Ranunculus. | I, RANUNCULACER. 9 
into three or more obtusely toothed or lobed segments, the upper ones sessile, 
with three narrow segments. Flowers small and numerous, the petals pale 
yellow, scarcely longer than the calyx, and without any scale over the 
nectary. Carpels very small and numerous, in a dense head, which becomes 
_ oblong as the fruit ripens. 
On the sides of pools and wet ditches, over Europe and temperate Asia, 
occurring even in Bengal, and now spread into North America. Scattered 
through Britain. £1. summer. 
8. R. auricomus, Linn. (fig.16). Wood R., Goldilocks.—A perennial, 
with the large bright yellow flowers of R. acris, but not so tall, more gla- 
brous, having only a few appressed hairs, especially in the upper parts, and 
the lower leaves less cut and more obtuse. Stem seldom above a foot high, 
erect and branched. Radical leaves on long stalks, rounded or reniform 
and but little cut. Stem-leaves few, sessile, divided to the base into narrow 
segments, which are entire or slightly toothed. Carpels of the size of those 
of R. acris, but downy. 
In woods and bushy places in northern and central Europe and northern 
and western Asia to N. India. Frequent in England, rarer in Ireland and 
Scotland, and scarce in the Highlands. Fl. spring. 
9, R. acris, Linn. (fig. 17). Meadow R., Crowfoot, Buttercups.*—A 
softly hairy perennial, very variable in size, but generally one of the tallest of 
our species; hairs mostly spreading, but deflexed on the lower parts of the 
stem, and appressed on the peduncles. Stems erect, often 2 or 3 feet high, 
but in poor or mountain stations sometimes not 6 inches. Leaves nearly 
all stalked and deeply divided into 3, 5, or 7 palmate segments, which are 
again cut into 3 toothed lobes, the divisions lanceolate and acute, those of 
the lower leaves broader and sometimes wedge-shaped, the upper ones nar- 
rower and fewer. Flowers rather large, bright yellow, on long terminal 
peduncles, forming usually large loose panicles. Sepals yellowish-green, 
concave, shorter than the petals, spreading horizontally, but not reflexed on 
the peduncle. Carpels ovate, compressed, glabrous, in a globular head. 
In meadows and pastures, cultivated and waste places, very common in 
Europe and Russian Asia, and naturalized in North America. Very abun- 
dant in Britain. Vl. early summer, and till late in autumn. In mountain 
_ pastures it is often small, with only one or very few flowers. 
10. R. repens, Linn. (fig. 18). Creeping R.— With the flowers and fruit 
of &. acris, this species is easily distinguished by the runners shooting from 
among the radical leaves, rapidly rooting and forming fresh plants at every 
node, by the flowering stems seldom above a foot high and less branched, 
by the hairs generally longer and looser, and by the leaves divided into three 
stalked segments, each one lobed and toothed, but the central one project- 
ing considerably beyond the others, so as to give the whole leaf an ovate 
form, not the rounded one of R. acris. 
In pastures, cultivated and waste places throughout Europe, north and 
_ west Asia, introduced in North America. In Britain almost as abundant as 
R. acris, and a very troublesome weed in rich soils. FV. all summer, and 
often till late in autumn. 
11. R. chzerophylios, Linn.(fig. 19). Fine-leaved R.—A hairy peren- 
* These names are popularly applied to nearly all the species of Ranunculus with 
bright yellow flowers and divided leaves. 
