328 P0LYANDR1A POLYGYNIA 



Vulgo — Spear-wort Gallice — Petite Douvc. Germ. — Das Spccrkraut. 

 Whole plant glabrous, yellowish green. Root perennial, coarsely fibrous. Stent 



1 to 2 feet long,assurgent, declined at base, sparingly branched, often dichotomous 

 at summit* Leaves 2 or 3 to G or 7 inches long, and half an inch to an inch and 

 a half wide, tapering to an acute point, entire, or often denticulate ; the lower 

 leaves mostly rounded and somewhat ovate at base, on petioles 2 to 3 or 4 inches 

 long, sheathing at base ; those above narrower lanceolate, and on short petioles; 

 the upper ones nearly sessile. Peduncles axillary, or opposite the leaves, slen- 

 der, 1 to 2 inches \ong;Jlotcers rather small. Petals yellow, oblong, obtuse. 

 Carpels in a roundish-ovoid head, mucronate, minutely punctate. 



Hub. Wet miry places : ditches, &c. not unfrequent, Fl. July. Fr, Aug— Sept, 



Obs. This is also subject to some varieties; and ours appears to be the var. 

 viajor, Hook. Am. \.p. 11. It is a very hot, acrid plant; and the distilled water is 

 said to be a prompt and efficacious emetic, in cases where poisons have been 

 swallowed. The bruised herb has also been used to raise blisters. 



3. R. rusiLLrs, Poir. Stem erect; leaves all pctiolatc, the lower 

 ones ovate, the upper ones lanco-oblong ; petals about as long as the 

 calyx. Beck, Bot. p. 8. 



K. flammula. Mx. Am. 1. 321. {fide DC. Syst. Up. 249. eedqu?) 

 R. humilis. Per* Syn. 2./;. 102. MuhL CataLp.b*. 



Punt Ranunculus. 



Plant smooth, yellowish green. Root porennial/of numerous very slender fibres. 

 #S7em6to 1*2 inches high, flaccid but erect, somewhat, geniculate, dichotomously 

 branching, growing in bunches, but only 1 stem from a root. Lotcer leaves half 

 an inch to an inch long, and 1 third to 3 fourths of an inch wide, ovate, entire, on 

 slender petioles 2 to 3 inches long ; upper leavesun inch to an inch and half long, 

 and 1 fourth to 1 third of an inch wide, lincar-lanceolatc, or lance-oblong, rnthcr 

 obtuse, obscurely rcpand-dentate, on short petioles, the uppermost ones near)) 

 sessile. Peduncles often thickish, 1 to 2 inches long; Jlotrcrs quite small. Petals 

 yellow, scarcely longer than the calyx. Carpels in very small globose heads, not 

 mucronate, very minutely punctate. 



Hah. Wet meadows, along French Creek : rare. FL May. Fr, June— July 



Obs. Collected by D. Townsbnd, Esq. in 1S31. 



* * Leaves divided. 



4. R. abortivus, /,. Glabrous; radical leaves on long petioles, 

 mostly orbicular-cordate, or roundish-reniform, eremite, sometimes 8- 

 lobed ; stem leaves mostly 3-partcd, segments linear-lanceolate, entire, 

 or incised, upper ones sessile; calyx a little longer than the petals, re- 

 flexed. Becky Bot. p. 8. 



Also? R. nitidus. Pursh, Am. 2./>. 392. jYutt. Gen. 2. p. 23. Not 

 of Muhl. Ell. nor Hook. 



Abortive Ranunculus. 



Plant smooth and shining. Root perennial. Stem 9 to 15 inches high (sometimes 



2 feet, or more), often several from the same root, branched above. Radicul 

 leaves usually roundish-reniform, 3 fourths of an inch to near 2 inches in diameter, 

 rather wider than long, sometimes ternatc, or obovatc and 3-lobed. on petioles 2 to 

 4 and 6 inches long, dilated and sheathing at base ; stem leaves deeply 3 or 5 part- 

 ed, with lanceolate segments, and short dilated petioles, the uppermost ones sessile 



