RANUNCULACEJE. (CROWFOOT FAMILY.) 



ions ; or sometimes rooting in the mud, with the emersed leaves kidney-shaped 

 or round and variously lobed or cleft; petals 5-8, much larger than the calyx, 

 carpels in a spherical head, pointed with a straight heak. (R. multiiidus, Pursh, 

 ttincl. R. lacustris, Beck.) Stagnant Tvater ; most common northward. May - 

 July. Stems 2 -4 long, round and tubular. Petals bright yellow, mostly as 

 large as in the common Buttercup. 



*- +- T( rrcstrial : perennial, except Nos. 6 and 9, which are at least sometimes 



annual. 

 ** Leaves all undivided : plants glabrous. 



3. R. alisniacfolius, Geycr, Benth. (WATER-PLANTAIN SPEAR- 

 WORT.) Stems hollow, ascending, often rooting from the lower joints; leaves 

 lanceolate, mostly denticulate, the lowest oblong, all contracted into a margined 

 petiole with a mcmbranaceous dilated and half-sheathing ba>e ; petals 5-7, 

 much longer than the calyx, bright yellow; carpels flattened, pointed with a long 

 and slntii/ht subulate sharp beak, collected in a globular head. (R. Flamnmla & 

 R. Lingua, Amer. authors.) Wet or inundated places; common northward. 

 June - Aug. Stems 1 - 2 high. Leaves 3' - 5' long. Flower 5" - 6", in Ore- 

 gon and California 7" -9", broad. Carpels much larger than in the next. 



4. R. Fl;miiiinl;i, L. (SPEARWORT.) Stem reclining or ascending, 

 rooting below ; leaves lanceolate or linear, or the lowest oblong-lanceolate, en- 

 tire or nearly so, mostly petioled ; petals 5 - 7, much longer than the calyx, 

 bright yellow ; carpels turgid, mucronate with a very short and usually c.urvcd blunt 

 point, forming a small globular head. Shore of L. Ontario (a small form) ; 

 thence northward. June - Aug. Corolla 4" - 6" broad. (Eu. ) 



Var. iv plans. (CREEPING SPEARWORT.) Much smaller and slenderer : 

 the filiform prostrate stems rooting at all the joints. (R. reptans, L. R. tili- 

 formis, Michx.) Gravelly or sandy banks of streams, &c. New England and 

 Penn. to Wisconsin, northward. Stems 4' -6' long. (Eu.) 



5. R. pusillllS, Poir. Stem slender, ascending ; root-leaves ovate or round- 

 ish, obtuse, entire, often rather heart-shaped, on long petioles ; the lower stem- 

 leaves similar ; the uppermost becoming linear-lanceolate, obscurely toothed, 

 scarcely petioled ; petals 1-5, commonly 3, about as long as the cahj.r, y<:ll(n'*h ; 

 stamens few (5 - 10) ; carpels slightly pointed or blunt, in a globular head. Wet 

 places, S. New York, New Jersey, and southward near the coast. July. 

 Stems 5' -12' high. 



6. R. Cymlmlfirin, Pursh. (SEA-SIDE CROWFOOT.) Stem sending 

 off long runners from the base which are rooting and leafy at the joints ; 



all round/nil, niosfli/ heart-shaped at the base., coarsely crenate-toothcd, rather ilcshy, 

 on long petioles ; fower-stalks (scapes) leafless, 1 -7-flowcrcd ; petals 5 - 8, bright 

 yellow ; carjiels in oblong heads, very numerous, short-b.-<;Ld, ttriate-ix inn! on the 

 sides. Sea-shore, Maine to New Jersey. Salt springs, Salina, New York, to 

 Illinois and westward. June-Aug. Scapes 3'-6' high. 



* -M- Root-fcavrs undivided, often cleft, but not to the base. 



7. R. rllOIIll>oi<lcil$, Goldie. Dwarf, hairy; root-leave* roundish, or 

 rhombic-ovate, rarely subcordate, toothed or crcnate; lowest stem- leaves similar 

 or 3 - 5-lobed ; the upper 3 - 5-parted, almost sessile, the lobes linear ; carpels 



