RANUNCULACE^ 55 



stem-leaves stalked, developing before the flowers, palmate, 3-7 

 cleft ; segments 2-3 cleft, or undivided, unequally serrate, acute ; 

 stem-leaves more shortly stalked or sessile, less divided, less serrate. 

 Flowers forming a terminal cyme. Petals white, obovate, obtuse. 

 Carpels veined and furrowed, large, glabrous, with a short curved 

 beak. The sepals, which envelop the buds before opening (when 

 they faU) are a beautiful purplish colour. Very variable, both in 

 the height of stem and in the numbers of leaves and flowers. 

 The leaves are thin and dark green. 



The variety platanifolius L., commoner in the Eastern Alps, has 

 a tough, not zigzag stem and glabrous peduncles. In Norway it is 

 found up to the birch hmit. 



Wet meadows, borders of streams, and shady, stony places, in 

 clefts of rocks and by springs in the mountains ; and often brought 

 down to a low elevation by mountain torrents. June to August. 

 2000-8000 feet. 



In cultivation it does best in cool, damp, rocky places under 

 trees, and can be associated with such vigorous plants as Adeno- 

 styles, Achillea macro fhylla, Mulgedium alpinum, etc. 



Distribution. — Eastern, Central and Western Alps; Carpa- 

 thians ; Sudetic Mountains ; Black Forest ; Vosges ; Jura ; 

 Cevennes ; Corbi^res and Pyrenees ; Corsica. 



Ranunculus crenatus W. et Kit. 



Stem erect, 3-6 inches high, usually i-leaved and i-flowered, 

 glabrous. Leaves roundish cordate or reniform, undivided or 

 slightly 3-cleft near the apex, crenate ; stem-leaves linear. Flower- 

 stalk furrowed. Calyx glabrous. Flowers white. Petals obovate, 

 with wavy margin, crenate. Achenes smooth without any mem- 

 branous margin, glabrous, globular, drawn out into a striated 

 hooked beak. August. 



Distribution. — Meadows on primitive rocks, 3500-6800 feet, rare ; 

 Carpathians, Styria, and Eastern Alps. 



Ranunculus alpestris L. 



Rootstock cylindrical, oblique or vertical, tufted, covered with 

 thick fibres. Stem erect, 2-4 inches high, leafless or 1-2 leaved, 

 simple, usually i-flowered, glabrous like the entire plant. Root- 

 leaves stalked, cordate-rounded or reniform, undivided or digitate, 

 or cleft and coarsely crenate, appearing before the flowers. Stem- 

 leaves smaller, linear or wedge-shaped, entire, obtuse, sessile, the 

 base broader and membranous at the margin, leaves somewhat 

 rugose, shining on the upper side. Flowers snow-white. Petals 

 usually 5, obcordate, often 3-lobed. Achenes smooth, glabrous, 

 with a long-hooked beak. 



Locally abundant (especially on calcareous soil) in pastures and 

 dainp, stony places on the Alps from 4000-8500 feet. June, July. 



