MEADOWS, FIELDS AND PASTURES— SPRING 109 



petals. The cluster of carpels in the middle of the flower form a 

 large, globular head. 



A little later in the 

 season our pastures are 

 bountifully bedecked 

 by two of the most 

 familiar Buttercups — 

 the Creeping Butter- 

 cup (R. repens) and 

 the Bulbous Butter- 

 cup {R. hulhosus), both 

 of which appear early 

 in May. 



The former grows 

 from six inches to a 

 foot in height, and 

 may be easily dis- 

 tinguished by its 

 creeping stems, which 

 give off root fibres 

 and produce new 

 plants at every node. 

 The flowering stems of 

 this species are clothed 

 with long hairs, and 

 the leaves are divided 

 into three stalked seg- 

 ments which are lobed 

 and toothed, the 

 middle segment i3ro- 

 jecting much beyond 

 the other two. The 

 flowers are in loose 

 panicles, on long, fur- 

 rowed stalks, with five 

 yelloAvish-green, con- 

 cave, spreading sepals 

 that are shorter than 



the petals. The carpels are ovate in form, somewhat flattened, 

 arranged in a globular head ; and the fruits are smooth. This 

 plant is abundant almost everywhere, and continues to flower till 

 the end of the summer. 



The field Penny Cress, 



