Vor. IL] 
18. Ranunculus sceleratus L. 
Celery-leaved or Ditch Crow- 
foot. (Fig. 1612.) 
Ranunculus sceleratus I, Sp. Pl. 551. 1753- 
Stout, glabrous, or nearly so, 6/-2° high, 
freely branching, stem hollow. Basal leaves 
thick 3-5-lobed, on long and broad petioles, 
the blade 1/2’ broad, reniform or cordate, 
those of the stem petioled or the upper sessile, 
deeply lobed or divided, the lobes obtuse, 
cuneate-oblong or linear, several-toothed or 
entire; flowers yellow, numerous, 3//—4/’ 
broad, the petals about equalling the calyx; 
head of fruit oblong or cylindric, 4’/-6’’ 
long; achenes %’’ long, very numerous, 
merely apiculate. 
In swamps and wet ditches, New Brunswick 
to Florida, abundant along the coast, and locally 
westward to Minnesota, preferring saline or alka- 
line situations. Alsoin Europeand Asia. Stem 
sometimes 1%’ thick. April-Aug. 
20. Ranunculus Acris L. ‘Tall or 
Meadow Buttercup. 
(Fig. 1614.) 
Ranunculus acris \,. Sp. Pl. 554. 1753. 
Erect, hairy, branched above, 2°-3° 
high; roots fibrous. Basal leaves tufted, 
petioled, 3-7-divided, the divisions sessile 
and cleft into numerous narrow mainly 
acute lobes; upper leaves short-petioled 
and merely 3-parted, distant; flowers nu- 
merous, bright yellow, about 1’ broad. 
petals twice or thrice the length of the 
spreading calyx, obovate; head of fruit 
globose, 6’’-7’/’ broad; achenes com- 
pressed, short-beaked. 
In fields and meadows, common, espe- 
cially in the Northern States and Canada. 
Naturalized from Europe. Stem sometimes 
nearly glabrous. May-Sept. 
CROWFOOT FAMILY. 
79 
1g. Ranunculus recurvatus Poir. 
Hooked Crowfoot. (Fig. 1613.) 
Ranunculus recurvatus Poir. in Lam. Encycl. 
6: 125. 1804. 
Erect, 6’-2° high, usually hirsute, branch- 
ing. Leaves all petioled, broadly reniform, 
2/-3/ wide, deeply 3-cleft, the divisions broadly 
cuneate, acute, toothed and lobed; flowers 
light yellow, 4’’-5’’ broad, the petals shorter 
than or equalling the reflexed calyx; head of 
fruit globose, 6’” wide; achenes compressed, 
margined, tipped with arecurved hooked beak 
of one-half their length. 
In woods, Nova Scotia to Manitoba, south to 
Florida and Missouri. Ascends to 4200 ft. in 
North Carolina. April-June. 
Aga 
ans 
M/Z 
