linnunruhi^. RANUNCULACK.!-]. 5 



A small ppTiiis of only two or tlimo fiporios, wiiloly disiiorspd over the glo>K>. Tlicy arc known 

 }>y tho I'.iij^lisli name of Minisr-tnil , IVoin tlic vi-ry lonj^ ami narrow receptacle of the flower, 

 (li'iiscly covered \vi(ii (lie .siiiiill tikcncs, the whole very like a iiioiis</8 tail. 



I. M. minimus, Linn. J^jcpptaclc in fruit .slender, 1 or 2 inches long: akcnes 

 blunt. — Cray, Cicn. JU. i. 28, t. H. 



Wet jilaccs in Raci-aincnto Valley (/fnrtwnj), ninl alkalino soil near Mverinore Pa-ss (lirrirer) ; 

 east to Kentucky ; also Australia, Northern Europe, and Asia. A small annual, 2 to 6 inches 

 liifjii, with a tuft of narrow radical leaves which are usually shorter than tlio naked scaj>es. Each 

 scaiie i'^ lnit ()uc-llnweri>il, hut \\\i\ receptacle is so lon^ and slender that it seems very like a scaly 

 spike !> to 18 lines Ion/.;, with the small .sepals, petals, and slnmcns spreading fivm tho btwo. 

 Althouiili so widely spicail, it is apparently nowhere an alnnidanl jdant. 



2. M. aristatus, IVnlh. IJcccptaclii in fruit oblong or lijiear, 2 to 8 lines 

 long : akones long-b('ak<>(l. — Lond. Jour. Bot, vi. 458. 



In the shade of sagc-hrush, Carson and Sierm Valleys to Utah ; also Chili. A small plant, 

 less than two inches 'high. 



5. RA.irUNCULUS, 1-inn. Cu(.\vko(.t. Hutteucup. 

 Sepals usually 5. Petals 3 to 15, each with a small scale or pit at the base 

 inside. Pistils numerous. Akenes in a head, usually flattened, beaked with the 

 persistent style. — Herbs, mostly perennial, of somewhat varied habit. Flowers 

 either solitary or somewhat corymbed. Leaves various. 



A genus of about 160 species, inhalntants of all parts of tlie world, but most abundant north of 

 the tropics. Most of the sjwcies are acrid, and some are ]>oisonous. The name Crowfoot was 

 originally applied to s|>ecies with lobod or divided leaves, and Hullcrcup to those with yellow 

 llowers, but l)()th names arc now more loo.soly iLserl. 



§ 1. Aqn'tdc herhs, commonl// perennidl, hut sometimes annual, with (lie submersed 

 leaves, if anj/, jiuely divided: petals white, with a pit at the base, the clatv 

 i/el/nin : akenes transverseli/ wrinkled. — B.MnACHIUM, I>C. 



1. R. hederaceus, Linn., var. Glabrous : stems floating, G to 12 inches long: 

 leaves commonly all floating, 3 to 8 lines wide, deeply Sdobed, truncate or cordate at 

 the base ; the lobes equal, oval or oblong, the lateral ones usually with a broad 

 iKjtch in the apex ; submersed leaves none, or rudiment.ary and resembling adven- 

 titious roots : peduncles opposite flie u|)p(>r leaven, thicker than the jietioles, G t-o 8 

 lines long: sepals a lino long: ])et;ds 2 lines, (d)ovate(iblong : stamens commonly G 

 (5 to 9) : akcnes commoidy 4 (1 to G), about a line long : receptiide smooth. — J\'. 

 hydrocharis, var. Lnhbii, Iliern. 



In shallow water, Marin Co. {Biijclow), and Russian Uiver {Bolandrr) \ and On'gon (lAthh), 

 the \a.T. Lobbii (R. ht/drorfmi-i.i, var. Lobbii, Hiern, in Reemann's ,lo\ir. Hot. ix. fifi, t. 114.) — 

 The description is for this variety only, which is confined to the Pacific coast. There is much 

 dilliculty in detcnnining the species of this section ; as many as 75 have l>een de-scril>ed, but au- 

 thors difTer widely as to their limitations. Hiern, after a long examination, unites all under 

 one aggregate species, ari-anging them umlcr n.''. main varieties. 



2. R. aquatilis, Linn., var. trichophyllus, Chai.x. Stems long and coarsely 

 filil\)rm, growing in water : leaves all .suhiuersed and cut into numemvis capil- 

 lary segments which are 4 to 10 lines long: peduncles 1 or 2 inchea long: 

 flowers 3 to 5 lines in diameter : akenes numerous in a close globular head, which 

 is 2 or 3 lines in diameter : receptacle hairy. — 1\. hi/droc/iaris, var. trirhr>j>hi/llu-», 

 Iliern, 1. c. 



Var. caespitOSUS. Stems short, growing in mud : segments of leaves ligidat^-, 

 H linn or luniv long : llowers 2 or 3 lines in diameter. — A', hi/dmrharis, var. cxvspito- 

 sns, Hiern, 1. c. 



The first forni is nither rommon in jionds and streams ; the secund is mmdi more mm. 1/ong 

 Valley, Mendocino County (Krllmjij), Sonoma, lirntrr. Ilolli furni<« extend lo lliu butl^Tn Slalca ; 

 also to Knropc, Asia, and .\ustnilia. 



