RANUNCULUS. 



and dominant in its magnificence, though making no pretence to rival 

 the concise azure cushions of His Celestial Majesty tho King of the 

 Alps. Forms of it are sometimes needlessly distinguished ; one of 

 especial fluffiness and deep colour has been called R. roseus, and an 

 enthusiast has reported and photographed a most splendid thing 

 with creamy flowers, which sounds as if R. gldcialis had been wooed 

 and won by R. montanvs. 



R. Gouani is a taller version of R. montanus, about a foot high, with 

 the segments of the deep-cut, ample leaves folded rather than flattened 

 out. The whole tuft is lush and velvety, and belongs only to the 

 cold alpine fields of the Pyrenees, where it is abundant. 



R. gracilis and R. gcranifolivs are synonyms of R. carinthiacus, q.v. 



R. graminifolius is a really handsome species, hardly appreciated at 

 its due worth. Its habit, much larger and looser, together with its 

 narrow, glaucous-blue foliage, suggest a lax, exaggerated R. pyrenaeus, 

 but the large and abundant flowers, each on a long foot -stalk, are of 

 glossy, clear, rich citron -yellow. It is a plant of the Seaward ranges, 

 and quite eas} r , free, and handsome in the garden. 



R. Haastii lives in the Alps of New Zealand, and wears all its leaves 

 at the base ; these are of glaucous blue-grey, irregularly cut into 

 five or seven deep irregular lobes. The blossoms are ample and golden, 

 on stout stems of 3 to 6 inches, which exude venomous milk when 

 pinched, or otherwise annoyed. 



R. heterorrhizus has much the charm of R. flabellatus, with the 

 same sized flowers, though on stems of only 3 or 4 inches, with the 

 leaves on long foot-stalks. (High alps of Phrygia.) 



R. hybridus (Biria, 1811), is superseded by the older name, R. 

 Phthora (Crantz, 1769), q.v. It is R. Thora x R. brevifolius. 



R. illyricus stands among the many field Buttercups that, in the 

 ruck of description, might escape notice. It is a beautiful easy native 

 of Bulgaria, for any light, open place, with tri-lobed, silvery leaves, and 

 tall, branching stems of a foot high or more, carrying sprays of large 

 pale-yellow blooms. 



R. insignis is a hairy counterpart, with noble golden suns, to 

 smooth, dark, and glossy R. Lyallii, from the Alps of New Zealand. It 

 is most variable in the size and splendour of its blooms, and the stalked 

 Leaves are largo and round or kidney -shaped and scalloped. 



R. lanuginosus is a tall and woolly yellow European, only to bo 

 caul iously admitted. 



R. Lingua, with a grand! flora variety, is a splendid rampant water- 

 plant of England, with long foliage and tall stems of 3 feet and more, 

 very abundant in brilliant large blossoms of golden yellow throughout 



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