58 LAWSON: EEVISION OF THE 



18*76. — Dr. G. M. Dau'suii, in Herb. Canadian Survey. East shore of Baffin Bay or 

 Smith Strait (West Grreenland) ; extreme northern and southern limits observed : 81" 6' : 

 69" 15'. On west shore of the Strait (Grinnell Land), 82" 21' : 81" 42'. Flowering later 

 than (iffinis in Discovery Bay, but remaining in blow throughout the summer. Appears to 

 have no choice of station with regard to altitude or nature of soil, but growing more 

 luxuriantly at low levels. In flower June l'7th, in Discovery Bay. Floeberg Beach. — 

 Dr. Moss. From sea-level to 2000 feet near St. Patrick Bay. Not met with north of 

 Bessel Bay. — Hart, British Polar Expedition, 18^6, in Journal of Botany. Lapland. 

 Sweden. Norway. Spitzbergen. Iceland. This is one of Sir Joseph Hooker's " most 

 arctic " plants of general distribution, that is, found far north in all the five Arctic Areas. 



Mr. Hart, in speaking of the difficulties due to climate and to the grazing of animals, 

 with which plants in the Arctic regions have to contend, observes that the brent goose 

 " prefers shoots and heads of Ranunculus nivalis." 



Prof Oliver has described a variety of ««;«//.<, with small flowers and pale hairs on 

 the calyx (Nares' Voyage, Vol. II., p. 310, ed. 18*78), which Mr. Hart refers, probably 

 incorrectly, to R. auricomus, L., identifying this latter with E. affinis, E. Br. He says it 

 flowered earlier than the true nivalis, and disappeared cjuickly, preferring ground slushy 

 with the first thaw at a high altitude. 



26. — Ranunculus nivalis, var. sulphueeus, Watson. 



Leaves glabrous ; radical ones roundish obovate-cuneate, coarsely toothed or incised at 

 the apex ; cauline ones divided palmately into .'i-ï entire lobes ; stem one-ilowered ; calyx 

 hairy, shorter than the petals. 



R. nivalis, var. sulphureus. Watson, Bibl. Index, I., p. 21. Macoun, C'at., under No. 44. 



R. nivalis, var. fi. Wahlenberg, FL Lapp., p. ISY (excl. syn.). Hook., Fl. Bor.-Am., I., 

 p. 1*7. 



Pt. sulphureus, Solander, in Phipp's Voyage, p. 202. Greville & E. Brown, PI. Scoresby, 

 Spitzbergen, Wern. Mem., III., p. 424. DC. Syst. Nat., I., p. 2*74 (excl. syn). Eichardson, 

 in Franklin's 1st Jour., ed. I., p. 742. Schlecht. Animadv., sec. II., p. 15. 



Eepulse Bay. — Dr. Fuie, ex Herb. McTavish. Ellesmere Land, but not met with in 

 Grinnell Laud. East and west shores of Baffin Bay, lat. *78° 18' to '78° 50'. Luxuriant 

 at Foulke Fiord and along Hayes Sound. Elevation 700 feet at Foulke Fiord. — Hart, Brit. 

 Pol. Exp., 18*75-6. Not met with north of Foulke Fiord. Spitzbergen. — Capt. Scoresby. 



Arctic shores and islands. Labrador. Kotzebue Sound. Greenland. Finmark. 

 Siberia. 



2*7. — Eanunculus nivalis, var. EscHSCHOLTZii, Watson. 



Leaves ciliate ; the radical ones petiolate, always tripartite, the divisions lobed ; stem 

 about 1-flowered ; sepals shorter than the petals, and clothed with fulvous hairs ; achenes 

 obliquely ovate, shortly pointed. 



Ranunculus nivalis, var. Eschscholtzii. Watson, King's Eep., X., p. 5. Bibl. Index, I., p. 

 21. Macoun, Cat., under No. 44. 



