Ranunculus.] i. RANUNCULACE^. (Hook. f. & Thorns.) 19< 



to the European E. auricomus, but the achenes are smaller, less compressed, are in an 

 oval head, and the radical leaf appears never to be entire. 



13. R. nivalis, Linn. ; small, erect, 1-flowered, shaggy above, leaves 

 3-5-lobed or -partite, sepals shaggy. H. f. & T. Fl. Ind. 35. 



ALPINE HIMALAYA. Tunkra pass in Sikkim, alt. 16,000 ft., Hook. f. DISTRIB. 

 Arctic Europe, Asia, and America. 



Eootstock small. Stems subsolitary, 1-3 in., glabrous below. Radical leaves gla- 

 brous, segments 3-lobed; lower cauline petioled, upper sessile. Apparently the same 

 as the arctic plant, but not found in fruit. 



14. R. sceleratus, Linn. ; annual, erect, glabrous, leaves 3-partite, 

 achenes many in an oblong head small obtuse or apiculate. Don Prodr. 195 ; 

 Royle III. 53; H.f. & T. Fl. Ind. 35. R. indicus, Roxb. FL Ind. ii. 657 ; 

 Wall. Cat. 4699. 



River banks in BENGAL and NORTHERN INDIA ; marshes of Peshawer ; warm valleys 

 of the HIMALAYA (unknown south of the Nerbudda). DISTRIB. Throughout the North 

 temperate zone. 



Stem 1-3 ft., often stout, fleshy and branched, rarely pnberulous above. Leaves 

 with cuneate cut segments, cauline sessile. Flowers j - in. dium. Sepals reflexed, 

 nearly equalling the oblong petals, lie&eptacle oblong, hairy. 



*** Leaves deeply divided. Achenes flattened, with an intramarginal rib. 

 (See 20, muricatus.} 



15. R. diffusus, DC. ; diffuse or prostrate, hairy, leaves 3-partite. 

 achenes in globose heads dotted, receptacle of fruit small. Don Prodr. 195 ; 

 H.f. & T. FL Ind. 36. R. napaulensis, DC. Prodr. i. 39. R. trilobate, 

 Don Prodr. 194. R. geranioides, Blume Bijdr. 2. R. hydrocotyloides, Wall. 

 Cat. 4703. R. mollis, Wall. Cat. 4704 ; Don in Royle III. 53. R. obtectus, 

 Wall. Cat. 4705. R. vitifolius, Royle III 53. R. subpinuatus, W. & A. 

 Prodr. 4; Wight Ic. t. 49 ; H.f. & T. FL Ind. 36. 



TEMPERATE HIMALAYA, from the Chenab to Bhotan, alt. 6-10,000 ft. Higher moun- 

 tains of the WESTERN PENINSULA. DISTRIB. Sumatra, Java. 



Perennial, covered with spreading hairs ; nodes at times rooting. Leaves softly 

 hairy, segments cuneate, of lower leaves often stalked. Peduncles 1-flowered, terminal 

 or leaf-opposed. Flowers -1 in. diam. Sepals hairy. Achenes ovate, compressed, 

 with an intramarginal rib at a variable distance from the acute margin : style short, 

 straight or hooked. Peninsula specimens have usually larger flowers and more divided 

 leaves. Near R.repens, L. 



16. R. laetus, Wall. Cat. 4702 ; erect, appressedly hairy, leaves 3-partite, 

 achenes in a globose head not dotted, receptacle of fruit oblong glabrous. 

 H.f. & T.Fl. Ind. 36 (excl. syn. R. riparius, Edgew.) ; Royle 111. 53. R. 

 distans, Royle III 53. R. brevirostris, Edgew. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xx. 28. 



TEMPERATE HIMALAYA and WESTERN TIBET. Common on the inner ranges only of 

 SIKKIM. DISTRIB. Affghanistan. 



Rootstock woody. Stem 1-2 ft., usually much branched, many-flowered ; hairs 

 white. Radical leaves 2-4 in. diam. ; segments cuneate-obovate, deeply cut ; cauline 

 sessile. Flowers 1 in. diam. /Sepals villous. Achenes many, oval, margined, rather 

 large ; style short, straight, broad at the base. Closely allied to and perhaps a var. of 

 R. acris, L. 



17. R. pensylvanicus, Linn. ; erect, hirsute, leaves ternatisect, achenes 

 in oblong or globose heads, not dotted, receptacle pilose. R. fibrosus, Wall. 

 Cat. 4706 : Hook.f. & T. FL Ind. 37. R. chinensis, Bunge ; H.f. - T. Fl. 

 Ind. 38. R. riparius, Edgew. in Trans. Linn. Soc. xx. 28. Ranunculi, sp. 

 Griff. Ic. PL iv. t. 661. 



C 2 



