Wild Flowers East of the Rockies 119 



CROWFOOT FAMILY (Ranunculaceae). 



A very large and very diversified family of herbs, 

 or sometimes wooly plants, divided into three tribes 

 containing 23 genera. Practically all of them have 

 very acrid juices, some of them very poisonous. 



WATER PLANTAIN (Ranunculus laxicaulis) is a 



rather common marsh-inhabiting buttercup, with five 

 to seven narrow yellow petals. The stem is stout but 

 rather weak and angled, at each joint sending out a 

 clasping lanceolate, almost toothless leaf. The flow- 

 ers, which are about 3-4 in. broad, are on long pedun- 

 cles terminating the branching stem that rises from 

 1 to 2 1-2 feet. It is found in bogs, ditches and muddy 

 places from Me. to Minn, and south to the Gulf of 

 Mexico. 



STIFF WATER- CROWFOOT (R. circinatus) has 



white flowers and sessile leaves that are entirely sub- 

 merged; the latter are rigid and do not collapse when 

 taken from the water, as do those of the more com- 

 mon White Water Crowfoot (R. aquatilis). The first 

 species is rather rare and the last very common in 

 slow flowing waters throughout the United States. 



MARSH MARIGOLD (Caltha palustris) is the very 

 common marsh herb usually, but erroneously, called 

 "Cowslip." Its leaves are very commonly used and 

 marketed for food. The flowers are perfect, have no 

 petals but from five to nine (usually the former) gold- 

 en-yellow, shining sepals and numerous brighter sta- 

 mens. The stems are hollow and furrowed. The 

 leaves are round kidney-shaped, usually with scallop- 

 ed edges. Marsh Marigold is abundant in swamps 

 or wet meadows from Newfoundland to Alaska and 

 southwards through the United States, flowering in 

 April and May. 



