POLYANDRIA— POLYGYNIA. Ranunculus. 45 



Styles none. Stig7nas small, reflexed. Seeds numerous, 

 ovate, compressed, either smooth, striated, tuberculated, 

 or prickly, each tipped with a point, or hook. 

 Herbs, mostly perennial, either hairy or smooth. Roots 

 fibrous, tuberous, or granulated. Stems round. Leaves 

 extremely various. Fl. yellow, or white, very rarely pur- 

 plish, on terminal, axillary, or lateral stalks, almost en- 

 tirely scentless. In R. auricomus the corolla is often 

 wanting, the cali/x becoming dilated and coloured. In 

 Ficaria^ reckoned a distinct genus by some authors, the 

 calyx-leaves are usually but 3, though often 5, and the 

 petals about 8. The nectaries make it a Ranunculus, ac- 

 cording to Linnaeus, who had well considered the matter, 

 and would not divide so natural a genus, especially for 

 the sake of a solitary species. This whole natural order 

 evinces the importance of its various and very curious 

 nectaries, in characterizing the genera. Species of Ra- 

 nunculus are found all over the world. They amount to 

 140 in DeCandolle, whose account of them is the last 

 and best. Their qualities are hot and acrid. 



* Leaves simjile. 



1. R. Flammula. Lesser Spear-wort Crowfoot. 



Leaves ovate-lanceolate, bluntish, stalked. Stem reclining. 

 Root fibrous. Seeds smooth. 



R. Flammula. Linn. Sp. PL 772. Willd. v. 2. 1307. FL Br. 587. 



EvgL Bot. V. 6.t.387. Curt. Lond.fasc. C. ^37. Hook. Scot. 1 74. 



DeCand. Syst. v. 1. 247. FL Dan. t. .i7i>. Dad. Pempt. 432./. 



BulL Ft. t. \5. Ehrh. PL Off. 366. 

 R. n. 1182. Hall Hist. V. 2. 7S. 



R. flammeus minor. Rati Sy?i. 250. Ger. Em. 961./. 

 R. longifolius, aliis Flammula. Bauh. Hist. v. 3. S48./. 

 R. species duodecima. Cord. Hist. 121, 2.f. 

 /3. R. flammeus serratus. Ger. Em. 962. f. 

 R. Flammula, folio serrato. Dod. Pempt. 432./. 

 R. aquatilis angustifolius serratus. Lob. Ic. 670./. 

 y. R. flammeus, latiori plantaginis folio, marginibus pilosis, ex Hi- 



bernia. Pluk. Almag. 312. DHL in Raii Syn. 251. 

 S. R. reptans. Linn. Sp. PL 773. Willd. v. 2. 1307. DeCand. Syst. 



V. i. 248. Light/. 289. f. in title. Dicks. H. Sicc.fasc. 6. 10. H. 



Dan. t. 108. 

 R. n. 1183. HalLHist.v.2. 79. 

 R. repens, gramineis foliis, e singulis geniculis radices agens. 



Amm. Ruth. 80. t. 13./. 1. 



