RANUNCULACEiE. 



9 



18. R. Ficaria, L. Lesser Celandine ; ''Golden Cup. ^ 



Native ; in damp pastures, orchards ; on banks, &c. Very com- 

 mon. Part February to part May. Area general. 



Occurs in damp garden-plots in the central part of the town, and 

 extends over all the enclosed country. 



Darwin, in his Plants and Animcds under Domestication, vol. ii. 170, 

 says, "The common little Ranunculus Ficaria rarely, and some say 

 never, bears seed m England, Fnxnce, or Switzerland ; but in 1863 I 

 observed seeds on several plants growing near my house." Abundance of 

 seed is produced yearly in our area, but here small bulbs are seldom or 

 never seen in the axils of the leaves. 



The Oil Beetle eats this plant, and its pollen is collected by the Honey 

 Bee. The Peacock Buttei-fly visits the flowers, probably to feed on their 

 pollen. 



I have seen the slight variety incicmbens, E. B. ed 3, m Districts 

 I. II. III. IV., generally as a single specimen at a spot, and nowhere in 

 large quantity ; also a variety with flowers of a light or cream-colour 

 between Plymouth and JMilehouse, and at two or three other places; and 

 near Ridgway a plant bearing semi-double floAvers. A smgie plant of a 

 curious variety Avith short, sepal-like petals, green towards the top, 

 yellow below, grew m 1872 and for some subsequent years by the side of 

 the footpath of the turnpike road between Marsh ^Nlills and Plympton 

 St. Msxvj Church. It has probably been destroyed through an alteration 

 made in the road about 1878. "An apetalous form new to me." — 

 Bosicell, Rep. Bot. Ex. Club, 1872-74, 7. 



CALTHA, L. 



19. C. palustris, L. Marsh Marigold. 



Native ; m marshes, swamps, and other moist places. Rather 

 common. March to May. 

 c. I. Abundant by the Seaton between Hessenford and the coast. 



II. Cotehele. 

 D. III. Manadon Wood ; Keys, S. D. Lit. Chron. 169. Boxhill, Penny- 

 cross. Tavy Valley. Walkliam Valley. 

 IV. Plympton ! Keys, Ft. ii., 29. Shalaford, Egg Buckland. • 

 V. Between Lolesbury and Battisborough. Bridgend. Westlake 



Green. Fordbrook. Lee Mill Bridge. Vale of Kitley Brook. 

 VI. Orcherton. Ermmgton. Between Ludbrook and Ugborough. 



Var. b. Gueran/jerii. 

 D. IV. In the Plym Valley a little below Riverford. 



V. In a swamp in the wood immediately below Lee ]Mill Bridge. 

 The Marsh Marigold might almost indifferently go either into the 

 ' common ' or ' rather common ' list. 



