Ranunculus hirsutus. Pale -leaved Crowfoot. 



RANUNCULUS hirfutus radice fibrofa annua, caule hirfuto, calycibus papillofo-hifpidis acuminatis, 



demum reflexis* 

 RANUNCULUS rectus foliis pallidioribus hirfutus. J, Bauhin. in. 417. Rail Syn. p. 247, Upright 



pale-leaved Crowfoot. Rait Hifi. Plant, p. 5S2. 



FROM having repeatedly obferved, and carefully cultivated this plant, I find it to be perfectly diftinct 

 from the bulbofus, of which it is made a variety by fome authors; 'though Ray and Bauhin e long fince 

 confidered' it as diftinct* 



As its ftiff hairs are one of its characteriftics, and conftitute a part of its name in Bauhine, I have 

 made that its trivial name ; and mall by way of contraft, enumerate the feveral particulars in which it differs 

 from the bulbofus^ to which in its general appearance it is nearly allied. 



The root of the bulbofus, which forms one of the chief characters of that plant, is round and folid like a 

 fmall turnip, remaining in the ground from year to year, and annually fending up new flowering items i 

 the root of the hirfutus on the contrary is fimply fibrous and annual. 



The ftalk of the hirfutus is generally more branched and Spreading, producing a greater number of flowers, 

 and covered with ftiffer and longer hairs, than in the bulbofus: the hairs indeed in the latter plant are more 

 numerous and foft, approaching to pubefcence or downinefs, while in the former they are more rigid, or ap- 

 proaching to hifpidity. The foot-ftalks of the bottom leaves in the hirfutus are hollow, and if cut afunder, 

 the nerves appear projecting into the infide of the tube; the leaves themfelves are more perfectly trilobate 

 than in the bulbofus ; the middle and outermoft lobe rounder, and lefs deeply divided at the edges. From 

 the inner edge of each of the two fide lobes a bit appears as if cut away. Thefe leaves are frequently of a 

 white or pale colour, in irregular fpots, not unlike what we fometimes meet with in the Ranunculus "Ficaria ; 

 and the upper furface is full of little projecting points, from whence the hairs ifTue. 



We come now to a chara&er which this plant has in common with the bulbofus, viz. its reflexed calyx : 

 this has been the caufe of its having been confidered by moft botanifts as the bulbofus : not finding in Linnjeus 

 any other Ranunculus with a reflexed calyx, without any farther examination they concluded this to be the fame; 

 But although the calyx when turned back refembles that of the bulbofus, yet before the opening of the flower 

 it is eflentially different, being much more pointed, or as if it had been fqueezed to a point with the fingers ; 

 and the outfide of it is very vifibly covered with little papillae or projecting points, from whence the hairs proceed. 



The flowers of this plant, as well as the feed, are alfo fmaller than thofe of the bulbofus. 



Such are the characters whereby thefe two plants may with attention be diffinguifhed. 



Nor do they differ lefs "in their places of growth and times of flowering. The bulbofus grows in dry paftures, 

 and flowers in the month of May. The hirfutus flourifhes more by the fides of roads, in gardens, and rubbifh,. 

 flowering from June to the end of the year. 



I have obferved this plant growing in great plenty by the fide of the road betwixt Croydon and Mitcham ; 

 and I remember to have feen it near Gravefend; and plentifully by the fea-fide ; on the gravelly banks about 

 Southampton ; alfo in various places near London : and there is no doubt but it is a much more common plant than 

 botanifts may imagine. 



No particular ufes have been attributed to it. 



