Ranunculus. | I, RANUNCULACES. 11 
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 corn. 
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. Sta- 
mens 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 C., Marsh Marigold.—A peren- 
nial, 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, etc., throughout Europe and tem- 
perate Asia to North India, and North America. Abundant in Britain. FV. 
spring, commencing early and often lasting till summer. A small variety, 
with a more decumbent stem, rooting at the joints, and a smaller flower, 
occurs in mountainous places; and another, with deltoid, acutely-toothed 
leaves, found only in Forfarshire, is described as C. radicans, Forst. 
VIII. TROLLIUS. TROLLIUS. 
Perennial herbs, with divided leaves and yellow flowers. Sepals 5 to 15, 
large and coloured like petals. Real petals.about as many, small, linear, 
and flat. Stamens numerous. Carpels several, with several seeds in 
each, 
Besides our species, the genus comprises but very few, all from northern 
Asia or America. 
1, T.europeeus, 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, of a pale yellow, with 10 to 15 broad concave sepals con. 
verging into a kind of globe, usually concealing the petals, stamens, and 
carpels. 
In moist woods and mountain pastures, in horthern and central Europe, _ 
eastwards to the Caucasus. Pretty frequent in Britain, from Wales to the 
Grampians, very rare in Ireland. Fl. summer. 
IX. HELLEBORUS. HELLEBORE. 
Perennial herbs, with palmately or pedately divided leaves, of a paler 
green and more rigid than in most other Ranunculaceous plants. Sepals 5, 
