RANUNCULACE4S. (CROWFOOT FAMILY.) 7 



8. RANUNCULUS, L. Crowfoot. 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-petioled. Flowers axillary or somewhat corymbed, white or yellow. 



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



1. R. 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, lj.. — Stems 1° - 2° long. Leaves circular in outline. 



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

 * Achenia muricate : annuals. 



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

 circular, 3-lobed, acutely-toothed ; the upper 3-parted or entire ; flowers very 

 small ; petals 3-5, as long as the reflcxed sepals ; achenia narrowly margined, 

 pointed with the short, recurved style. (11. trachy sperm us, Ell.) — Waste places. 

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

 rarely 1' wide. 



3. R. muricatus, L. Nearly smooth ; lower leaves 3-lobcd, crcnate ; 

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

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

 Introduced. — Stem 1 2' - 18' high. 



* * Achenia smooth : chiefly perennials. 

 •*- Leaves undivided. 



4. R. alismsefolius, Geyer. Smooth ; stems ascending, rooting at the 

 lower joints ; leaves lanceolate, acute, denticulate or entire ; petals longer than 

 the calyx ; 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. 



5. R. pusillllS, Poir. Smooth ; stems several, erect ; lowest leaves ovate 

 or roundish, the others lanceolate or linear, entire or denticulate ; flowers mi- 

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

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

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

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



*- ■**■ Leaves [at least those of the stem) ternately lobed or divided. 

 ++ Petals small, not exceeding the calyx. 



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

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

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

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

 and April. — Stem 1°- l£° high. 



