6 THE RANUNCULUS FAMILY, — [ Myosurus. 
top, with a single small yellowish flower. Sepals prolonged below their — 
insertion into a kind of spur. Petals rarely longer than the calyx, and very 
narrow. Carpels very numerous, forming a head which lengthens into a 
close slender spike, 1 or even 2 inches in length. 
In moist sandy or gravelly fields and waste places, in Europe, Russian 
Asia, naturalized in America and Australia. Most common in the south 
-and south-east of England; not found in Scotland or Ireland. 1. spring. 
VI. RANUNCULUS. RANUNCULUS. . 
Annual or perennial herbs, sometimes entirely aquatic. Leaves entire 
or more or less divided. Flowers usually yellow or white. Sepals 5, very 
rarely reduced to 3. Petals 5, or sometimes more, each with a thickened 
hollow spot (nectary) at the base, often covered by a minute scale. Stamens 
usually numerous. Carpels numerous, without awns, ina globular or oblong 
head, each containing a single ovule attached near its base. 
A numerous genus widely spread over the temperate regions of the globe, 
and even found under the tropics. It is easily distinguished from Anemone 
by the want of the involucre. The so-called nectary at the base of the 
petals, which separates it from Adonis, is sometimes reduced to a slightly 
discoloured, concave spot. In the small-flowered species one or more of the 
petals are often wanting, and the stamens reduced to very few. 
Flowers white. Carpels transversely wrinkled. Plant float- 
ing in water orcreeping in mud. (Batrachium.) 
Lower leaves or all the leaves finely cut. Receptacle 
usually hairy . é : . Ll. &. aquatilis, 
All the leaves rounded with broad ‘lobes. Receptacle 
glabrous . , . 2. BR. hederaceus. 
Flowers yellow. Carpels smooth or tuber culate. Plant 
terrestrial or not floating. 
Leaves all undivided. 
Petals 5 or fewer. 
Carpels with a stout beak. Stem erect, 2 feet or more. 
Flowers large . ‘ : : ‘ ‘ . 3. BR. Lingua. 
Carpels with a short point. Stems seldom above a 
foot, often decumbent. Flowers little more than 
half an inch in diameter or smaller. 
Petals much longer than the calyx . . ‘ . 4. BR, Flammula. 
Petals very small . f : . ‘ . 5. BR. ophioglossifolius. 
Petals more than 5, usually 8 or 9 é ° A ° . 6. &. Ficaria. 
Leaves divided or deeply cut. 
Carpels smooth or slightly tuberculate near the edge. 
Rootstock (in all but 7 and 13) perennial. 
Leaves glabrous or very slightly downy. 
Petals very small. Carpels small, numerous, in an 
ovate or oblong head . . 7 BR. sceleratus, 
Petals conspicuous, bright yellow. Carpels downy, 
in a globular head . : ‘ ‘ ° . . 8. BR. auricomus, 
Leaves hairy. 
Calyx spreading, but not reflected. 
Stems erect without runners. Lower leaves palm- | 
ately divided. Carpelsina globularhead . 9. &. acris. 
Runners creeping and rooting. Central division of 
the lower leaves projecting beyond the others 10. FR. repens. 
Thickened base of the stem bulb-like. Leaves 
radical. Carpels numerous in an oblong or 
cylindrical head . é je . 11. BR. eherophylios. 
Calyx closely reflected on the peduncle. 
Rootstock or thickened base of the stem Price aye 
Carpels perfectly smooth . . . . 12. R. bulbosus. 
