Plate 2586. 



RANUNCULUS INVOLUCRATUS, Maxim, et R. SIMILIS, 



Hemsl. — 



RANUNCULACEiE. 



R. involucratus, Maxim. Fl. Tangut. p. 15, t. 22, figg. 7-13. 



North- Eastern Tibet : at 14,000 to 14,500 feet, without special 

 locality, Przewalski; near Horpa Tso, at 17,300 feet, Deasy <& Pike, 



817. 



R. similis, Hemsl (sp. nov.)\ ad R. involucratum, Maxim, valde 

 accedit, sed sepalis hirsutis, floribus luteis, carpellis dorso carinatis nee 

 alatis differt. 



Herba perennis, carnosa, subscaposa, fere undique glabra, radice 



carnoso-fibrosa. Caulis simplex, erectus, 14-2 poll, altus, uniflorus. 



Folia crassa, raclicalia 2-3, caulem suba?quantia, longe petiolata, 



rotundata, 3-6 lin. diametro, apice 3-5-lobulata, caulina 2-3, similia, 

 sessilia, involucrum formantia. Flos solitarius brevissime pedunculatus, 

 6-9 lin. diametro. Sepala crassa, 5 (interdum 6-7), oblongo-obovata, 

 subtruncata, dorso hirsuta. Petala obovata, emarginata, sepala paullo 

 superantia. Stamina numerosissima. Carpella numerosissima, glabra, 

 dorso carinata, stigmate sessili. — Ranunculus involucratus, Hemsl. in 

 Journ. Linn. Soc. xxx. p. 107, vix Maxim. 



Tibet : sandy earth and gravel in valleys at 17,500 feet, Thorold ; 

 in 81° 40' long, and 34° 50' lat. at 17,000 feet, Deasy & Pike; in 

 about 82° 30' long, and 35° lat. at 16,649 feet, Welby & Malcolm. 



I am still somewhat doubtful about these scapose Ranunculi, having 

 in the first instance identified Dr. Thorold's specimen with R. lobatus, 

 Jacquem. (" Voy. Bot" p. 5, t. 1, B.), taking it to be a reduced state of 

 that species. Subsequently I thought it was R. involucratus, Maxim.; 

 but then came a specimen in Capt. Deasy and Mr. Arnold Pike's 

 collection (817), figured above, which proved to be exactly Maxi- 

 mowicz's plant. Although there are certain differences, I am not 

 sure that they will not all prove to be R. lobatus, Jacquem., the 

 differences being due to local conditions. — W. Botting Hemsley. 



Fig. A. Ranunculus involucratvs, Maxim. Natural sh?. 



Fig. 1, a sepal; 2, an aniher and part of filament; 3, an achene ; 4, the same in 

 section. All enlarged. 



Fig. B. Ranunculus similis, Hemsl Natural size. 



Fi£. 5, a sepal ; 6, anthers and part of filament ; 7, a carpel ; 8, the same laid open. 

 All enlarged. 



