10 I. EANUNCULACEAE. [Ranunculus. 



This species is nearly related to R. pinguis, but differs in the branched scapes, in the petals 

 being twice the length of the sepals, and especially in the filiform style. It varies greatly in the 

 shape of the leaf and the amount of pubescence. 



*R. sceleratus, L., Syst. PI. 551. Annual; stems hollow ; erect, 6in.-18m. 

 high, much branched, nearly glabrous. Lower leaves petiolate, deeply 3-partite _ or 

 3-foliolate; segments rounded, toothed or crenate. Cauline leaves nearly sessile, 

 with oblong toothed or entire segments. Mowers small. Sepals 5, reflexed, nearly 

 equalling the petals. Eeceptacle oblong. Achenes very small, rounded, slightly 

 wrinkled ; style minute. 



NORTH and SOUTH Islands : Naturalised in damp places. Celery-leaved crowfoot. Nov. 

 to March. • Europe. 



9. R. pinguis, Hook, f., Fl. Antarc. i. 3, t. 1. Usually stout and rather 

 fleshy, 2in.— lOin. high, glabrous or with few weak hairs on petiole and scape. 

 Rootstock stout. Leaves all radical on long broad petioles, reniform with an 

 open sinus, deeply crenately lobed. Scape exceeding the leaves, naked or 

 rarely with one or two bracts above the middle, thickened upwards, 1-flowered. 

 Sepals 5-6, linear-oblong. Petals with 1—3 glands at the base, narrow-oblong, 

 shorter than the sepals. Receptacles broadly ovoid. Achenes very numerous, 

 small ; style subulate, straight, with 3 narrow wings. — R. pinguis /3, Hook f., 

 Handbk. 5. Dec. 



Var. rhomboideus. lin.-3in. high, rhomboid-cuneate, 3Iobed or toothed. Receptacle conical, 

 with a ring of hairs at the base. 



AUCKLAND and CAMPBELL Islands : Ascends to 2,000ft. Deo. 



Easily distinguished from all states of R. Monroi by the simple scapes, short petals, and 

 stout subulate style. 



10. R. Haastii, Hook, f., Handbk. 6. Usually glabrous, stout, fleshy or 

 coriaceous, 3in.— 6in. high. Petioles and scapes tapering downwards, grooved 

 when dry. Rootstock 2in.— 6in. long, ^in.— lin. in diameter, horizontal, viscid 

 and milky when bruised. Radical leaves 1 or 3 ; petioles 2in.— Gin. long ; blade 

 2in.— 4in. in diameter, reniform or orbicular reniform, often with a closed sinus, 

 palmately 5— 7-lobed, or partite to the base, the divisions lobed or irregularly 

 cut into narrow blunt segments. Petioles shortly sheathing, often villous at the 

 base. Scape naked below, with 1—3 sessile or petioled deeply lobed or incised 

 leaves forming a kind of involucre to the flowers. Peduncles 1—3, naked. 

 Mowers l^in. in diameter. Sepals 5, oblong or ovate-oblong, usually glabrous. 

 Petals 10—15. Achenes iin. long, forming a rounded head fin. in diameter, 

 glabrous, turgid ; style long, flattened upwards, subulate. Receptacle globose, 

 papillose. 



SOUTH Island : Nelson: On shingle-slips, Wairau Gorge and Mount Captain Range, T. K- 

 Canterbury: Mount Torlesse and Ribbon-wood Range, Haast ! Broken River and Leith Hill, 

 Enys I Ashburton Mountains, T, H. Potts I Otago : Mount Kyeburn, Mount St. Bathan's, &o., 

 Petrie I 2,500ft. to 6,000ft. Dec, Jan. 



This appears to be the only New Zealand species with a stout fleshy rootstock. The Otago 

 specimens have broader petals and less divided leaves, while the scapes are more villous at the base, 

 and the apex of the rootstock is usually clothed with the remains of old petioles. I have not seen 

 achenes. 



11. R. chordorhizos, Hook. /., Handbk. 723. Rootstock short, stout, 

 with numerous vertical rootlets. Leaves glabrous, thick, coriaceous, Iin.— 2in. 



