HAWTHORN. 1 8 



at its beautiful flowers that it is a member of the great order of 

 Roses, and not distantly removed from the apple section of that 

 order. The calyx-tube adheres to the ovary, and the five petals 

 are inserted at the mouth of the calyx. The stamens are 

 numerous ; the styles one, two, or three, corresponding with the 

 number of carpels. In the fruit these are covered by the red, 

 fleshy coat in which the bony cells are enveloped, and which 

 is valued as a food by birds in autumn and winter. 



May and June are the usual months for flowering, but occa- 

 sionally it is in blossom at the end of April. Though the char- 

 acteristic odour from these flowers is sweet, now and then a tree 

 will be found whose every flower gives out a distinctly fishy 

 flavour that is far from pleasant ; often, too, it may be found 

 with pink or crimson blossoms. This is the only British species. 

 The name is from the Greek, Kratos, strength, in allusion to the 

 hardness of its wood. 



Buttercup (Ranunculus acris). 



There are three species of Ranunculus to which the name of 

 Buttercup is applied impartially ; but the one to which it most 

 properly belongs is the Bulbous Crowfoot (R. bulbosus), in 

 which the cup-shape is more perfect than in the others. We 

 have already dealt with the general characters of the genus in 

 describing the Lesser Celandine : here we will glance only at 

 the specific differences between this and the other buttercup- 

 species of Ranunculus or Crowfoot. 



I. Ranunculus acris is the Upright Crowfoot. The rootstock 

 is straight and erect. The lower leaves are divided into wedge- 

 shaped segments, which are again much cut up the upper 

 leaves less intricately so. The petals are broader than in the 

 Celandine, and fewer usually five, more or less flat when fully 

 expanded. Flower-stalk not furrowed ; sepals spreading. Stem 

 one to three feet high. Meadows and pastures everywhere, 

 June and July. 



