8 RANUNCULACE^S. [RANUNCULUS. 



* Leaves all undivided. Gland of petals with a small scale. 



9. R. Lin gua, L. ; perennial, erect, leaves sessile J-amplexicaul 

 lanceolate entire or toothed, achenes pitted, style broad. Great 

 Spear-wort. 



Marshes and ditches, from Aberdeen southd. ; local in Ireland ; Channel Islands ; 

 fl. July-Sept. Glabrous. Root densely fibrous. Stem 2-3 ft., hollow ; lower 

 nodes rooting. Leaves 6-10 in. f-1 in. broad, veins parallel and reticulated. 

 Flowers 2 in. diam., handsome, sub-panicled. DISTRIB. Temp. Europe, 

 N. and W. Asia to the Himalaya. 



10. R. Flam'mula, L. ; perennial, suberect creeping or ascending, 

 leaves petioled linear- or ovate-lanceolate nearly entire, achenes minutely 

 pitted, style minute subulate. Lesser Spear-wort. 



Wet places ; ascends to 2,700 ft. in the Highlands ; Ireland ; Channel Islands 

 fl. June-Aug. Yery variable, glabrous or slightly hairy, 4-12 in. Lowest 

 leaves petioled, ovate, upper more lanceolate and sessile. Flowers yellow, 

 rarely f-in. diam., proterandrous. Head of achenes small. DISTRIB. Europe 

 (Arctic), N. Asia, Africa, and America. 



K. FLAM'MULA proper ; prostrate or erect, internodes straight, style of achenes 

 short obtuse. 



Sub-sp. R. REP'TANS, L. ; creeping, very slender, internodes arching, style of 

 minute achenes subcylindric, style recurved. Sandy shores of Loch Leven. 

 (N.W. Europe, Canada.) 



11. R. ophioglossifo'lius, Villars ; annual, erect, lower leaves long- 

 petioled broadly ovate or cordate, petals scarcely longer than the sepals, 

 achenes small hairy minutely granulate, style minute. 



Marshes, S. Hants; Jersey (extinct); fl. June-Aug. Glabrous or slightly 

 hairy upwards. Root fibrous. Stem 6-10 in. or more, slender, decumbent 

 at the base, branched, hollow, furrowed. Peduncles furrowed. Flowei-s 

 many, | in. diam. DISTRIB, W. and S. Europe. 



** Radical leaves divided, upper cauline entire. Gland of petals without a scale. 



12. R. auri'comus, L. ; perennial, leaves orbicular 3-lobed or -partite, 

 segments of lower obtuse cuneate cut, of upper linear spreading, sepals 

 spreading pubescent, head of downy achenes globose. Goldielocks. 

 Woods and copses, from Aberdeen southd. ; ascends to 1,600 ft. in the 



Highlands; S. and W. Ireland rare; Jersey ; fl. April-May. Erect, 6-10 in., 

 branched, slender, glabrous or slightly hairy upwards. Root fibrous. Radicaf, 

 leaves long-petioled. Peduncles not furrowed, pubescent. Flowers ^ in. 

 diam., seldom regular. Petals larger than the downy sepals, bright yellow, 

 often imperfect (var. depaupera'ta}. Achenes on tubercles of the receptacle, 

 compressed; style slender, subulate, curved. DISTRIB. Europe (Arctic), 

 N. and W. Asia to the Himalaya. Not acrid. 



13. R. scelera'tus, L. ; annual, erect, leaves glabrous 3-lobed or 

 -partite, segments of lower lobed obtuse, of upper linear subentire, sepals 

 reflexed hairy, head of small glabrous achenes oblong. 



Ditches, &c., from Boss southd. ; Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. May-Sept. 

 Root fibrous. Stem 8-24 in., subcorymbose above, hollow. Leaves variable 



