BANUNCULACE.TJ. 



filament expanding above into an erect basifixed connective, 

 which supports the two adnate vertical cells of an extrorse anther 



E. Lingua. 

 Fig. 60. 

 Diagram. 



Fig. 61. 

 Flower. 



Ranunculus repens. 



Fig. 62. 

 Longitudinal section of flower. 



dehiscing by two longitudinal clefts.' The carpels are each com- 

 posed of a transversely compressed ovary tapering into a beaked 

 style, recurved outwards. Along the whole length of the inner 

 angle runs a vertical groove, whose margins, thickened and somewhat 

 everted, are covered above with stigmatic papilla?. In the inner 

 angle, at a variable distance from the base of the single- celled ovary, 

 is inserted an ascending ovule, whose micropyle looks outwards and 

 downwards.- After flowering, the perianth and androceum usually 

 fall and discover a multiple fruit, formed of a variable number of 

 achenes, each of which encloses a seed containing a minute embryo 

 towards the apex of abundant fleshy albumen. The surface of the 

 achene is sometimes smooth and sometimes covered with ribs, 

 wrinkles, or even well-developed prickles, as occurs in R. arveusis 

 (figs. 63, 64), muricatm, PJiilonofis, and a certain number of allied 

 species.^ The form and height of the beak or persistent style which 



* The lines of dehiscence are very decidedly 

 exterior in R. Seguieri, and the anther is cer- 

 tainly extrorse, though less markedly so, in R. 

 Lingua, Flamnmla, acris, arvensis, angulatus, 

 gramineus, parvijiorus, &c. ; the dehiscence is 

 exactly lateral in R. platuni/olius and aconiti- 

 folius. R. sceleratus and aquatiUs are interme- 

 diate between these two groups, their dehiscence 

 being but slightly extrorse ; but in no case is it 

 introrse. 



" The ovule is always inserted into the inner 

 angle of the carpel, near its organic base. Hence 

 the ovule becomes horizontal, or even slightly 

 drooping, whenever the ovary is much developed 

 in its dorsal and posterior part. Here, as every- 

 where else, a drooping ovule with the raphe 

 dorsal corresponds to an ascending ovule witli 

 the raphe venti-al. Moreover, as Hentiiam & 

 Hooker {Gen., 6) remark, on the subject of 



VOL. I. 



CyrtorJiyncha Nuttall (Toek. & Ge., Fl. JV. 

 Am., i. 26. — Endl., Gen., n. 4771), which they 

 refer to the genus Ranunculus, an ovule which 

 is absolutely drooping in space, is really ascend- 

 ing in relation to a carpel wiiich, pressed on by 

 its neighbours, has its tip turned tirst outw irJs 

 and then downwards. 



' In grouping the genus Ranunculus into 

 sections, some use has been made of the nature 

 of the surfoce of the carpels. Thus 1)e Cajn'dolle 

 distinguishes Ranunculastrum (soct. ii. Prodr., i. 

 27), Thora (sect.iii. 30), and Recatonia (sect. iv. 

 30), by their smooth carpels, while his Ratrachium 

 (sect. i. 26), admitted as a distinct genus by 

 several authors (Spach, Suit, a Buff., vii. 199), 

 has the pericarp transversely striated and rugose, 

 and his i^cAJ«e?/tf (sect. v. 41. — Gen. Pachyloma 

 SpAcn, Suit, a Buff., vii. Idi.—Fhilonotis 

 Reichb., Consp., 191) has the carpels covered 



