16 RANIJNCULACEiE. Ranunculus. 



ovate, pointed with a very short obhque style. — Ell. sk. 2. p. 63 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. ed. 2. p. 

 221 ; DC. prodr. I.pi40; Hook. Jl. Bor.-Am. \.p. 19; Terr. <^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 22. 

 R. Canadensis, Jacg. ic. rar. 1. t. 165. R. hispidus, Pursh,fl. 2. p. 395. 



Stem 1-2 feet high, stout, usually much branched, erect, clothed with stiff horizontal 

 hairs. Leaves 2-4 inches in diameter ; the lower ones with petioles 3-6 inches long ; 

 petioles of the leaflets often an inch or more in length. Penducles obscurely grooved. Flow- 

 ers about three lines in diameter. Sepals ovate, rather obtuse, reflexed. Petals pale yellow, 

 obovate, usually shorter than the calyx and ovoid compact head of pistils ; scale broadly 

 cuneate, emarginate. Carpels viscid, very numerous. 



Banks of rivers, in damp soils, chiefly on the Hudson River and in the northern counties. 

 Fl. latter part of July - August. Fr. September. 



13. Ranunculus recurvatus. Pair. Sanicle-leaved Crowfoot. 



Erect ; stem and petioles clothed with spreading stiffish hairs ; leaves 3-parted, with ap- 

 pressed hairs, or nearly smooth ; segments broadly oval, incisely toothed, the lateral ones 2- 

 lobed ; calyx reflexed ; petals narrowly oblong, shorter than the sepals ; heads ovoid-globose ; 

 carpels roundish, with a sharp hooked style. — Poir. diet. 6. p. 123 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 394 ; 

 Deless. ic. 1. f. 41 ; DC. prodr. \.p. 39; Ell. sk. 2. p. 63; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. l.p.20 (in 

 part); Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 329; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. l.p. 22. 



Root coarsely fibrous. Stem about a foot high. Leaves 2-3 inches in diameter, with a 

 pentagonal outline, petiolate. Flowers small, on short peduncles. Sepals oblong, hairy. 

 Petals pale yellow, often only half the length of the sepals, with a conspicuous cuneate scale 

 at the base. Carpels much compressed, margined ; the beak very slender, about half the 

 length of the carpel. 



Shady woods, in rich soil ; common. Flowers from May to June. 



14. Ranunculus bulbosus, Linn. Butter-cups. 



Stem erect, hairy, bulbous at the neck ; radical leaves cut into 3-5 petiolated leaflets, 

 which are 3 - 5-cleft and incisely toothed ; peduncles sulcate ; calyx reflexed, shorter than 

 the sepals ; carpels ovoid, with a short acute recurved beak. — Michx.fl. I. p. 321 ; Pursh, 

 fl. 2. p. 392; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 331 ; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. I. p. 24. 



Root consisting of thick fibres. Stem about a foot high, clothed with appressed hairs, the 

 tuber at the base about the size of a filbert. Leaves hairy, deeply parted and variously 

 cut ; the segments short, obtusely incised and lobed. Peduncles 1-3 inches long. Sepals 

 externally. Petals usually 5, sometimes more, deep yellow and shining. Carpels in a globose 

 head. 



Fields, pastures and road sides. May - July. A weed of European origin. It is one of 

 the most acrid of the genus. 



