FLOWERING PLANTS. 30 
of the rest of the achene, sub-cylindrical, with the extreme point 
reflexed. 
Sandy shores of Loch Leven, near Kinross. 
Scotland. Perennial, Summer, Autumn. 
Plant producing a tuft of a few narrowly-elliptical, acute leaves 
on long petioles. Stems threadlike, with a few strap-shaped or 
elliptical-linear leaves. Flowers about 3 inch in diameter. Achenes 
about half or two-thirds of the usual size of those of R.eu-Flammula, 
with the beak much longer. 
Lesser Spearwort. 
French, Renoncule Flammetie, Petite Dowve. 
The specific name /lammula, the diminutive of flamma, is given to this plant as it 
causes a little flame or inflammation on the skin. The leaves bruised and applied to 
the surface will raise a blister in about half an hour. This is a sore which is difficult 
to heal, and consequently should only be used when a lasting vesication is required. 
Dr. Withering recommends the distilled water of R. flammula as preferable to any 
other means for producing instant vomiting in cases of poisoning, without exciting the 
painful contortions resulting from the administration of white vitriol for a like purpose. 
Lightfoot describes an ingenious but simple method of using the bruised leaves as a 
blister ; he says that, in the Scottish Islands, they fill a limpet-shell with the bruised 
leaves and bind it on the part, the cup form of the shell neatly defining the place of the 
blister. 
SPECIES XI—RANUNCULUS LINGUA. Linn. 
Puate XXXT. 
Reich, Ic. Fl. Germ. et Helv. Vol. III. Ran. Tab. X. Fig. 4597. 
Rootstock creeping, stoloniferous. Stem erect, emitting roots 
at a few of the lower joints, branching above, hollow, furrowed. 
The earliest leaves, and those of the barren shoots on long stalks, 
ovate or oblong-ovate; those on the flowering stem sessile, linear- 
lanceolate, very acute, faintly and remotely denticulate or nearly 
entire. Peduncles not furrowed. Flowers very large. Nectary 
with a rudimentary scale. Head of fruit globular, closely packed. 
Achenes large, numerous, much compressed, margined, the margin 
forming a wing on the upper edge, the apex narrowed into a short, 
slightly recurved beak, with a triangular profile, nearly half the 
length of the rest of the mature carpel. 
In ditches and by the sides of ponas. Sparingly distributed in 
England and Scotland, as far north as Morayshire. It is most 
frequent in the fenny districts of England. 
England, Scotland, Ireland. Perennial. Summer and Autumn. 
