26o YELLOW TO ORANGE 



and the carpels all spread out successively. Care must be 

 taken not to confuse the Ranimculi with the Pottnitillas, which 

 latter belong to the Rose Family and are also described in 

 this Section, for the blossoms of the two plants somewhat 

 resemble each other, though a close inspection and comparison 

 of them, together with their stems and leaves, will always 

 serve to plainly demonstrate at once the differences which 

 exist between them. One point of variance which may be 

 specially noted is that the Raiiiniculiis usually has simple 

 lobed, or divided or dissected leaves, whereas the Potentilla 

 usually has compound leaves ; that is to say, the Ranuncjilus 

 has, in most cases, leaves that are much cut up and lobed, but 

 the Potentilla^ as a rule, has leaves formed of several entirely 

 separate leaflets. This distinction is, however, not arbitrary, 

 though it exists in the majority of cases. Also each petal of 

 the Ranunculus has a tiny pit, or spot, covered by a scale, on 

 the inside of the claw, near the base. This spot is absent in 

 all the Potentillas. The Meadow Buttercup has fibrous roots. 

 R. Macounii, or Macoun's Buttercup, is an erect, very hairy 

 plant, growing from one to two feet high, and has yellow 

 flowers. 



SNOW BUTTERCUP 



Ranunculus Eschscholtsii. Crowfoot Family 



Stems: ascending, one-to-three flowered. Leaves: roundish in outline, 

 three-to-five parted, or deeply cleft, the obovate divisions lobed or 

 incised. Flowers: yellow, the calyx covered with brownish hairs. 



This alpine Buttercup grows at very high altitudes, close to 

 the snow and always near water. A cluster of much-divided 

 leaves grows up from the base of the plant on long slender 

 stems, and half-way up the flower-stalk there is a circle of 

 narrowly lobed leaves, and also, frequently, a single bud. The 

 large yellowish calyx, which is covered with brown hairs on 

 the outside, gives the flower almost a double appearance. 

 The head of the fruit is oblong. 



