ovata, reflexa, glabra, apice laie rotundata, fere trinervia, paene membranacea. Peiala 

 parva, 3—4 mm. longa, intense lutea, acriter ovata vel subtriangulata. latissima 

 infra medium, apicem versus leviter attenuata, vulgo plus minus distincte subacuta, 

 inferne in unguem aequilaium abrupte contractu, supra unguem nectario distincto 

 praedita. Carpella circa 1 mm. longa subcompressa, apice obliqua et in rostrum 

 breve, conicum protracta, tempore florescendi in capitulum, 3 — i mm. in diametro 

 conferia. 



This species seemed, in other respects, to be characteristic in having the stem 

 generally rather short, most frequently about the length of the leaves or slightly longer, 

 generally uniflorous and aphyllous, the leaves rather fleshy, and of a yellowish 

 colour when dried. I have not been able to point out any marked difference in the 

 structure of the achenes on account of the scarcity of my material, the ripe fruits being 

 liable to loosening, and, in dried material, to falling off. 



Some years ago, in 1916, Ranunculus Cgmbalaria was also found in southern 

 Norway, on Asmal, one of the islands in the Hvaler group. (R. Nordhagen in Nyt Maga- 

 zin for Naturvidenskaperne B. 55, p. 119—145), and this locality being at that time the 

 only habitat of the plant known in Europe, suggestions have been made as to the cause 

 of this isolated occurrence.') 



The author supposes, no doubt with good reason, that it has recently immigrated 

 into Europe, as a straggler over great distances, accordingly either from America or 

 from Siberia. The former view seemed to be the most probable, as it approaches very 

 closely a small group of American species, such as Eriocaulon seplangulare With., 

 Spiranthes Romanzowiana Cham., Sisyrinchium angustifolium Mill., to be found in a 

 few localities in western Europe, probably spread by the sea-currents of the Atlantic. 

 He also asserts the possibility of the species having been introduced from Siberia, dis- 

 persed by migratory birds on their way westwards, but if this be the case, it is rather 

 strange that it is altogether Avanting in interjacent places, as in central, eastern, and 

 south-eastern Europe, the way of the Siberian birds of passage leading through these 

 particular regions, abounding in situations apparently well suited for habitats. 



I have, however, by this time examined these Norwegian specimens. In figure 88, 

 the third row from above shows leaves, and figure 89 k — m petals from Norwegian 

 specimens. It appears that they agree into details with the American ones, with the 

 typical Ranunculus Cgmbalaria, and I may, therefore, lay down the Norwegian speci- 

 mens to be connected with the American ones, and to have been spread from America. 

 Where occurring in Asia, Ranunculus subsimilis did not seem to be dependent on saline 

 soil only. On the contrary, the various authors seemed to agree on the opinion that it 

 occurs rather frequently in swamps and on sandy banks of rivers. I have collected it 

 myself on sandy, grass-grown banks of rivers, near Ust Abakansk, where occurring asso- 



1) About the same time the species was ailso toivmd in another locality not fosr away, viz. on the south- 

 western coast of Sweden, in Bohuslan. 



240 



