x FAMILIAR WILD FLOWERS. 



GOLDILOCKS, RAXUXCULUS AURICOMUS. Nat. Ord., Ranun- 

 culacece. Sepals five, pubescent, spreading. Petals five, bright yellow, 

 often imperfect, without the characteristic gland of the greater part 

 of the genus. Stamens many. Carpels many. Style short. Fruit 

 globose, a mass of achenes, downy. Peduncles smooth. Leaves few 

 in number; radicals on long stalks, orbicular or reniform, and only 

 slightly cut into lobes ; the stem-leaves cut to the base into linear seg- 

 ments, either entire or very slightly serrate. The whole plant glabrous, 

 without the acridity of many of the genus. Stem erect. Woods. 

 Flowering in spring. Perennial. 



WATER RANUNCULUS, or WATER BUTTERCUP, 



RANUNCULUS AQUATILIS. Nat. Ord., Ranunculacece. Sepals five. Petals 

 five, or at times more, obovate, much larger than sepals, white, each 

 with a yellow spot at base; nectary without a scale. Stamens and 

 carpels numerous. Leaves very various in form : floating leaves (often 

 wanting) circular, lobed; submerged leaves capillaceo-niultifid; stipules 

 broad. Flower-stalks axillary, one-flowered. Without the acridity 

 common to many of the plants of the genus. Stems slightly sub- 

 merged. Ponds and water-courses. Spring and summer. Perennial. 



LARGER PERIWINKLE, VINCA MAJOR. Nat. Ord., 

 Apocynacecc. Calyx five-partite. Corolla salver-shaped, five broad 

 oblique segments. Cylindrical tube, aestivation twisted, generally 

 purple, but varying in strength of colour. Stamens five ; filaments 

 short; anthers two-celled. Stigma one. Ovary of two carpels. Fruit 

 a follicle of two elongated capsules, many-seeded. Leaves evergreen, 

 opposite, entire, ovate, stalked. Flowers growing singly on peduncles 

 springing from the axils of the leaves. Long, trailing, flowerless 

 shoots, rooting ; from these the flowering shoots ascend. Spreads with 

 great rapidity. Woods and shady hedge-banks. April, May, June. 

 Perennial. 



LESSER CELANDINE, or PILE WORT, RAXUNCULUX 

 FICARIA. Nat. Ord., Ranunculacea.C&lyx of three sepals. Petals 

 eight, but varying to twelve, golden yellow, very glossy; nectary 

 with a small scale. Flower-stem bearing two or three leaves and a 

 single terminal flower. Leaves undivided, petiolate, mostly radical, 

 cordate, obtuse, angular, or crenate, thick, glossy; petioles with 

 dilated stipular bases. Eoot having numerous tubers, annually 

 renewed. Carpels large, in globular head. Damp pastures and woods. 

 March, April, May. Perennial. 



