Randnculus. RANUNCULACE^. 11 



Tribe II. RANUNCULEJE. DC. 



Petals with a small iiectariferous scale, gland or pore at the base on the inside. Anthers 

 extrorse. Seeds erect, or rarely suspended. 



4. RANUNCULUS. Linn. ; DC. syst. \.p.22l ; Endl. gen. 4783. crowfoot. 



[From the Latin, rana, a frog ; the species often growing in wet places where that reptile abounds.] 



Sepals 5, deciduous. Petals 5 (sometimes 10 or more), with a nectariferous scale or pore on 

 the inside of the claw. Stamens numerous (rarely few). Carpels ovate, pointed, com- 

 pressed, disposed in a cylindrical or roundish head. Seed erect (rarely suspended). — 

 Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves mostly radical ; the cauline ones at the base of the 

 branches and peduncles. 



^ 1. Batraciiium, DC. Carpels transversely wrinkled: petals tckite : claws yellow, with a con- 

 spicuous nectariferous pore. 



1. Ranunculus aquatilis, Linn. Water Crowfoot. 



Stem floating ; submersed leaves filiformly dissected, emersed ones 3-parted, with cunei- 

 form toothed lobes ; petals obovate, longer than the calyx. — Pursh,fl. 2. p. 395 ; DC. prodr. 

 l.p. 26; Hool.fl. Bor.-Am. \.p. 10; Darlingt.fl. Cest. p. 327; Torr. <^ Gr.fl. N.Am. 1. 

 p. 15. 



var. capillaceus : leaves petioled, all immersed and filiformly dissected. — DC. I. c. ; Hook. 

 I. c; Torr. 4- Gr. I. c. 



Stem filiform, varying in length according to the depth of the water, smooth and branching, 

 producing roots at the lower joints. Leaves dichotomously or trichotomously divided into 

 thread-like segments of about an inch in length. Petioles dilated and sheathing at the base. 

 Peduncles 1-2 inches long. Sepals elliptical, smooth. Petals white or ochroleucous. Car- 

 pels slightly rugose, with a short beak. 



Flowing waters and ponds ; rather rare : Singsing, Schenectady, Lake Erie, Chenango 

 County, Penn-Yan, &c. Fl. June - August. Fr. August - September. 



^2. Hecatonia, DC. Carpels smooth(not wrinkled), ovate or roundish, in small globose heads: 



root fibrous : flowers yellow. 



* Leaves oil wndivided. 



2. Ranunculus Flammula, Linn. Speancort. 



Leaves smooth, linear-lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, often toothed, the lower ones petioiate, 

 upper ones nearly sessile ; stem dechned, rooting at the lower joints ; peduncles opposite the 

 leaves; carpels with a subulate beak ; petals longer than the calyx. — DC. prodr. 1. p. 32; 

 Purshyfl. 2.p. 391; Darlingt.fl. Cest. p. 327; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. l.p. 16, 



2* 



