Section IV 

 YELLOW TO ORANGE FLOWERS 



MEADOW BUTTERCUP 



Ranunculus acris. Crowfoot Family 



Stems : erect, hairy, branched above, roots fibrous. Leaves : basal 

 ones tufted, petioled, three-to-seven parted, the divisions sessile and 

 cleft into numerous narrow acute lobes ; upper leaves three-parted. 

 Flowers: numerous; petals five, yellow, conspicuous. Not indigenous. 



Every child knows and loves the bright yellow flowers of 

 the common Buttercup. Every child has sung of 



" Buttercups and daisies, 



And all the pretty flowers, 

 Growing in the sunshine 

 To tell of happy hours." 



Yet the Ranunculus acris is the enemy of the farmer. 

 Cattle will not eat of its acrid leaves, and even the hands of 

 man are frequently scarred and blistered by the caustic juices 

 contained in the stalks and leaves of this plant. High up in 

 the mountains, however, where the 



" Buds of yellow hue 

 Do paint the meadows with delight," 



we welcome these brilliant Buttercups ; there the}' can harm 

 no one, but only please the eye with their finely dissected 

 foliage and tall-stemmed golden flowers. 



If you cut vertically through the middle of this Ranunculus, 

 you will find that its receptacle is a long cone, from which the 

 five green sepals, the five yellow petals, the numerous stamens, 



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