Davis: RANUNCULI OF NORTH AMERICA. 477 



7?. Californicus var. latilobtis GRAY, Proc. Am. Acad. 21 : 

 375. 1886. 



Basal leaves 3-parted, divisions broadly or narrowly cuneate, 

 incisely cleft or laciniate : stem leaves not so much dissected. 

 Southern California. 



Var. crassifolius GREENE, Erythea, 1 : 125. 1893. 



Stout and low, sparingly villous throughout : lower leaves 

 not so deeply parted as the type, coarsely toothed ; stem leaves 

 mostly deeply parted into 3 oval or oblong quite entire segments : 

 flowers and akenes larger than in the type. Ft. Bragg, Men- 

 docino Co., Calif. 



31. R. Asiaticus Linn. Sp. PI. 552. 1753. 



Roots fleshy : plant erect, either simple or branched, ^ to i 

 foot high : leaves petiolate, becoming sessile toward the top, 

 ternate or biternate ; segments toothed or deeply 3-lobed ; flow- 

 ers terminating in the stems and branches, variable in color : 

 calyx spreading, becoming reflexed ; petals large, obovate, 

 blunt : fruits in spike. May to June. Asia Minor. Flor. des 

 Serr. 16: 1679 (fl-pl). Revue Hort. Belg. 1890: 133 (var. 

 superbissimus). Sibth. Fl. Gr. 518. The cultivated forms of 

 this species are constantly increasing in number. They are of 

 two main types : (i) The florist's section called Persian Ranun- 

 culi or true R. Asiaticus. (2) The gardener's section, called 

 Pivoine and Turban Ranunculi, or var. Africanus. There are 

 many named forms of each in the American trade. 



32. R. abortivus LINN. Sp. PL 551. 1753. 

 R. nitidus WALT. Car. 159. 1788. 



Sparingly pubescent or quite glabrous, one-half to 2 feet 

 high, branched : stem leaves sessile or short-petioled, once or 

 twice 3-parted or lobed, segments oblong or linear, somewhat 

 cuneate ; lower leaves long-petioled, lucid green, crenate or 

 lobed, broadly cordate, roundish, or ovate: petals pale yellow, 

 hardly over a line long ; sepals longer and larger, reflexed ; 

 receptacle short, pubescent : akenes compressed, glabrous, 

 tipped with the minute, curved beak : head small, globose. 

 Spring. Moist grounds and woods. Labrador to Florida, 

 north and west to Colorado and British Columbia. Var. ency- 

 clus FERNALD, Rhodora, 1:52, 1899, a slender, flexuose form 

 with thinner, glossy, orbicular, radical leaves. 



