796 RANUNCULUS. [class xiii. order ill. 



branched. Leaves hairy, the radical ones with channeled footstalks, 

 dilated and sheathing at the base, ternate, the lateral leaflets with short 

 petioles, three lobed, cut and crenated, the middle one with a longer 

 footstalk, and larger, upper leaves nearly sessile, with linear entire or 

 toothed lobes. Floivers not very numerous, a bright golden yellow, on 

 furrowed hairy peduncles. Calyx reflexed, hairy, of five ovate lanceo- 

 late segments. Petals roundish ovate, with a short claw and necta- 

 riferous scale. Stamens numerous, yellow, with short filaments and 

 oblong anthers. Carpels numerous, in a round head, lenticular, com- 

 pressed, with two or three tuberculated marginal lines, and a rough disk. 



Habitat. — Meadows and waste ground ; not unfrequent. 



Annual ; flowering from June to October. 



This is an extremely variable plant according to the situation in 

 which it has grown ; when in a dry situation the plant is very small, 

 and is the R. parvulus, Linn. It is also sometimes almost smooth, 

 and is then the R. intermedia, Poir. 



16, R. arven'sis, Linn. (Fig. 910.) Corn Croivfoot. Leaves three- 

 cleft, with linear entire or divided segments, those of the stem much 

 divided; flowers numerous, small; peduncles round ; calyx spreading ; 

 carpels not very numerous, in a round head, piano-compressed, spinoso- 

 tuberculated, the margin prominent on both sides, spinous or toothed. 



English Botany, t. 135. — English Flora, vol. iii. p. 53. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 220. — Lindley, Synopsis, p. 11. 



Root fibrous. Stem erect, round, smooth, or slightly hairy, simple, 

 or mostly much branched and leafy, pale yellowish green. Leaves 

 smooth, or scattered over with a few hairs, the radical and lower ones 

 with channeled footstalks, dilated at the base, and sheathing, ternate, 

 the leaflets deeply divided into linear entire or toothed lobes, the upper 

 and floral leaves sessile, much divided. Floivers small, pale yellow, 

 numerous, lateral and terminal, peduncles round, slender, and mostly 

 hairy. Calyx ovate oblong, spreading, hairy, nearly as long as the 

 ovate petals. Stamens not very numerous, with short filaments and 

 oblong anthers. Carpels six to eight or ten, in a loose round head, 

 obliquely ovate, the sides compressed, reticulated, and spinoso-tuber- 

 culated, the margin broad green, toothed or spinous, the beak half as 

 long as the carpel, compressed, spinous, and mostly somewhat curved. 



Habitat. — Corn fields ; frequent. 



Annual ; flowering in June. 



This species is said to be more injurious to cattle than R, acris and 

 others ; but as it is usually found growing among corn, and not in 

 grass or pasture land, its deleterious efl'ects are not, therefore, so great 

 as they otherwise would be. 



17. R. parvifiorus, Linn. (Fig. 911.) Small-fi,otvered Croivfoot. 

 Stem spreading; leaves sub-rot undate, cordate, three lobed and 



