24 RANUNCULACEAE 



R. Ficaria, Linn. Sp. PI. 550 (i753\ Pilewori, Lesser Celandine. 



Ficaria, Brunfels (i53o\ Chelidonium minus, Ger. Em. 816. Ficaria 

 verna, Huds. Fl. Angl. 214. 



Top. Bot. II. Syme, E. B. i. 47, t. 39. Nyman, 7. Fl. Oxf. 5. 

 Native, Septal. Damp places, woods, brook-sides, hedges, banks, 



open fields, and under trees in parks, &e. Common and generally 



distributed except on the chalk downs and dry heaths. P. 



March-June. 

 First record. R. ficaria, Mcivor's Agr. Berks, 1809. Kintbury {Mr. W. 



Hewett, 1840), in Herb. Brit. Mus. 

 R. Ficaria is very variable both in the size of its flowers and in the 

 shape of its leaves. F. Schultz in the Archives de Flora (1855), 122, 

 described two varieties : var. divergens, F. Schultz, 1. c, which is our 

 common form, and is distinguished by the lobes of the lowest leaves 

 not overlapping at the base ; but all gradations are found between this 

 and the next form, the var. incumbens, F. Schultz, in which the lobes 

 of the lower leaves overlap at the base ; fine specimens have been seen 

 at Kintbui-y, and it is not uncommon in damp shady places. A third 

 form occurs in which the leaves are constantly more elliptical in shape, 

 as at Wytham, near Basildon, &c. This approaches Ficaria ambigua, 

 Boreau, Fl. du Centre Fr. ed. 3, 20. 



In dry and rather barren ground another form is found which pro- 

 duces pale yellowish tubers from the axils of the branches above the 

 soil. The margins of the leaves of R. Ficaria vary from sharply angled 

 to crenate. The plant rarely produces ripe seed, but I have seen 

 fruiting specimens in Swinley woods ; in these specimens the flowers 

 were very small, with very narrow petals, and the leaves had diver- 

 gent lobes. Specimens were sent to the Bot. Exch. Club in 1895. 

 Fruiting plants have also been found on Boar's Hill and elsewhere. 

 In my opinion Ficaria should form a distinct genus in our British 

 Floras as the arrangement of petals and sepals is essentially different 

 from that of Ranunculus. 



R. Ficaria is found in all the bordering counties. 



CALTHA, Linn. Gen. PI. n. 623 {Populago, Tournefort, Inst. t. 145). 



C. palustris, Linn. Sp. PL 558 (Gesner, 1561). Marsh Marigold, 

 Kingcups. 

 C. palustris vulgaris simplex. Park. 1213. CJiamaeleuce, Pliny. 



Top. Bot. 15. Syme, E. B. i. 50, t. 40. Baxt, 1. 153. Nyman, 18. Fl. Oxf. 13. 



Native, Paludal. River-sides, wet meadows, marshes, &c. Common 

 and generally distributed in the valleys of the county. P. March- 

 June. 



First record. C. palustris. Too common in moist meadows, from 

 which they should be eradicated, Mavor's Agr. Berks, 1809. 



