RANUNCULACEiE. . / 



Sepals 3, petaloid, caducous. Petals none. Stamens and 

 ovaries numerous. Carpels berry-like, numerous, aggregated in 

 a globose head, terminated by the style, 1 — 2-seeded. 



H. Canadensis Linn. 



Rocks woods. Can. to Car. W. to Miss. Rare. May. %.—Stem 6—10 

 inches high, with two nearly opposite leaves above, Leaves 2—6 inches wide, 

 palmately 3— 5-lobed ; lobes acute, doubly. serrate. Flower solitary, on a pe- 

 duncle about an inch long. Sepals fleshy, pale rose-color, caducous. Frutt 

 fleshy, purplish, about the size of a large raspberry. The root affords a juice 

 of a fine yellow color, which is used by the Indians for staining skins and 

 clothing- Yellow Root- Yellow Puccoon- 



6. RANUNCULUS. I/iwi.— Crowfoot. 



(Probably from the Latin rana, diffog ; the plant often growing in wet places 

 where frogs abound.) 



Sepals 5, deciduous. Petals 5, rarely 10, with a honey scale 

 at the base on the inside. Stamens and ovaries numerous. 

 Carpels ovate, somewhat compressed, terminating in a point or 

 horn, smooth, striated, or tuberculated, arranged in a globose 

 or cylindric head. 



* Carpels transversely rugose-striate. Petals white ; claws yellow. 



1. R. aquatilis, var. capillaceus D. C. : stem filiform, floating; leaves 

 all submersed, divided into capillary diverging segments ; petals obovate, 

 longer than the calyx. R.fiuviatilis Wild. 



In streams. Throughout the U. S. and British America. N. to lat. 68°. 

 Rather rare. July, Aug. %. — Stem long. Leaves petioled. Flowers small, 

 white or ochroleucous. There are several varieties of R. aquatilis, which have 

 been described as distinct species. Water Crowfoot. 



** Carpels smooth, ovate, collected into a roundish head. Flowers yellow. 



f Leaves undivided. 



2. R. Fammula Linn. : leaves glabrous, linear-lanceolate or ovate-lan- 

 ceolate, subentire, the lower ones petiolate, the upper ones nearly sessile ; 

 stem more or less decumbent, rooting at the lower joints ; peduncles oppo- 

 site to the leaves. R Famviula, var. major Hook. 



Swamps. Can. to Geor. July, Sept. '11-. — Stent 1 — 2 feet long. Flowers 

 about half an inch in diameter. Whole plant of a yellowish-green color. Said 

 to be a powerful and speedy emetic. Small Spear wort. 



3. R. reptans Linn. : leaves linear, entire, remote, smooth ; stem filiform, 

 creeping, jointed ; joints 1-flowered. R.filiformis Mich. R. reptans, \ ax. 

 filiformis D. C. Torr. R Fammula, yox. filifoi-mis Hook. 



River banks. Can. to N. Y. N. to Labrador. W. to Oregon. July, Aug. 

 %.. — A very delicate species. Stem& — 12 inches long. FZoiiers small. Fruit 

 very smooth. Although coming from such high authority, I cannot yet adopt 

 the opinion of Dr. Hooker, that this plant is a mere variety of R. Fammula. 

 From a comparison of specimens, I am satisfied that our plant is identical with 

 the foreign R. reptans. Filiform Crowfoot. 



