20 RANUNCULACE. (Ranunculus. 
sometimes linear-spathulate and entire, but usually 3-foliolate ; 
leaflets stalked, rounded-ovate, entire or 3-lobed, coriaceous. 
Scapes several, simple or branched, 3-5in. high ; cauline leaves or 
bracts few, spathulate. Flowers small. Sepals 5, oblong-lanceo- 
late. Petals 5, linear-oblong, rounded at the tip, clawed at the 
base, with a gland just above the claw. Achenes few, slightly com- 
pressed, keeled; style subulate, hooked at the tip.—Kurk, Students’ 
Fl. 15 (in part only). 
Srewart Istanp: Swamps at Paterson’s Inlet, &c., Petrie! G. M. Thom- 
son! Kirk! 
More specimens of this species are required to fully determine its systematic 
position and relationships. I have confined it to the Stewart Island plant. for 
the specimens from the mountains of the South Island, included by Mr. Kirk, 
differ in several characters of importance, and are better reserved for further 
inquiry. The figure given in the Trans. N.Z. Inst., Vol. xxxi., is not charac- 
teristic of any specimens I have seen. 
23. R. lappaceus, Smith 7n Rees’ Cyclop. xxix. n. 61.—Short, 
stemless, more or less hairy or villous, 2-10in. high. Rootstock 
short, stout, sometimes branched at the top. Leaves numerous, 
usually all radical, on petioles 4-3 in. long; blade +-14in. diam., 
cuneate or ovate or rounded in outline, sometimes entire or coarsely 
toothed, but more frequently 3-5-lobed or -partite, less commonly 
3-foliolate or pinnately divided ; lobes or segments generally toothed 
or crenate. Scapes 1 to many, usuallv leafless and 1-flowered, 
1-9 in. high, generally much longer than the leaves, densely clothed 
with spreading or appressed hairs. Flowers very variable in size, 
often a rich golden-yellow. Sepals 5, pilose, spreading. Petals 5, 
obovate; gland at the base. Achenes forming a small rounded 
head, compressed or rarely slightly turgid. glabrous, margined ; 
style short, recurved.—Hook. f. Fi. Tasm. 1.6; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 7; 
Benth. Fl. Austral. i. 12; Kirk, Students’ Fl. 15. 
Var. macrophyllus, Kirk, Students’ Fl. 15.—Larger. Leaves with peti- 
oles 2-4 in. long; blade #-14 in. diam., obscurely 3-lobed ; margins crenate or 
toothed. Scapes 3-8in. high. Flowers large. 
Var. multiscapus, Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 7.—Petioles shorter, }-1} in. 
long; blade smaller, }-?in. diam., ovate or rounded, cuneate at the base, 
toothed or 3-lobed or 3-partite. Scapes numerous.—R. multiscapus, Hook. f. 
Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 9, t. 5. BR. muricatulus, Col. in Trans. N.Z. Inst. xxiii. (1891) 
381 (still smaller, with the leaves occasionally entire). 
Var. pimpinellifolius, Benth. H/. Austral. i. 12.— Leaves usually pin- 
nate, with 5 short and broad 3-5-lobed segments.—R. pimpinellifolius, Hooic. 
Journ. Bot. i. 243; Ic. Plant. t. 260. 
Var. villosus, Kiri, Stwdents’ Hl. 15.—1-3in. high, densely villous or 
silky in all its parts. Scape usually shorter than the leaves. Achenes slightly 
turgid. 
Nortu, SourH, anp Srewarr Isuanps: The var. multiscapus abundant 
from Hawke’s Bay and Taupo southwards, and ranging from sea-level to 
4500 ft. November - March. The remaining varieties not uncommon in 
mountain districts in the South Island. 
