462 



Ranunculaceae 



Hepatica 



50 



Map 949 



Anemonella thalictroides (L.) Spach 



50 



Map 950 



Hepatica acutiloba DC. 



50 

 Map 951 



Hepatica americana (DC.) Ker 



2541B. HEPATICA [Rupp.] Hill Hepatica 



Leaf lobes acute or somewhat obtuse at the apex 1. H. acutiloba. 



Leaf lobes rounded at the apex 2. H. americana. 



1. Hepatica acutiloba DC. Sharplobe Hepatica. Map 950. Infrequent 

 to frequent throughout the state except in the prairie area. The hepaticas 

 are strictly woodland plants. This species is generally found in rich soil 

 on wooded slopes and these most frequently near streams. The flowers 

 vary from white to pink and purple. The leaves of both of our hepaticas 

 vary in color from green to green mottled with maroon. Some authors 

 regard H. acutiloba as only a variety of the next species, but it is entirely 

 distinct although the characters separating it are difficult to describe. The 

 leaves and achenes of Hepatica acutiloba are slightly larger than those of 

 Hepatica americana. This species is a lime loving plant while the next 

 prefers a slightly acid soil and this requirement, I believe, excludes it or 

 makes it rare in southern Indiana. 



Western N. H., w. Que. to Minn., southw. to Ga. and Mo. 



2. Hepatica americana (DC.) Ker. (Hepatica triloba of Gray, Man., ed. 

 7, not Chaix and Hepatica Hepatica (L.) Karst. of Britton and Brown, 

 Illus. Flora, ed. 2.) (Fernald. The specific characters of Hepatica ameri- 

 cana. Rhodora 19 : 45-46. 1917.) Roundlobe Hepatica. Map 951. Infre- 

 quent to locally frequent in the lake area, becoming local and very rare 

 in the southern part, or possibly absent. It has been reported from several 

 of the southern counties but there are no specimens. It is possible that 

 the identifications are wrong since this species prefers a rather acid soil, 

 but the habitat does occur locally in southern Indiana, and I see no reason 

 why it should not be found. My efforts to find it have failed. 



The flowers vary in color from white to pink and purple. These forms 

 have been assigned names but Weatherby (Rhodora 27: 131-132. 1925) 

 found that white forms are constant but that color forms may be one 

 color one year and another color the next year. Hence I am omitting these 

 color form names. 



N. S. to Man. and Minn., southw. to Fla. and Mo. 



