10 RANUNCULACE^. [RANUNCULUS. 



SECTION 3. Echinel'la. Annual, rarely biennial. Leaves radical and 

 cauline, divided ; stipules inconspicuous. Sepals 5. Petals 5, yellow. 

 Achenes tubercled or spinose, compressed, margin thickened. 



18. R. hirsu'tus, Curtis; erect, leaves 3-lobed or -partite, segments 

 obtuse cut, peduncles furrowed, sepals reflexed hairy, petals with a scale 

 over the gland, receptacle hairy, achenes tubercled towards the margin, 

 style straight. R. Philono'tis, Ehrht. 



Damp ground from Argyll and Forfar southd. ; rare in Scotland ; not in Ireland ; 

 Channel Islands ; fl. June-Oct. Hairy. Stems many, 6-18 in. Leaves 

 variable in lobing. Flowers about 1 in. diam., peduncles with spreading or 

 reflexed hairs. Achenes broad, much flattened. DISTRIB. Europe, W. Asia, 

 N. Africa. The earlier names of R. par'vulus, L., and R. Sardo'us, Crantz, are 

 superseded for being too inappropriate. 



19. R. arven'sis, L. ; erect, lowest leaves obovate or cuneate toothed, 

 upper 3-partite or -foliolate, segments narrow cut, peduncles not furrowed, 

 sepals spreading, petals gland with a scale, receptacle hairy, achenes 

 usually covered with hooked spines, style stout hooked. 



Cornfields, from Perth southwd. ; in Ireland near Dublin only ; (a colonist, 

 Wats.} ; fl. May-July. Nearly glabrous. Stem 6-24 in., solitary. Leaves 

 variable. Flowers | in. diam., pale. Petals suberect. Achenes few, large. 

 DISTRIB. Europe, temp. Asia to India, N. Africa. 



20. R. parviflo'rus, L. ; slender, decumbent, leaves orbicular or 

 reniform 3-lobed, segments toothed, peduncles furrowed, sepals reflexed, 

 petals 3-5 small oblong, gland with an obscure scale, receptacle glabrous, 

 achenes faced with hooked tubercles, style short nearly straight. 



Dry banks, &c., from Durham southwd.; Ireland, rare ; Channel Islands ; fl. 

 May-Aug. Hairy. Stems and branches spreading, 6-8 in. Leaves divided 

 to the middle or less, lowest often entire, uppermost more deeply cut into 

 linear lobes. Peduncles leaf-opposed or in the forks. Flowers |in.diam. 

 Achenes small. DISTRIB. Europe from Denmark southwd., W. Asia, 

 N. Africa ; introd. in America. 



SECTION 4. Fica'ria, DO. (gen.). Perennial. Leaves opposite, chiefly 

 radical, entire. Sepals 3-5. Petals 8-12, yellow ; gland with a scale. 

 Achenes small, not beaked. 



21. R. Fica'ria, L. ; leaves cordate obtusely angled or crenate, 

 achenes globose smooth, style minute. Pilewort or Lesser Celandine. 

 Pastures and waste places, N. to Shetland ; ascends to 2,400 ft. in Wales ; 



Ireland ; Channel Islands ; fl. March-May. Glabrous. Root-fibres, stout, 

 cylindric. Stem short, decumbent, branched at the base. Leaves variable ; 

 petiole stout with a base dilated. Peduncles stout, axillary, 1-fld. Flowers 

 about 1 in. diam., bright yellow, sometimes apetalous, proterandrous. Head 

 of achenes globose ; Cotyledon solitary (one suppressed). DISTRIB. Europe 

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



VAR. diver'gens, F. Schultz; lobes of lowest leaves not overlapping at the 

 base, lowest sheaths narrow. VAR. incum'bens, F. Schultz ; lobes of lowest 

 leaves overlapping at the base, lowest sheaths amplexicaul. 



