8 THE RANUNCULUS FAMILY. [ Ranunculus. 
Lenormandi is another with reniform or orbicular leaves and longer 5-nerved 
petals. 
3. R. Lingua, Linn. (fig. 11). Great R., Great. Spearwort.—Rootstock — 
emitting.a dense mass of fibrous roots, and perennial by means of creeping — 
runners. Stems erect, stout, and hollow, 2 or 3 feet high, the lower nodes 
emitting whorls of fibrous roots. Leaves long, lanceolate, entire or with a 
few small teeth, glabrous, with a few nearly parallel veins. Flowers above 
an inch in diameter, in a kind of loose panicle, bright shining yellow. 
Carpels ending in a short broad flat beak. | 
In marshes, wet ditches, and edges of lakes, in Europe and temperate — 
Asia, but not Arctic. Found, but not common, in England, Ireland, and 
Scotland, as far north as Moray. FV. summer. 
4, R. Flammuzla, Linn, (fig. 12). Spear R., Spearwort.—A glabrous 
annual, or a perennial of short duration, much smaller and more slender than R. 
Lingua, Stems usually more or less decumbent at the base, and rooting at the 
lower joints, seldom above a foot high, with a few loose branches. Lowest 
leaves often ovate, the remainder lanceolate or linear, and all entire or 
slightly toothed. Flowers yellow, on long peduncles, seldom more than 
half an inch in diameter, and often much smaller. Carpels in a small 
globular head, each witha very short, usually hooked beak. 
In marshes and wet pastures, and on the borders of lakes and ponds, 
common throughout Europe, except perhaps the southern extremity, North 
Asia, and North America. Abundant in Britain. 7. the whole summer. 
It varies much in the size of its parts, the breadth of the leaves, etc. R. 
reptans, Linn., is a very slender creeping form or species, with arching in- 
ternodes, minute achenes and recurved styles, found only on the sandy shores 
of Loch Leven in Britain. 
5, R. ophioglossifolius, Vill.(fig. 13). Snaketongue R.—Very nearly 
allied to R. Flammula, but always annual. The stem is more erect and 
branched, the lower leaves broadly ovate, and sometimes slightly cordate, and 
all broader in proportion than in &. Flammula, and the flowers smaller, the 
petals scarcely exceeding the calyx. Carpels minutely granulated. 
In marshes in south and west Europe, extending to south Hampshire, 
and formerly found in St. Peter’s Marsh in Jersey, where it is extinct. 7. 
June. 
6. R. Ficaria, Linn. (fig. 14). Figwort R., Lesser Celandine.—Rootstock 
small, emitting a number of oblong or cylindrical tubers, which are renewed 
annually, Leaves mostly radical, cordate, obtuse, angular or crenate, thick, 
smooth, and shining. Flower-stems usually scarcely longer than the root- 
leaves, bearing one or two small leaves and a single flower, with 3 sepals and 
8 or 9 oblong petals, of a bright glossy yellow. Carpels rather large, in a © 
globular head. 
In fields, pastures, and waste places, a very common weed throughout 
Europe and western Asia. Abundant in Britain, except perhaps the west 
Highlands of Scotland. Fl. spring, one of the earliest that appears. It 
varies occasionally with a slightly branched, creeping stem of 8 or 9 inches 
or even more, with most of the leaves opposite. 
7. R. sceleratus, Linn, (fig. 15). Celery-leaved R.—An erect, much 
branched annual, usually under a foot, but sometimes near two feet high, gla- 
brous or nearly so. Stem thick and hollow. Lower leaves stalked, divided _ 
