RANUNCULACE^E. (CROWFOOT FAMILY.) 7 



8. RANUNCULUS, L. CROWFOOT. BUTTERCUP. 



Sepals 3-5, regular, herbaceous, concave, imbricated in the bud, deciduous. 

 Petals 3-10, dilated, flat, furnished with a pit or scale at the narrowed base. 

 Stamens mostly numerous. Filaments filiform. Ovaries few or numerous, 

 1-ovuled. Style short, subulate. Achenia capitate, compressed, beaked with 

 the smooth, persistent style. Seed erect. Herbs. Leaves alternate, the radical 

 ones long-petiolcd. Flowers axillary or somewhat corymbed, white or yellow. 



1 . Petals white, with a yellow pit at the Ixtse : achenia rugose. 



1. R. aquatilis, L. Stems filiform, immersed; leaves petioled, divided 

 into an indefinite number of capillary segments ; flowers axillary, remote, long- 

 pedunclcd. (R. Pantothrix, DC.) Slow-flowing streams in the upper districts. 

 July and August. 1J.. Stems 1 - 2 long. Leaves circular in outline. 



2. Petals yellow, ivith a small scale at the base. 

 * Achenia muricate : annuals. 



2. R. parviflorus, L. Silky-pubescent ; leaves small, the lower ones 

 circular, 3-lobed, acutely-toothed ; the upper 3-parted or entire ; flowers very 

 small ; petals 3-5, as long as the reflexed sepals ; achenia narrowly margined, 

 pointed with the short, recurved style. (R. trachyspermus, Ell.) Waste places. 

 April and May. Stems erect, branching from the base, 6'- 12' high. Leaves 

 rarely 1' wide. 



3. R. muricatus, L. Nearly smooth ; lower leaves 3-lobed, crenate ; 

 petals 5, longer than the calyx ; achenia pointed with the broad, straight style, 

 broadly margined. Waste places around Charleston (Elliott). March- April. 

 Introduced. Stem 12' - 18' high. 



* * Achenia smooth : chiefly perennials. 

 -> Leaves undivided. 



4. R. alismssfolius, Geycr. Smooth ; stems ascending, rooting at the 

 lower joints ; leaves lanceolate, acute, denticulate or entire ; petals longer than 

 the calyx ; achenia in globose heads, tumid, slender-beaked. (R. Flammtila, Ell. 

 &c.) Muddy banks and ditches, chiefly in the upper districts. May- July. 

 Stems 1 - 2 long. Leaves 2' - 4' long. Flowers 3" - 5" wide. 



5. R. pusillus, Poir. Smooth ; stems several, erect ; lowest leaves ovate 

 or roundish, the others lanceolate or linear, entire or denticulate ; flowers mi- 

 nute ; petals 1-5, as long as the calyx ; achenia in globular heads, barely 

 pointed. (R. oblongifolius, Ell., a broader-leaved form.) Muddy banks, Geor- 

 gia to North Carolina and westward. March and April. Stem 6' -12' high. 

 Leaves 1' long. Flowers 2" wide. Stamens 5-9. 



<- -i- Leaves (at least those of the stem) ternately lobed or divided. 

 ++ Petals small, not exceeding the calyx. 



6. R. abortivus, L. Smooth ; lowest leaves orbicular, cordate, undivided, 

 crenate, those of the stem 3 - 5-parted, with wedge-shaped toothed divisions ; 

 the uppermost sessile, 3-parted ; petals shorter than the calyx ; achenia in glo- 

 bose heads, pointed with a very short recurved beak. Low grounds. "March 

 and April. Stem 1 - 1 high. 



