Ranunculus] I. RANUNCULACE2E. 11 



deeply cut into narrow segments. Flowers small, of a pale yellow. 

 Carpels few, rather large, much flattened, covered on both sides with 

 conical, straight, or hooked prickles. 



A common and troublesome cornfield weed, in central and southern 

 Europe, and extending to North India. Very abundant in slovenly 

 farms in southern England, but decreasing northwards, and of rare 

 occurrence in Ireland. Fl. and ripens its seed with the com. 



VII. CALTHA. CALTHA. 



Glabrous herbs, with a perennial stock, and annual stems. Sepals 

 about 5, large and yellow like the petals of Ranunculus, but no real 

 petals. Stamens numerous. Carpels 5 to 10, laterally compressed, 

 each with several seeds. 



A genus of very few species, inhabitants of temperate and cold regions 

 in both the northern and southern hemispheres. 



1. C. palustris, Linn. (fig. 24). Marsh Marigold. — A perennial, 

 forming large tufts, with a thick almost tuberous rootstock. Stems 

 about a foot long, erect or decumbent, often rooting at the lower nodes, 

 and but slightly branched. Leaves mostly radical, on long stalks, 

 orbicular or kidney-shaped, cordate at the base and crenate on the 

 margin. Flowers large, of a bright golden-yellow. 



In marshy places, the sides of brooks, &c, throughout Europe and 

 temperate Asia to North India, and North America. Abundant in 

 Britain. Fl. spring, commencing early and often lasting till summer. 



[There are three British forms : 1. vulgaris proper, with large flowers 

 and spreading carpels. 2. C. Guerangerii, Boreau, with smaller flowers 

 and spreading carpels. 3. Var. minor, Syme, procumbent, with solitary 

 rather large flowers and erect carpels — a mountain plant. A second 

 species, C. radicans, Forst., with the stem rooting at the nodes and 

 deltoid acutely toothed leaves, was once found in Forfarshire, but has 

 long been extinct.] 



VIII. TROLLIUS. TKOLLIUS. 



Perennial herbs, with divided leaves and yellow flowers. Sepals 5 to 

 15, large and coloured like petals. Eeal petals about as many, small, 

 linear, and flat. Stamens numerous. Carpels several, each with 

 several seeds. 



Besides our species, the genus comprises but very few, all from 

 northern Asia or America. 



1. T. europseus, Linn. (fig. 25). Globe T., Globeflower.—A glabrous, 

 erect plant, 1 to 2 feet high, the stem simple or nearly so. Radical 

 leaves not unlike those of Ranunculus acris, palmately divided into 3 or 

 5 segments, which are again lobed and cut. Stem-leaves few, smaller, 

 and nearly sessile. Flowers large, pale yellow, with 10 to 15 broad 

 concave sepals converging into a globe, usually concealing the petals, 

 stamens, and carpels. 



In moist woods and mountain pastures, in northern and central 

 Europe, eastwards to the Caucasus. Pretty frequent in Britain, from 

 Wales to the Grampians, very rare in Ireland. Fl. summer. 



