62 THE EANUNCITLTJS FAMILY. 



8. Meadow Ranunculus. Ranunculus acris, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 652. Crowfoot. Buttercups.*) 



A perennial, very variable in size, but generally one of the tallest of our 

 species, more or less covered with soft hairs, vrhich are mostly spreading, but 

 deflexed on the lower parts of the stem, and aj)pressed on the peduncles. 

 Stems erect, often 2 or 3 feet high, but in poor or mountain stations some- 

 times not 6 inches. Leaves nearly all stalked and deeply divided into 3, 5, 

 or 7 palmate segments, which are again cut into 3 toothed lobes, the divi- 

 sions lanceolate and acute, those of the lower leaves broader and sometimes 

 wedge-shaped, the upper ones narrower and fewer. Flowers rather large, 

 bright yellow, on long terminal peduncles, forming usually large loose pani- 

 cles. Sepals yellowish -green, concave, shorter than the petals, spreading 

 horizontally, but not reflexed on the peduncle. Carpels ovate, compressed, 

 glabrous, in a globular head. 



In meadows and pastures, cultivated and waste places, very common 

 throughout Eiu-ope and Russian Asia, and naturalized in North America. 

 Very abundant ua Britain. Fl. early summer, and sometimes till late in 

 autumn. In mountain pastures it is often small, with only one or very few 

 flowers. 



9. Creeping Ranunculus. Ranunculus repens, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 516.) 



With the flowers and finiit of the meadoto H., this species is easily distin- 

 guished by the runners shooting from among the radical leaves, rapidly 

 rooting and forming fresh plants at every node, by the flowering stems sel- 

 dom above a foot liigh and less branched, by the hairs generally longer and 

 looser, and by the leaves divided into three stalked segments, each one lobed 

 and toothed, but the central one projecting considerably beyond the others, 

 so as to give the whole leaf an ovate form, not the rounded one of the 

 meadow R. 



In pastures, cultivated and waste places throughout Europe, Russian 

 Asia, and a portion of North America. In Britain almost as abundant as 

 the meadow R., and a very troublesome weed m rich soUs. Fl. all summer, 

 and often till late in autumn, 



10. Bulbous Ranunculus. Ranunculus bulbosus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 515.) 



A perennial, much smaller and usually more hairy than the meadow R., 

 of which it has the bright yellow petals. Stem seldom above a foot high, 

 and usually thickened at the base into a kind of bulb. Leaves more like 

 those of the creeping R., but smaller, divided into three segments more or 

 less cut, but broader than in the meadow R. It is moreover distinguished 

 from aU but the hairy R. by the sepals, which, as soon as the flower ex- 

 pands, are closely reflected on the peduncle. Carpels glabrous and smooth. 



In meadows, pastiu-es, and waste places over the greater part of Europe, 

 but disappearing in the north-east, scarcely penetrating into western Asia, 

 but natui'ahzed in North America. Abundant in England, Ireland, and 

 southern Scotland, rare, if really wild, in the north. Fl. early summer. 



* These names are popularly applied to nearly aU the species of Jianunculua with bright 

 yellow flowers and divided leaves. 



