Ranunculus. RANUNCULACE^. e 



A small genus of only two or three species, widely dispersed over the globe. They are known 

 by the English name of Mouse-tail, trom the very long and narrow receptacle of the flower 

 densely covered with the small akenes, the whole very like a mouse's tail. ' 



1. M. minimus, Linn. Eeceptacle in fruit slender, 1 or 2 inches long : akenes 

 blunt. 



Wet places in Sacramento Valley {Hartwcg), and alkaline soil near Livermore Pass {Brcvxr) ■ 

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

 high, with a tuft of narrow radical leaves which are usually shorter than the naked scapes. Each 

 scape is but one-flowered, but the receptacle is so long and slender that it seems very like' a scaly 

 spike 9 to 18 lines long, with the small sepals, petals, and stamens spreading from the base. 

 Although so widely spread, it is apparently nowhere an abundant plant. 



2. M. aristatus, Benth. Eeceptacle in fruit oblong or linear, 2 to 8 lines 

 long : akenes long-beaked. 



In the shade of sage-brush, Carson and Sien-a Valleys to Utah ; also Chili. A small plant, 

 less than two inches high. 



5. RANUNCULUS, Linn. Crowfoot. Buttercup. 

 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, inhabitants of all parts of the world, but most abundant north of 

 the tropics. Most of the species are acrid, and some are poisonous. The name Crou-foot was 

 originally applied to species with lobed or divided leaves, and Buttercup to those with yellow 

 flowers, but both names are now more loosely used. 



§ 1. Aquatic herbs, commonly perennial, but sometimes annual, ivith the submersed 

 leaves, if any, finely divided : petals tvhite, tuith a pit at the base, the claw 

 yellow : akenes transversely ivrinkled. — Batrachium, DC. 



1. R. hederaceus, Linn., var. Glabrous : stems floating, 6 to 12 inches long : 

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

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

 notch in the apex ; submersed leaves none, or rudimentary and resembling adven- 

 titious roots : peduncles opposite the upper leaves, thicker than the petioles, 6 to 8 

 lines long : sepals a line long : petals 2 lines, obovate-oblong : stamens commonly 6 

 (5 to 9) : akenes commonly 4 (4 to 6), about a line long : receptacle smooth. — ^. 

 hydrocharis, var. Lobbii, Hiern. 



In shallow water, Marin Co. {Bigelow), and Russian River {Bolandcr) ; and Oregon {Lohb), 

 the var. Lobbii (R. hijdrocharis, var. Lobbii), Hiern, in Seemann's Jour. Bot. ix. 66, t. 114.— 

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

 difficulty in determining the species of this section ; as many as 75 have been described, but au- 

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

 one aggregate species, arranging them under 35 main varieties. 



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

 Hliform, growing in water : leaves all submersed and cut into numerous capil- 

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

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

 is 2 or 3 lines in diameter : receptacle hairy. — R. hydrocharis, var. trichophyllus, 

 Hiern, 1. c. 



Var. caespitOSUS. Stems short, growing in mud : segments of leaves ligulate, 

 a line or more long : flowers 2 or 3 lines in diameter. — R. hydrocharis, var. cxvspito- 

 sus, Hiern, 1. c. 



The first form is rather common in ponds and streams ; the second is much more rare. Long 

 Valley, Mendocino County (Kel/ogg), Sonoma, Brewer. Both forms extend to the Eastern States ; 

 also to Europe, Asia, and Australia. 



