DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS 83 



pit or scale inside at the narrowed base. Stamens usually 

 numerous. Pistils few or several in a head. Akenes flattened, 

 pointed.* 



1. R. pusillus, Poir. Low Spearwort. Perennial. Stems sev- 

 eral, erect or ascending, branched, smooth, 6-15 in. high. Leaves 

 entire or slightly toothed, the lower round or cordate, long-petioled, 

 the upper lanceolate or ellix^tical, nearly or quite sessile. Flowers 

 very small, about ^ in. wide, yellow. Petals 1-5, as long as the 

 sepals. Stamens 3-10. Akenes smooth, with a ver}'- short point. 

 On muddy banks.* 



2. R. abortivus, L. Small-flowered Crowfoot. Perennial. 

 Stems smooth, branching, 12-18 in. high. Root-leaves round-cor- 

 date, crenate, petioled. Stem-leaves 3-5-parted, with wedge-shaped 

 or linear divisions, sessile. Flowers very small, pale yellow. Sepals 

 reflexed, longer than the petals. Akenes in a globose head, smooth, 

 without a beak. Common on wet groimd and waste places.* 



3. R. recurvatus, Poir. Hooked Crowfoot. Perennial. Stem 

 erect, hairy, 1-2 ft. high. Leaves all nearly alike, petioled, 3-5-lobed 

 with the lobes wedge-shaped, cut or toothed at the apex. Flowers 

 small, pale yellow. Petals minute, shorter than the reflexed sepals. 

 Akenes in a globular head, smooth, with a slender, recurved beak. 

 On low ground.* 



4. R. pennsylvanicus, L. Bristly Crowfoot. Perennial. Stems 

 rough-hairy, erect, 2-3 ft. high. Leaves compound in threes, on 

 long and very hairy petioles ; leaflets long-stalked, 3-parted, the 

 divisions sharply lobed or toothed. Flowers small. Petals yellow, 

 shorter than the sepals. Akenes flat, smooth, in oblong heads, beak 

 broad and straight. On low ground.* 



5. R. bulbosus, L. Bulbous Buttercup, Early Buttercup. 

 Stem upright, from a solid bulb about as large as a filbert, about 

 1 ft. high, hairy. Root-leaves 3-divided, the divisions lobed and 

 cleft. Peduncles furrowed. Flowers large and showy (^ to 1 in. in 

 diameter). Sepals strongly reflexed. Petals roundish, wedge-shaped 

 at the base. Akenes with a very short beak. Introduced fi-om 

 Europe. Common in grass fields in Kew England. 



6. R. acris, L. Tall Buttercup. Erect, hairy, 2-3 ft. high. 

 Leaves 3-7-parted, the divisions of the lower ones wedge-shaped, 

 deeply cut and lobed. Peduncles not furrowed. Sepals spreading, 

 downy. Petals obovate, a little smaller and paler yeUow than in 

 No. 5. A common weed, introduced from Europe, in grass fields 

 and elsewdiere, especially eastward. 



