RANUNCULACEOUS MONOTYPES. 193 
CYRTORHYNCHA RANUNCULINA, Nutt. in Torr. & Gray, 
Fl.i.26. Ranunculus Nuttallii, Gray, Proc. Philad. Acad. 
1863, p. 56. (Pittonia, Plate IV). This is a genus of equal 
validity with Kumlienia, notwithstanding its far more strik- 
ing superficial likeness to typical Ranunculus. Any botan- 
ist coming upon a tuft of the plant in its native habitat 
would be sure to take it, at first glance, for an effusely 
cymose small-flowered buttercup; and that Nuttall, its dis- 
coverer, received such an impression of it is intimated in 
the specific name which he gave it. But its strength asa 
generic type rests upon characteristics such as the most arti- 
ficial among systematists might be expected to appreciate. 
As being the only critical botanist who, after Nuttall, has 
seen the plant growing, and having at various times during 
the last twenty-five years examined and collected it, I have 
not only to confirm Nuttall’s original observations concern- 
ing it, but to add somewhat to the knowledge of its pecu- 
liarities as a type. Several of its analogies with Thalictrum 
were early recognized; but here is one which the field ob- 
Server alone will be likely to detect. On digging up speci- 
mens for the portfolio, one perceives that the roots are not 
the soft white roots of Ranunculus, but quite the hard wiry 
fibres, black externally and yellowish within, which belong 
quite generally to Thalictrum. And the stems and leafstalks 
under the ground are intermixed with just such dry thin | 
chaffy remains of the leafstalks of former years as are seen 
in many species of meadow rue. 
The strong technical characters of the genus are found, 
where herbaristic and empiric taxonomists like to have 
them, in the fructification. The inflorescence is remark- 
ably, and even more or less dichotomously cymose ; and 
specimens are not wanting to my herbarium which show a 
much more repeatedly and effusely branched cyme than is 
displayed in the small plant selected by Mr. Holm as the 
type from which to draw. In one of the specimens each 
branchlet ends in an actual umbel of several flowers. The 
