RANUNCL'LACK^E. (CKOWKOOT FAMILY.) 7 



8. RANUNCULUS, L. Crowfoot. Buttercup. 



Sepals 3-5, regular, herbaceous, concave, imbricated in the l)ud, 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, 

 1-ovuled. Style short, subulate. Achenia capitate, compressed, beaked with 

 the smooth, persistent style. Seed erect. — Herbs. Leaves alternate, the radical 

 ones long-pctioled. Flowers axillary or somewhat corymbed, Avhite or yellow. 



^ 1. Petals u'hite, ivitli a ijcJloiv pit at the base: achrnia rupofse. 



1. E. aquatilis, L. Stems filiform, immersed; leaves petioled, divided 

 into an indefinite number of capillary segments ; flowers axillary, remote, long- 

 pedundcd. (R. Pantothrix, DC ) — Slow-flowing streams in the upper districts. 

 July and August. H.. — Stems 1° - 2*^ long. Leaves circular in outline. 



4 2 Petals yellow, icith 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 entii-c ; flowers very 

 small ; petals 3-5, as long as the reflexcd sepals ; achenia naiTowly margined, 

 pointed with the short, recurved style. (IJ. trachyspcrmus, Kll.) — AVaste places. 

 April and May. — Stems erect, branching from the base, 6'- 12' high. Leaves 

 rarely 1' wide. 



3. R. muricatus, L. Nearly smooth ; lower leaves 3-lobed, crcnate ; 

 petals 5, longer tlian 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 : cliirftij perennials. 

 •<- Leases undivided. 



4. R. alismsefolius, Geyer. Smooth ; stems ascending, rooting at the 

 lower joints ; leaves lanceolate, acute, denticulate or entire ; petals longer than 

 the calyx ; aclicnia in globose heads, tumid, slender-beaked. (P. Flammula, Ell. 

 &c.) — ]Muddy banks and ditches, chiefly in the upper districts. May -July. 

 — Stems 1 o - 2° long. Leaves 2' - 4' long. Flowers 3" - 5" wide. 



5. R. pusillus, Poir. Smooth; stems several, erect ; lowest leaves ovate 

 or roundish, the others lanceolate or linear, entire or denticulate ; flowers mi- 

 mite ; petals 1-5, as long as the calyx ; achenia in globular heads, barely 

 pointed. (K. oblongifolius. Ell.., a broader-leaved form.) — Muddy banks, Geor- 

 gia to Xorth Carolina and westward. March and April. — Stem 6' -12' high. 

 Leaves 1' long. Flowers 2" wide. Stamens 5-9. 



•<- -I— Leaves (at least those of the stem) ternateli/ lohed or divided. 

 *+ Petals small, not exceeding the calyx. 



6. R. abortivus, L. Smooth; lowest leaves orbicular, cordate, undivided, 

 crenate, those of the stem 3 - 5-parted, with wedge-shaped toothed divisions ; 

 the uppermost sessile, 3-parted ; petals shorter than the calyx ; achenia in glo- 

 bose heads, pointed with a very short recurved beak. — Low grounds. INIarch 

 and April. — Stem 1° - 1 p high. 



