique, 

 compressed, each tipped with a minute straight style. 

 On dry hillsides, Missouri and Arkansas. Spring. 



7. Ranunculus abortivus L. Foliage glabrous or only sparingly pubescent. Stems 

 ei-ect or nearly so, 1.5-6 dm. high, branched. Basal leaves several ; blades long-petioled, 

 bright green, thick, crenate or sometimes lobed, broadly ovate, obtuse, and generally cor- 

 date or reniform ; blades of the cauline leaves sessile or nearly so, divided into oblong or 

 linear somewliat cuneate lobes : corolla yellow, 4-6 mm. broad : petals oblong, shorter 

 than the reflexed sepals : head of fruit globose, the receptacle short, pubescent : achenes 

 1-1.5 mm. long, each tipped witli a minute curved beak. 



In woods and moist grounds, Labrador and Xova Scotia to Manitoba, Florida, Arkansas and 

 Colorado. Spring. 



8. Ranunculus micrdnthus Nutt. Similar to B. ahortivufi but usually rather more 

 slender, the foliage villous. Stems 1-5 dm. tall : leaf-blades relatively thin, dull green, 

 those of basal leaves ovate or suborbicuhir, 3-lobed or crenate, narrowed, rounded or nearly 

 truncate at the base ; segments of the upper stem-leaves narrow, entire or sharply toothed : 

 corolla pale yellow, about 6 mm. broad : petals oblong or oval, 2-3 times as long as 

 wide : head of fruit rather longer than thick, the receptacle linear, glabrous or very 

 nearly so. 



In rich woods, often on rocks, Massachusetts to Minnesota, Georgia and Arkansas. Spring. 



9. Ranunculus Allegheni6nsis Britton. Similar in aspect to -fi. abortivus and JR,. 



micranthus, the foliage glal)rous. Stems widely branched, 2-6 dm. tall : basal leaves several ; 



blades reniform or suborbicular, 1-2.5 cm. wide, long-petioled, crenate or some of them 



lobed, the teeth and lobes subacute ; blades of stem-leaves sessile or the lower petioled, 



divided nearly or quite to the base into linear, acute, entire, toothed or cleft segments : 



corolla about 6 ram. broad : petals oblong, not exceeding the calyx, yellow, glandular : 



head of fruit globose, or globose-oblong, 4 mm. in diameter : achenes slightly compressed 



and margined, each tipped with a subulate hooked or recurved style of about 5 its length. 



In open woods, eastern Massachusetts and in the mountains to North Carolina and Tennessee. 

 Spring. 



10. Ranunculus scelerktus L. Foliage glabrous or nearly so. »Stems stout, 1.5-6 

 dm. high, freely branching, hollow : basal leaves with thick, 3-5-lobed reniform or cor- 

 date blades, 2.5-5 cm. broad, on long and broad petioles ; blades of the stem-leaves petioled 

 or the upper sessile, deeply lobed or divided, the lobes obtuse, cuneate-oblong or linear, 

 toothed or entire : flowers numerous : corolla 3'ellow, 6-8 mm. broad : petals about equal- 

 ling the calyx in length : head of fruit oblong or cylindric, 8-12 mm. long : achenes about 

 1 mm. long, very numerous, merely apiculate. 



In swamps and wet ditches, New Brunswick to Florida, abundant along the coast, and locally in 

 the interior to Minnesota, preferring saline or alkaline situations. Also in Europe and Asia. Spring 

 and summer. 



11. Ranunculus recur vatus Poir. Foliage usually hirsute. Stems erect, 1.5-6 dm. 

 high, branching : leaf-blades all petioled, broadly reniform, 5-7.5 cm. \vide, deeply 3-cleft, 

 the divisions broadly cuneate, acute, toothed and lobed : corolla light yellow, 8-18 mm. 

 broad : petals shorter than or equalling the reflexed calyx : head of fruit globose, 12 mm. 

 wide : achenes compressed, margined, each tipped with a recurved hooked beak of i its 

 length. 



In rich woods, Nova Scotia to Manitoba, Florida and Missouri. Spring. 



12. Ranunculus Pennsylvdnicus L. f. Foliage pilose-hispid. Stems erect, 

 branching, 3-7 dm. high, leaf v : leaf -blades thin, 3-divided, the divisions deeply 3-cleft, the 

 lobes lanceolate, cuneate, acute, incised : corolla yellow, 6-8 mm. wide : petals equalling 

 the reflexed sepals or shorter : head of fruit oblong or cylindric, 6 mm. thick, sometimes 

 14 mm. long : receptacle hairy : achenes smooth, each tijjped with a sharp beak one-third 

 its length. 



In wet open places. Nova Scotia to British Columbia and Georgia. Summer. 



13. Ranunculus bulbosus L. Foliage pubescent. Stems erect from a bulbous- 

 thickened base, 1.5-5 dm. high : leaf-blades petioled, 3-divided, the terminal division 

 stalked, the lateral ones sessile or nearly so, all variously lobed and cleft : corolla bright, 

 yellow, about 2.5 cm. broad : petals much longer than the reflexed sepals, obovate, 

 rounded : head of fruit globose, 10-12 mm. broad : achenes compressed, very short-beaked. 



In fields and on roadsides, quite common in most sections of North America. Naturalized from 

 Europe. Spring. 



14. Ranunculus palmatus Ell. Foliage glabrate, strigillose or sparingly hirsute. 

 Roots clustered, slightly thickened : stems usually several together, slender, becoming de- 



