36 ENGLISH BOTANY. 
Root creeping in the mud and producing stolons, which, in the 
end of the year, send up shoots with long stalked, very broadly 
ovate leaves, often slightly cordate at the base. Stem 2 to 4 feet 
high, and stout in proportion; the upper part branched in an 
irregularly dichotomous manner, so that the flowers form a some- 
what corymbose cyme. Leaves embracing the stem by their largely 
dilated bases (rudimentary stipules); the leaves themselves atte- 
nuated at each end, 6 inches to 1 foot long, and $ inch to 1 inch 
broad. Peduncles with adpressed hairs. Flowers from 1 to 2 inches 
in diameter. Sepals spreading, ovate, concave, slightly strigose. 
Petals obovate or roundish, deep rich yellow, glossy on the inside. 
Head of fruit $} inch in diameter, pale olive. Achenes appearing 
finely granulated under a powerful lens ; their margin on the upper 
side with a membranous wing, which is continued beyond the apex 
into the beak, which is slightly reflexed at the point. Whole plant 
nearly glabrous, or with adpressed hairs. 
This species has been sometimes confounded with R.Flammula ; 
but, irrespective of the difference in size, the beak and margin to 
the fruit render their determination an easy matter, when the plant 
is in a state in which this can be examined. ‘The stem leaves are 
also much more gradually tapered and acute than those of R, Flam- 
mula, the flowers of a deeper yellow, and the whole plant of a 
brighter green. 
Greater Spearwort. 
Tt is an acrid plant, like most of its tribe, and its poisonous characters are not 
modified by its growing in moist or wet places, 
SPECIES XII—RANUNCULUS AURICOMUS. Lin. 
Pruate XXXII. 
Reich. Ic, Fl. Germ, et Helv. Vol. III. Tab. XII. XTIT. XIV. Fig. 4599. 
Rootstock short, not creeping, stem ascending. Radical leaves 
stalked, reniform or roundish in outline, varying from crenate-serrate 
to tripartite with the divisions deeply cut. Stem leaves quite sessile, 
divided to the base into ligulate-linear segments, which in the 
uppermost leaves or bracts are quite entire. Peduncles downy, 
not furrowed. Sepals hairy, applied to the petals, which have no 
scale covering the nectary. Head of fruit globular, loosely packed. 
Achenes a little compressed, smooth to the naked eye, slightly mar- 
gined, the persistent style forming a cylindrical, tapering, recurved 
beak. Receptacle with stalk-like projections, to which the achenes 
are affixed. 
Tn woods and moist shady places. Common in England, less so 
