6 THE RANUNCULUS FAMILY. [A/yosuf*. 



Peduncles also radical, rather longer than the leaves, often enlarged 

 and hollow at the top, with a single small yellowish flower. Sepals 

 prolonged below their insertion into a kind of spur. Petals rarely 

 longer than the calyx, and very narrow. Carpels very numerous, 

 forming a head which lengthens into a close slender spike, 1 or even 2 

 inches in length. 



In moist sandy or gravelly fields and waste places, in Europe, Russian 

 Asia, naturalised in America and Australia. Most common in the south 

 and south-east of England ; not found in Scotland or Ireland, Pl> 

 spring. 



VI. RANUNCULUS. RANUNCULUS. 



Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes entirely aquatic. Leaves entire, 

 or more or less divided. Flowers usually yellow or white. Sepals 5, 

 very rarely reduced to 3. Petals 5, or sometimes more, each with a 

 thickened hollow spot (nectary) at the base, often covered by a minute 

 scale. Stamens usually numerous. Carpels numerous, without awns, in 

 a globular or oblong head, each containing a single ovule attached near 

 its base. 



A numerous genus widely spread over the temperate regions of the 

 globe, and even found under the tropics. It is easily distinguished 

 from Anemone by the want of the involucre. The so-called nectary at 

 the base of the petals, which separates it from Adonis, is sometimes 

 reduced to a slightly discoloured, concave spot. In the small-flowered 

 species one or more of the petals are often wanting, and the stamens 

 reduced to very few. 



Flowers white. Carpels transversely wrinkled. Plants float- 

 ing in water or creeping in mud. (P.atrachium.) 

 Lower leaves or all the leaves finely cut. Receptacle 



usually hairy 1. R. aquatilis, 



All the leaves rounded with broad lobes. Receptacle 



glabrous 2. R. hederaceut. 



Flowers yellow. Carpels smooth or tuberculate. Plant 



terrestrial or not floating. 

 Leaves all undivided 

 Petals 5 or fewer. 

 Carpels with a stout beak. Stem erect, 2 feet or more. 



flowers large 8. R. Lingua. 



Carpels with a short point. Stems seldom above a 

 foot, often decumbent. Flowers little more than 

 half an inch in diameter or smaller . 

 Petals much longer than the calyx . . 4. R. Flammvla.. 



Petals very small- . j>. Ji. ophioglossifoliu*. 



Petals more than 6, usually 8 or 9 6. It. Ficaria. 



Leaves divided or deeply cut. 

 Carpels smooth or slightly tuberculate near the edge. 



Rootstock (in all but 7 and 13) perennial. 

 Leaves glabrous or very slightly downy. 

 Petals very small. Carpels small, numerous, in an 



ovate or oblong head 7. R. sceleratut. 



Petals conspicuous, bright yellow. Carpels downy, 



in a globular head 8. R. aurieomm. 



Leaves hairy. 



Calyx spreading, but not reflected. 

 Stems erect without runners. Lower leaves palin- 



ately divided. Carpels in a globular head . 9. R. acrit. 

 Runners creeping and rooting. Central division of 



the lower leaves projecting beyond the others 10. R. rp*n*. 



