104 Observations on Ranunculus Ficaria. 



yards in extent, not a single flower is to be seen. The number 

 of leaves is often unusually great. Very often an abundance of 

 aerial tubers is associated with a very vigorous growth of 

 underground tubers. I have found, in all cases, that if tubers 

 are present at all, every leaf possesses one or more. The size 

 and habit of the plant vary greatly — from the one extreme in 

 which aerial internodes are unlengthened, and the leaves 

 with their tubers cluster on the ground in rosette fashion, to 

 the othei , in which the long-branched, straggling plants are 

 exaggerated in length in every part, including the tubers. The 

 rosette condition is unusual. Root hairs are scattered in the 

 usual way over the surface to within a short distance of the tip ; 

 they are preserved from shrivelling as long as they are enclosed 

 within the sheathing leaf-bases, and when they emerge, as they 

 sometimes do, into protected chambers, formed by over- 

 arching leaves. 



The two habitats first to be described form a complete 

 contrast, and if they were considered alone, or if they were 

 representative of all others, they would fully justify the idea 

 that light and shade explained all differences. 



The first is the grassland association, of which R. Ficaria 

 may be a very conspicuous member. In this, which is the most 

 exposed situation possible, I have never found a single aerial 

 tuber. The grassfield Celandine has adopted the rosette habit 

 of many of its grass-field associates ; its parts are dwarfed ; 

 its stems and petioles are prostrate, or nearly so ; the flowers 

 are small ; the whole arrangement is compact, both above 

 and below ground. As one of a closed and highly competitive 

 community, it has adapted itself to the struggle, and the aerial 

 tuber evidently is not the means of survival upon which it 

 depends. 



As a complete contrast to the field may be given a steep 

 slope in a deciduous wood, with a ground covering of 

 leaves, through several inches of which the celandine had to 

 push its way The illumination was not good. All parts, 

 even the tuber, were greatly attenuated. Aerial tubers were 

 very numerous ; they were cylindrical, approximating to 

 ordinary roots ; they and their etiolated stems Were so deeply 

 imbedded amongst herbage that they were practiclly under- 

 ground. Flowers and fruits were very scarce. 



Such instances as the above might be regarded as con- 

 clusive, but they do not represent the whole case. It is true 

 that deep shade may not favour flower production, but it is 

 also true that tuber production is by no means limited to shade 

 condition. I have found (excepting the grass land) very few 

 situations of any size where tuber-bearing individuals did not 

 flourish alongside flower-bearing. I outline below a few such 

 habitats : they were not solitary instances, but are typical. 



Naturalist, 



