G2 TIANUNCULACE.E. 



ooinmonly ninnorons, oooaslouiilly few, always distinct. Ovaries numer- 

 ous, distinct.. Ac^luMiia a<j;;^"rej^!it(Hl in a head. 



Annual or pcrciuiial li(!rhs, with alternate stem-leavca Flowers solitary 

 or corynibed, generally y(;llow, soinetinies white. 



All the ranunculi possess an acrid principle of a volatile nature ; few of 

 them have been used medicinally. 



Ranunculus bulbosus Lmm''.— Ihdhnn.-^ Cronfoot or linffi'rcup. 



Drwn'plioii. — Cilyx : scpids 5, smaller than the jx'tals, relloxed. Co- 

 rolla: petals 5 to 7, round, wedf^e-shaped V)elow, witli a small scale at the 

 base, deep, shining yellow. Aehenia with a short beak, collected in a 

 globular head. 



A perennial herb growing erect from a bulbous base ; leaves and stem 

 haiiy. Radical leaves ternately divided, the lateral divisions sessile, the 

 terminal stalked and H-partod, the divisions wedge-shaped, cut, and tooiliod. 

 Flowers solitary, large, on long furrowed peduncles ; they aj^pear through- 

 out tlie summer. 



Ilahifat. — A native of Eurojie ; naturalized in the Northern Atlantic 

 States, growing in meadows and pastures. 



Ranunculus repens Linm'-. — Cn-cpiiu/ (Jroufonf. 



Ih'^ivriiilion. — C'alyx : sepals 5, spreading, smaller than the petals. 

 Corolla : petals 5, obovate, witli a small scale at the base, bright yellow. 

 Carpels strongly margined, pointed by a stout, nearly straight beak, col- 

 lected in a globidar head. 



A low perennial, hairy or nearly smooth, with the stem ascending, or 

 creeping along the groiind. Leaves ternately divided, the divisions mostly 

 stalked, wedge-shaped or ovate, unequally 3-cleft or parted, and variously 

 cut. Peduncles furrowed. It blooms throughout the summer. 



Ilahital. — In wet shadj^ places ; common. 



Ranunculus acrls Linm'.— 7)/// Crowfoot. 



Ddicriplion. — Calyx : sepals 5, spreading, shorter than the jietals, yel- 

 lowish-green. Corolla : petals 5, nearly as large" as those of 11. bn/hosuft, 

 with a scale at the base, bright yellow. Carpels ovate, comi^ressed, smooth, 

 in a globidar head. 



A perennial herb. Stem erect, 2 to 3 feet high, hairy. Leaves mostly 

 stalked, deeply divided into 3, 5, or 7 palmate segments, which are cut 

 into lanceolate or linear acute lobes. Peduncles round, not furrowed. It 

 blooms in summer. 



Habitat. — A native of Euroi^e ; naturalized here, and common in mead- 

 ows, pastures, and waste places. 



Ranunculus sceleratus Linne.— Citr.sccZ Croxcfoot. 



DcHcriptio)}. — Calyx : sepals 5, small. Corolla : petals 5. Scarcely 

 larger than the sepals, pale yellow. Caz'pels numerous, in oblong cylin- 

 drical heads. 



A smooth perennial herb. Stem erect, 1 foot high, thick, hollow. 



