THE BTTTTEECtrP FAMILY. 87 



6. Common Spear-wokx — {Ranunculus Fldmmula.) 



Ditches and marshy places, everywhere. Fl. July, August. 



Curtis, ii . 401 ; E. B. vi. 387. 



7. Great Spear-wokt — (Ranunculus Lingua.') 



Marshy places and edges of lakes, rather rare. Timperley ; Radnor 

 Mere, in Alderley Park ; pond near Besses-o'th'-Barn ; plentiful in 

 the Lime Pits, Bedford, at Capesthorne and the neighbourhood, and 

 in Pedmore Hollow, near Knutsford. Fl. July, August. 

 Curtis, iv. 622 ; E. B. ii. 100. 



The noblest of the English buttercups. 



8. Wood Crowfoot — {Ranunculus aurtcomus.) 



Borders of woods and in similar shady places. Abundant near 

 Cotterill Clough, and between there and Ashley Meadows. Sparingly 

 at Reddish, Pendlebury, Worsley, and Agecroft. Fl. end of April to 

 end of May. 



Curtis, i. 114 ; E. B. ix. 624. 



The only British Eanunculus that grows habitually in the shade of trees, and 

 the most elegant of our native species. The stems are seldom more than a foot 

 high, erect and branched ; the root-leaves on long stalks, kidney-shaped, with a 

 few broad round lobes, and the margin crenulate ; and the stem-leaves few and 

 sessile, and divided to the base into narrow segments. The flowers that first 

 open are frequently without petals ; those that foUow have often not more than 

 two or three ; the full number of five appearing only when the season is some- 

 what advanced, the iirogress of the plant to its perfection being concurrent with 

 that of the leafing of the trees that overhang it. The delicate slendemess and 

 glossy yellow hue of the herbage, as well as of the flowers, gained for it with the 

 early botanists the name of " goldilocks," of which " auricomus" is the Latin. It 

 is one of the few species that are not acrid. 



9. Common Meadow Buttercup — {Ranunculus dcris.) 



Everywhere in meadows and pastures, and common in gardens, 

 with double flowers. Fl. May — July. 



Curtis, i. 39 ; E. B. x. 652 ; Baxter iv. 302. 

 Buttercups are often supposed to give the yellow colour to spring butter. But 

 cattle in general have a strong aversion to them, on account of their acridity ; and 

 when eaten, it is probably \\ithout intention, or perhaps as a condiment, like salt 

 and pepper by mankind. Dried along with grass, they lose their pungent juices, 

 and become a useful component of the hay. 



