36 



NATUR.iL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



besides the case of double flowers which are frequent in Ranuncvlnn, 

 we may find corollas which normally possess a score of petals. We 

 may note B. jlintdm Lamk., miUcfoUatuH Vahl., mhuginomis Pall., 

 cj/mhalancB Puiisii, pmmomiH H. B. K., sibbnldioides H. B. K., 

 chihnms J)0., filamcntosiis Wedd., «&c. 



The form of the floral receptacle is itself very variable in the 

 genus Ranunculus. Thus, in R. Hcehratua (figs. 66, 67) this recep- 



Ranunculus scehralus. 



Fig. 66. 

 Flower. 



Fio. 67. 

 Longitudinal section of Hower. 



tacle, after bearing but a small number of short stamens, swells into 

 a nearly globular head covered with numerous carpels. On the 

 other hand, the receptacle may elongate above the stamens so as to 

 resemble at a distance the cylindro-conoidal form of that of Mi/oxtin/.s. 

 Ceratocephalifs, which cannot be generically separated from the 

 Ranunculi, gives a manifest example of this. This name ^Mcench' 

 has given to a species" of Ranunculus cliaracterized only by this form 

 of the axis, by its somewhat fewer stamens, and by the lateral pro- 

 jections on its carpels.^ 



ToDKNEFOUT {Insl., 285-293) especially by De 

 Candolle {Mem. de la Soc. d'Arnieil, iii. 385). 

 Nothing is more frequent than Ranunculi with 

 monstrous Howers. (See also Bull. Soc. But. 

 Fr., V. 2yG ; viii. 348 ; ix. 280, and Adansonia, 

 iv. 15G, &.C. &c.) 



' Oraiocephalas, 'M(Kt;cH,M,'tL,2lS.— C.fal- 

 catui I'KUB., Ench., \. 341.-1)0., Prodr.,\. 2G.— 

 Endl., Gen., n.478l. — Cralcpot/onum hiipaniciim 

 Hauu., Icon., 376,2. — ItanunculusCeratophifllus 

 Mou., Jlisl. (Jjron., ii. 1-U), ex T., /«*/., 289.—/^, 

 falcatuH L., Spec, 781. — I ACQ., Fl. Auslr.,i. 48. 



* Since tlien, botaniHls hiive distinguished 

 seven or eight Kpecies — perlmps only various 

 forms of a single one. The numerous carpels 

 have a beut or straight slyle. It has the latter 

 direction in It. fenUcululus HiEU., of which De 

 Canoolle (Si/st., i. 23! ; Prudr., i. 2(5, n. 2; 



Icon. Deless., vi. t. xxiii.) ha.s made his sj)ccies 

 C. orthoceras. 



"• The ovary of Ceratocephalux contains but 

 one ascending ovule with a single coat, like that 

 of a Ranunculus. Some have taken as a generic 

 chariicteristic the existence of these bigibbous 

 C4irpels with two empty cells at the b:ise (tJUEN. 

 & (Joi)K.. Fl. Fr., i. 18). If we seek for the 

 origin of these two lateral horns at the base of 

 the fruit, we see that they are t)wing to a sepa- 

 ration of the pericarp into two layers, and to 

 the increased growth of the outer layer. Hence 

 arises within the thickness of each projection a 

 cavity recalling that obs<rved in the pericarp of 

 A'/(/^//(l damancitna. Hut the seed remains tjuite 

 shut in by the endoi-ar]i; it has two very thin 

 coats and abundant albumen. 



