38 



DESCRIPTIVE BOTANY. 



stem .3-parted, on shorter petioles; upper ones nearly sessile, lobes oblong, 

 linear, entire, or toothed. Flowers small, numerous, pale-yellow. Carpels 

 small, numerous, in cylindrical heads. Juice very acrid. May to August. 



Geography. — Canada to Georgia, and west to Colorado. Sparingly in 

 damp places, edges of ditches, and near living water, brooksides, etc. 



19. E. septentrionalis, Poir. (R. palmatus, Ell.) (Hand-shaped-leaf Crow- 

 foot.) Stem 12 to 1 8 inches high, pubescent, slightly branched, branches slender. 

 Leaves on long stalks, pentangular in outline, pubescent, 3-5-palmately cleft ; 

 segments all sessile, and cut-toothed or lobed, upper leaves composed of 3 

 linear segments. Flowers few, small, yellow. Carpels few, margined, and 

 straight-beaked. April and May. 



Geographij. — Southern U. S., in pine woods, from Carolina to Florida. 

 Etymology. — Ranunculus, the generic name, is derived from the Latin 



1-ana, a frog, due to the circumstance 

 that many of the species grow in wet 

 places, the home of the frog. The 

 specific names are derived from the 

 following Latin words : Abort ivus, 

 not bringing forth properly, due to 

 its small flowers. Acrls, from acer, 

 sharp, or biting, due to the sharp, 

 acrid taste of the juice. Aquatilif;, 

 living in or near the water. Bu/bosus, 

 having small heads or bulbs, named 

 from tlie bulb-shaped root. Cymbal- 

 (in'a, boat-like cup, said to have been 

 applied on account of the fancied re- 

 semblance of the calyx to a boat. 

 Fascicularis, from fasciculus, a little 

 bundle, applied because the fibrous 

 roots of this species appear in groups. 

 Flammu'a, flame, due to the bright, 

 flame-like color of the petals of this 

 species. Multijidus, many-cleft as to 

 the leaf. Muricattts, abounding in 

 sharp points. Ob/ongifolius, from ob- 

 longus, oblong, ^nA folium, a leaf; 

 hence oblong-leaved. Parviforus, 

 from parvus, small, and^Zos, a flower ; 

 hence small-flowered. Pusillus, small, referring to the size of the plant. 

 Recurvatus, bent back, the carpels have a hooked beak. Repens, creeping. 

 Rhomboideiis, like a rhombus, due to the shape of the leaves. Sceleratus, 

 Avicked, or biting, due to the burning, acrid taste of tlie juice of this species. 

 Septentrionalis, northern, i. e., growing in the north. 



Use. — Some of the species are very showy, and early attracted the atten- 

 tion of gardeners and cultivators of flowers, and are still favorites. The 

 medicinal properties of the Ranunculus are little known. The acrid juice 

 of the R. sceleratus and some other species blisters the skin very rapidly. 



The leaves of the R. ficaria are used for salad in France. The root of this 

 species was formerly used as a remedy in the cure of piles. The roots of the 

 R. bulbosus are edible when cooked. R. aconitifolius, L., Van-^fais of France, 

 is a favorite in cultivation for its white flowers. 



Ranunculus sceleratus (Wicked Crowfoot). 



