RANBNCULUS Acris. ORD. XXVI. Mullisilique. 483 
It is a native of meadows and moist pastures, flowering in June 
and July. 
The great acrimony of this, and many of the other species of 
Ranunculus, is such, that on being applied to the skin they excite 
itching, redness, and inflammation, and even produce blisters, 
tumefaction, and ulceration of the part. On being chewed they 
corrode the tongue; and, if taken into the stomach, bring on all 
the deleterious effects of an acrid poison. 
The corrosive acrimony, which this family of plants possesses 
was not unknown to the ancients, as appears from the writings of 
Dioscorides; but its nature and extent had never been investi- 
gated by experiments before those instituted by C. Krapf* at 
Vienna, by which we learn that the most virulent of the Linnean 
species of Ranunculus are the bulbosus, sceleratus, acris, avensis, 
thora, and illyricus. The effects of these were tried either upon 
himself, or upon dogs, and show, that the acrimony of the different 
species is often confined to certain parts of the plant, manifesting 
itself either in the roots, stalks, leaves, flowers, or buds: the ex- 
pressed juice, extract, decoction, and infusion of these plants 
were also subjected to experiments. 
In addition to these species, mentioned by Krapf, we may also 
notice the R. Flammula, and especially the R. Afpestris, which, 
according to Haller, is the most acrid of this genus. However, as 
the species here delineated is a common English plant, and 
possesses this active principle diffused in a very considerable 
degree throughout the whole herb, it has been judged proper 
to select it for this work as a sufficient example and representative 
of the whole tribe. 
Mr. Curtis observes that even pulling up this plant, and carrying 
2 Vide Experimenta de nonnullorum Ranunculorum venenata qualitate, horum 
externo et interno usu. 1766, 
The R. sceleratus seems more corrosive than the R. acris; and we are told by 
Dr. Withering, that “¢ beggars are said to use it to ulcerate their feet, which they 
expose in that state to excite compassion.” 
