BUTTERCUP FAMILY 539 



broad-beaked forms of R. ealifornicus undoubtedly pass by continuous intergrades into B. 

 canus. The variability of the achene in this group is therefore in certain respects so consider- 

 able that no decisive test can be had from it. So far as the achene character is concerned, 

 var. eisenii of K. occidentalis might be transferred to B. ealifornicus. On the other hand the 

 petal number in var. eisenii indicates definite genetic connection with E. occidentalis. The 

 most dependable character for the segregation of these forms seems to lie in number of corolla 

 parts. The petals of E. ealifornicus vary most commonly from 7 to 16 and we determined 

 the modal value to be 12 which if graphically represented makes a 2-sided figure. The petals 

 of E. occidentalis are 5, varying to 7 or 8, the modal value being 5 and representing a 1-sided 

 figure. This seems to be therefore the soundest test of differentiation between these two 

 species. 



Locs. The following collections are fairly typical of E. calif ornicus : hills west of St. 

 Helena, Jepson; Olema, Jepson; Berkeley, Jepson (compared by us with the type at Kew) ; 

 San Francisco, Harriet Walker; Livermore, Bioletti; Mt. Hamilton, Jepson 4235; Monterey, 

 Heller 6530; San Luis Obispo, Summers; Los Angeles, Braunton 814; San Bernardino, Parish. 



Teratology. A "green-flowered" (teratological) buttercup, usually growing on the blue 

 or most viscous adobe, occurs in abundance and with considerable variety of form on the hills 

 east of Walnut Creek, Contra Costa Co. It occurs likewise in Conn Valley, Napa Co., and 

 also grows freely in San Mateo Co. near Eedwood and on the hills of southern Santa Clara Co. 

 Modification affects conspicuously the petaline and sepaline whorls which are more or less 

 virescent or frondeseent. Within a few square yards one may commonly find petaline organs 

 varying from normal yellow through greenish yellow to wholly virescent or frondeseent. The 

 extreme virescent petaline structures are commonly elliptic to oblong, 2 to 3 (or 4) lines long, 

 and borne on slender claws as long or half as long. This form is noted here principally on 

 account of its frequence. 



Var. cimeatus Greene. Stems prostrate or decumbent ; leaves thin ; the lower leaves sharply 

 cleft into 3 broad lobes, the divisions incised but more equally toothed than in the species, so 

 that the outline is roundish-subcordate. San Mateo to San Francisco and Marin Co.; often 

 on ocean bluffs. 



Var. crassifolius Greene. Stout, low, the stems assurgent; herbage somewhat succulent, 

 sparingly villous; basal leaves shallowly 3-lobed, the lobes rounded and more or less coarsely 

 toothed ; cauline leaves parted into 3 oblong lobes. Coast bluffs, Mendocino Co. to San 

 Francisco. 



Var. ludovicianus Davis. Stems many, coarse, rather densely tufted; herbage rather 

 densely pilose or even silky, especially below ; leaves cut into rather broad acuminate or lanceo- 

 late segments; flowers and achenes of the species. Mountain meadows, Tehachapi Mts. to 

 the San Bernardino Mts. and San Diego Co., 4500 to 7000 feet. 



Locs. Tehachapi, Davy 2164; San Bernardino Mts. (Fawnskin, Chandler, Bear Valley, 

 Parish 3691); Palomar, Jepson; Santa Ysabel, Jepson 8523. 



Refs. RANUNCULUS CALIFORNICUS Benth. PL Hartw. 295 (1848), type loc. Monterey, 

 Hartweg 1628; Jepson, Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 200 (1901). The first three varieties named below 

 appear to be ecological: Var. latilobus Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 21:375 (1886), leaves like the 

 specie but with broad divisions, a form of the South Coast Eanges and Southern California, 

 at low altitudes. Var. laetus Greene, Fl. Fr. 299 (1892), stoutish and fistulous with broad 

 leaf segments. San Francisco Bay region, borders of marsh lands. Var. canescens Greene 

 I.e., basal parts long- villous ; flowers large (ex. char.). Mt. Diablo Eange. The three follow- 

 ing varieties seem more stable: Var. CUNEATUS Greene Le., type loc. San Mateo Co. Var. 

 CRASSIFOLIUS Greene, Erythea, 1:125 (1893), type loc. Ft. Bragg, C. E. Michener. Var. 

 LUDOVICIANUS Davis, Minn. Bot. Stud. 476 (1900). R. ludovicianus Greene, Bull. Cal. Acad. 

 2:58 (1886), type loc, Tehachapi Pass, Curran; Erythea, 4:65 (1896). 



13. R. occidentalis Nutt. Perennial ; habit of R. californicus ; herbage pilose 

 or hirsute below with spreading hairs, often densely so on the petioles, or varying 

 to nearly glabrous ; basal leaves of roundish outline, % to 2 inches broad, incisely 

 3 (or 5) -cleft or -parted, rarely divided into separate leaflets, the segments 

 mostly broad, shallowly but incisely lobed and toothed; upper cauline leaves 

 divided into linear segments ; flower 6 to 10 lines broad ; petals 5 ; achenes flat- 

 tened, obliquely rounded dorsally, nearly straight on the ventral side, 1 to 2 lines 

 long, the subulate beak saliently erect, straight or somewhat falcate, and com- 

 monly projecting somewhat forward rather than recurving, 1/3 to % as long as 

 the body. 



Washington and Oregon. Entering the northern borders of California and 

 occurring mainly as intergrades to the var. eisenii. 



