RANUNCULACE^. 25 



Named from the Greek, for goblet, as the corolla resembles a 

 golden cup. Loudon. 



Ranunculus. L. 12. 12. 



This is an extensive genus ; forty-one species are ascribed to 

 North America by Torrey and Gray in their " Flora " ; fourteen 

 species are attributed to our Commonwealth by Professor Hitch- 

 cock, in his " Geology of the State," p. 602. The flowers 

 have a great resemblance to each other, while the appearance of 

 the plants is considerably different. 



From the Latin for frog, as so many species grow about frog- 

 ponds and the hke places. 



R. acris. L. Buttercups. Crowfoot. This is a common 

 plant, and in many places is a great nuisance in grass fields ; bears 

 fine yellow flowers, of middle size, on a branching stem, with 

 leaves much-divided, pubescent, or subglabrous. The plant, and 

 the root in particular, contain a strong acrid principle, which 

 disappears on drying. In its decoction seed-corn is sometimes 

 soaked, to protect it from being pulled up by crows. Flowers 

 from May to September. Root solid and fleshy, not large ; stem 

 near 2 feet high. Flowers double by cultivation, and are some- 

 times found double in their native state. 



R. bulbosus. L. Buttercups. A smaller plant, growing, 

 hke the other, in fields and road-sides ; similar bright-yellow 

 flowers, glossy, and of a very rich hue ; much-divided leaves, 

 somewhat hairy ; root more poisonous than the preceding, even 

 caustic ; flowers from May to August. See Bigelow's " Medical 

 Botany." 



R. abortivus. L. Small-flowered Crowfoot. Stem a foot 

 high or less, with radical leaves, undivided, and heart or kidney 

 shaped, crenate, or scolloped on the margin, with stem-leaves 

 in 3 or 5 divisions ; small, unsightly, yellow flowers ; common in 

 wet soils, in open woods or fields ; flowers in May. 



R. filiformis. Mx. This is a variety of R. reptans. L. Small, 



4 



