Rantjnctjltis. RANUNCULACE^. 11 



Tribe II. RANVNCVLEjE. DC. 



Petals tvith a small nectariferous scale, gland or pore at the base on the inside. Anthers 

 extrorse. Seeds erect, or rarely suspended. 



4. RANUNCULUS. Linn.; DC. syst. l.p.231; Endl. gen. 4793. 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. BATRACHirM, DC. Carpels transversely/ wrinkled: petals whiti : claws yellow, with a con- 

 spicuous 7teclariferous 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,Jl. 2. p. 395 ; DC. prodr. 

 \.p. 26; Hook.fl. Bor.-Am. \.p. 10; Darlingt.Jl. 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.<^ 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 inciies long. Sepals elliptical, smooth. Petals white or ochroleucous. Car- 

 pels shghtly 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 writMed), ovate or roundish, in small globose heads: 

 root fibrous : flowers yellow. 



* Leaves all undivided, 



2. Ranunculus Flammula, Linn. Speancort. 

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



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

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

 Pursh,jl. 2. p. 391; Darlingt.Jl. Cest. p. 327; Torr. ^ Gr.fl. N. Am. \.p. 16. 



