Ranunculus. | RANUNCULACE: 15 
Soury Isnanp: Bare shingle slopes on the mountains, not uncommon from 
the south of Nelson (Wairau Valley) to Central Otago. Altitudinal range 
3000-6000 ft. December—January. 
A very singular plant, quite unlike any other. I do not find that Otago 
specimens have their leaves less divided than those from Canterbury and Nel- 
son, as stated by Kirk in ‘‘ The Students’ Flora.”’ 
12. R. crithmifolius, Hook. /. Handb. N.Z. Fi. 6.——Small, per- 
fectly glabrous, very fleshy, glaucous, stemless; rootstock short, 
stout, horizontal, with thick fleshy fibres. Leaves all radical, on 
recurved petioles 1-2 in. long; blade broad, 4-1 in. diam., reniform 
in outline, biternately multifid ; segments short, linear, #4 in. long, 
obtuse. Scape stout, fleshy, erect, shorter than the leaves, single- 
flowered. Flowers small. Sepals linear-oblong. Petals not seen. 
Achenes in a globose head, 4in. diam., turgid, keeled; style sharp, 
straight, subulate.— Kirk, Students’ Fl. 11. 
SoutH Istanp: Wairau Gorge, on shingle-slips, alt. 6000 ft., Travers. 
A curious little plant, which has not been collected since its original dis- 
covery nearly forty years ago. There are no specimens in any of the New Zea- 
land herbaria, and I have consequently reproduced Hooker’s description. He 
remarks that it is easily recognised by its glaucous fleshy habit, finely divided 
leaves, and single-flowered short scapes. 
13. R. chordorhizos, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 723.—Smaill, 
stout, fleshy and coriaceous, 2-3in. high, everywhere perfectly 
glabrous. Rootstock short, thick, with numerous long fleshy root- 
lets. Leaves all radical; petioles stout, 1-2in. long, with broad 
thin sheathing bases; blade 3-14in. diam., orbicular in outline, 
3-lobed or 3-partite to the base, segments obovate-spathulate or 
cuneate, sometimes petiolulate, inciso-crenate or again lobed ; 
upper surface pitted or wrinkled when dry. Scapes usually solitary 
but sometimes 2-3, short, not exceeding the petioles, naked, 
1-flowered. Flower $-lin. diam. Sepals 5, narrow-oblong. Pe- 
tals 5-6, nearly twice as long as the sepals, narrow linear- 
oblong, with 1-3 glandular pits near the base. Achenes forming 
a small globose head, rounded, turgid, glabrous; style as long 
as the achene, curved, subulate.—Kirk, Students’ Fl. 10. 
SoutH Isnanp: Canterbury—Macaulay River and Mount Somers, Haast 
(Handbook); Lake Ohau, Buchanan! Otago—Mount Kyeburn and Mount 
St. Bathan’s, Petrie ! Altitudinal range 3000-5000 ft. December—Jan- 
uary. 
Hooker based his R. chordorhizos upon specimens collected by Haast at the 
Macaulay River and Mount Somers, and also included a plant obtained on 
limestone gravel in the Waimakariri district. Kirk considered the Waima- 
kariri plant to be distinct from the others. and has established the next species 
(R. paucifolius) upon it. The Macaulay River plant he assumed to be the same 
as Buchanan’s and Petrie’s, quoted above. Whether this view is correct can 
only be determined by examination of the types at Kew. 
14. R. paucifolius, 7. Kirk, Students’ Fl. 11.—Smaill, stout, cori- 
aceous, 2-4in. high, perfectly glabrous. Rootstock short, stout, 
