158 Rydberg : Studies on the 



Colorado and Utah. All specimens referred here from higher lati- 

 tudes belong to A. tcnniloba. 



Ranunculus Utahensis 



Perennial with a cluster of fibrous fleshy roots, glabrous : stems 

 1-2 dm. high, branched above ; basal leaves petioled ; petioles 2- 

 5 cm. long ; blades almost orbicular, rather thick, crenate or round- 

 lobed : stem-leaves sessile, deeply cleft or divided into 4-5 oblong 

 or elliptic, obtuse segments : sepals somewhat hairy, elliptic to 

 obovate, at last reflexed : petals 4-5 mm. long, exceeding the 

 sepals : head of fruit oblong ; achenes glabrous ; style rather short. 



This species resembles most a depauperate R. aborthnis in the 

 leaves, but the petals are much larger and the head of fruit is ob- 

 long instead of spherical. It has gone under the name of R. affinis 

 var. Iciocarpus, but it is not that of Trautvetter, and is distinguished 

 from all of those species which have been included in R. affinis by 

 its thicker leaves and their lobing. 



Ut.\h : Alta, Wasatch Mts., 1879, M. E. Jones, iijo (type in 

 herb. Columbia University); Uinta Mts., 1873, T. C. Porter. 



Ranunculus micropetalus (Greene) 

 Raniineiiliis affinis var. niieropetahis Greene, Pittonia, 2 : 1 10. 

 1890. 



An excellent species, very distinct from R. affinis Hook., and still 

 more from R. eardiopliylliis Hook., with which Davis associated it. 



Ranunculus Helleri 



Perennial with a short rootstock, perfectly glabrous : stem 

 slender, 1-2 dm. high : basal leaves and lower cauline with slen- 

 der petioles 2-5 cm. long ; blades of the earlier basal leaves reni- 

 form, 3 -cleft 2^ or V^ the distance to the base ; middle division 

 oblong, entire, the lateral ones with 3 ovate lobes ; blades of the 

 other basal leaves and the lower cauline divided to near the base 

 into 3 cuneate divisions, 15-20 mm. long; the middle division 3- 

 lobed, the lateral ones 4-lobed ; stipules of lower cauline leaves 

 conspicuous, rounded : upper cauline leaves sessile, divided unto 

 the base into 2-4 linear-oblong divisions : flowers solitary : sepals 

 oblong, obtuse, about 5 mm. long : petals oblong to obovate, 

 golden yellow, 6-7 mm. long : head of fruit short-oblong or 

 spherical: achenes turgid, almost spherical, 1.5 mm. long, gla- 

 brous : style slender and curved. 



This species is nearest related to R. Eschschotzii and R. alpeo- 



