RANUNCULACEAE. 141 



3. C. pauciflora Nutt. A low woody climber, with short-jointed 

 stems, usually scrambling over chaparral; leaves 3-5-foliolate, leaf- 

 lets 1-2 cm. long, cordate to cuneate-obovate, usually 3-toothed or 

 3-lobed, somewhat silky tomentose; flowers dioecious, solitary or in 

 few-flowered panicles, with slender pedicels; sepals thin, creamy 

 white, 8-12 mm. long; achenes glabrous. 



This is the common clematis about San Diego, extending to the 

 foothills of the San Jacinto Mountains. It has also been found 

 by the author in the San Gabriel wash near Azusa. 



5. OXYGRAPHIS Bunge. 



Perennial herbs with crenate, dentate or lobed, long 

 petioled leaves and small yellow flowers, solitary or 2-7 

 together on scapes or scape-like peduncles. Sepals usu- 

 ally 5, spreading, at length deciduous. Petals 5-15, with 

 a nectar-pit near the base of each. Stamens and pistils 

 numerous. Head of fruit oblong or oval or rarely sub- 

 globose. Achenes compressed, longitudinally striate, 

 without a hard coat. 



1. O. cymbalaria (Pursh) Prantl. Low, glabrous, spreading by 

 runners; leaves mostly basal, slender petioled, cordate-oval or reni- 

 form crenate, 4-18 mm. long; scapes 3-12 cm. long, sometimes 

 bearing one or more leaves at the base; flowers 1-7, 6-8 mm. broad; 

 head of fruit oblong, 6-16 mm. long; achenes compressed, somewhat 

 swollen, distinctly striate, minutely sharp-pointed. {Ranunculus 

 cymbalaria Pursh.) 



Frequent throughout our range in low moist places. March- 



July. 



6. RANUNCULUS L. Buttercup. 



Annual or perennial herbs, with alternate or mostly 

 basal simple entire, lobed, divided or dissected leaves, 

 and yellow, white or sometimes red flowers. Sepals 

 mostly 5, deciduous. Petals equal in number or more, 

 conspicuous or minute, bearing a nectariferous pit and 

 sometimes a scale at base of blade. Achenes capitate or 

 rarely spicate, generally flattened, smooth, papillose or 

 pectinate, sometimes transversely wrinkled, beaked with 

 a minute or elongated style. 



Terrestrial herbs; flowers yellow. 



Perennial; flowers showy, 1-2 cm. broad. 1. R. calif ornicus. 



Annual; flowers minute. 2. R. hebecarpus. 



Aquatic herbs; leaves finely dissected. 3. R. trichophyllus. 



1. R. calif ornicus Benth. Mostly pubescent and hirsute; stems 

 branching, 2-6 dm. high; radical leaves usually pinnately ternate, 



