RANUNCULACEJE. (CROWFOOT FAMILY.) 7 
8. RANUNCULUS, L. Crowroor. BUTTERCUP: 
Sepals 3-5, regular, herbaceous, concave, imbricated in the bud, deciduous. 
Petals 3-10, dilated, flat, furnished with a pit or scale at the narrowed base. 
Stamens mostly numerous. Filaments filiform. Ovaries few or numerous, 
l-ovuled. Style short, subulate. Achenia capitate, compressed, beaked with 
the smooth, persistent style. Seed erect.— Herbs. Leaves alternate, the radical 
ones long-petioled. Flowers axillary or somewhat corymbed, white or yellow. 
$ 1. Petals white, with a yellow pit at the base: achenia rugose. 
1. R. aquatilis, L. Stems filiform, immersed; leaves petioled, divided 
into an indefinite number of capillary segments ; flowers axillary, remote, long- 
peduncled. (R. Pantothrix, DC.) — Slow-flowing streams in the upper districts. 
July and August. )}.— Stems 19-29 long. Leaves circular in outline. 
$ 2. Petals yellow, with a small scale at the base. 
* Achenia muricate : annuals. 
2. R. parviflorus, L. Silky-pubescent; leaves small, the lower ones 
circular, 3-lobed, acutely-toothed ; the upper 3-parted or entire; flowers very 
small; petals 3-5, as long as the reflexed sepals ; achenia narrowly margined, 
pointed with the short, recurved style. (R.trachyspermus, Ell.) — Waste places. 
_ April and May. — Stems erect, branching from the base, 6'— 1? high. sah 
rarely 1! wide. 
3. R. muricatus, L. Nearly smooth; lower leaves. 3obed, erenate ; 
petals 5, longer than the calyx ; achenia ‘pointed with the broad, straight style, 
broadly margined. — Waste places around Charleston (Elliott). March- April. 
Introduced. — Stem 12' — 18' high. 
* * Achenia smooth: chiefly perennials. 
+ Leaves undivided. 
4. R. alismeefolius, Geyer. Smooth; stems ascending, rooting at the 
lower joints ; leaves lanceolate, acute, denticulate or entire; petals longer than 
the calyx ; achenia in globose heads, tumid, slender-beaked. (R. Flammula, Eu. 
&c.) — Muddy banks and ditches, chiefly in the upper districts. May-July. 
— Stems 19 -39 long. Leaves 2'~4' long. Flowers 3'' — 5" wide. 
5. R. pusillus, Poir. Smooth ; stems several, erect ; lowest leaves ovate 
orroundish, the others lanceolate or linea, entire or denticulate ; flowers mi- - 
nute; petals 1—5, as long as the calyx; achenia in globular heads, barely 
pointed. (R. oblongifolius, Ell., a broader-leaved form.) — Muddy banks, Geor- 
gia to North Carolina and westward. March and April. — Stem 6'-12' We: 
Leaves 1' long. Flowers 2" wide. Stamens 5-9, 
+ 4 Loses (at lat th f the de) terat ied or divided: 
++ Petals small, not exceeding the calyz. 
6. R. abortivus, L. Smooth; lowest leaves orbicular, cadet; unti, 
crenate, those of the stem 3- -5-parted, with wedge-shaped toothed divisions ; 
es cereos c paaa ) | 
