RANUNCUr.ACKiE. (CKOWFOOT FAMILY.) 7 



8. RANUNCULUS, L. Ckowfoot. Buttercup. 



Sepals 3-5, regular, herbaceous, concave, imbricated in the bud, deciduous. 

 Petals 3-10, dilated, flat, furnished with a pit or scale at the narrowed base. 

 Stamens mostly numerous. Filaments filiform. Ovaries few or numerous, 

 1-ovuled. Style short, subulate. Achenia capitate, compressed, beaked with 

 the smooth, persistent style. Seed erect. — Herbs. Leaves alternate, the radical' 

 ones long-potioled. Flowers axillary or somewhat coiymhed, >vhite or yellow. 



§ 1 . Petals white, with a yelhvo pit at the base : achenia rugose. 



1. K. aquatilis, L. Stems filiform, immersed; leaves petioled, divided 

 into an indefinite number of capillary segments ; flowers axillary, remote, long- 

 peduncled. (R. Pantothrix, DC ) — Slow-flowing streams in the upper districts. 

 July and August. % . — Stems 1° - 2° long. Leaves circular in outline. 



§ 2 Petals yellow, with a small scale at the base. 

 * Achenia miincaie : annuals. 



2. R. parviflorus, L. Silky-pubescent ; loaves small, the lower ones 

 circidar, 3-lobed, acutely-toothed; the upper 3-parted or entire; flowers vei-y 

 small ; petals 3-5, as long as the reflexed sepals ; achenia naiTowly margined, 

 pointed with the short, recurved style. (K. trachyspennus. Ell.) — Waste places. 

 April and May. — Stems erect, branching from the base, 6'- 12' high. Leaves 

 rarely 1' wide. 



3. R. mnricatUS, L. Nearly smooth ; lower leaves 3-lobed, crenate ; 

 petals 5, longer than the calyx ; achenia pointed with the broad, straight stylo, 

 broadly margined. — Waste places around Charleston (Elliott). March- April. 

 Introduced. — Stem 12' -18' high. 



* * Achenia smooth : chieflij perennials. 

 ■1- Leaves undivided. 



4. R. alisraSBfoliuS, Geycr. Smooth ; stems ascending, rooting at the 

 lower joints ; leaves lanc'oolate, acute, denticulate or entire ; petals longer than 

 the calvx ; achenia in globose heads, tumid, slender-beaked. (R. Flammula, Ell. 

 &c.) — Muddy banks and ditches, chiefly in the upper districts. May -July. 

 -^ Stems 1 ° - 2° long. Leaves 2' - 4' long. Flowers 3" - 5" wide. 



^. R. pusillus, Poir. Smooth ; stems several, erect ; lowest leaves ovate 

 or roundish, the others lanceolate or linear, entire or denticulate ; flo^vers mi- 

 nute ; petals 1-5, as long as the calyx ; achenia in globular heads, barely 

 pointed. (R. oblongifolius. Ell., a broader-leaved form.) — Muddy banks, Geor- 

 gia to North Cai'olina and westward. March and April. — Stem 6' -12' high. 

 Leaves 1' long. Flowers 2" wide. Stamens 5 -9. 



H- H- Leaves (at least those of the stem) ternatehj lohed or divided. 

 +* Petals small, not exceeding the calyx. 

 6. R. abortivUS, L. Smooth; lowest leaves orbicular, cordate, undivided, 

 rrenato, those of the stem 3 - 5-parted, with wedge-shaped toothed divisions ; 

 the uppermost sessile, 3-parted ; petals shorter than the calyx ; achenia in glo- 

 bose heads, pointed with a very short recurved beak. — Low grounds. March 

 and April. — Stem l^-ljo high. 



