4 



CHILI. 



[Ranunculacece. 



extus sericea, intus glabra, lineata. Stamina numerosa. Capitulum ovale vel subglobosum, demum 

 elongato-oblongum, densissinie lanatum. Carpella dense disposita, patentia, ovata, stylo rectiusculo 

 ascendente piloso terminata, tota lana immersa. 



Hab. Conception. Not unfrequent upon the hilly grounds. Mr. Collie. — More perfect specimens of this 

 plant, probably, than came under the observations of preceding authors, show that it is incorrectly placed 

 by the excellent De Candolle in his section of Anemonanthca. It ranks in that of Anemonosperrnos, having, 

 though sometimes a solitary flower on each scape, quite as frequently three or more, of which, as De Can- 

 dolle has well characterized the groupe, one is destitute of involucellum, and the rest have each a two- 

 leaved one. Indeed, its nearest affinity is the A. multifida of North America and the Straits of Magellan, 

 differing, however, essentially in the shape of the leaves and involucre, and in the lengthened head of 

 carpels. We possess specimens from the Horticultural Society, gathered by Mr. Macrae at Conception and 

 at the Baths of Collina, and at Valparaiso by Mr. Bridges. 



Tab. I. Fig. 1, 1, Sepals; fig. 2, Petal ; fig. 3, Carpel with its woolly covering: — magnified. 



2. RANUNCULUS. Linn. 

 Sect. Hecatonia. — §. Floribus flavis, foliis integris. DC. 



1. It. humilis ; parva, annua, glaberrima, foliis longe petiolatis ovalibus integris tri- 

 dentatisve, floribus pedunculatis solitariis oppositifoliis, carpellis paucis globosis brevissime 

 acuminatis punctulatis. (Tab. II.) — R. humilis. Collie, MSS. (non Pers.) 



Planta inter parva huj usee generis : tota glaberrima. Radix fibrosa, annua. Caidis 2-3 uncias longus, 

 erectiusculus, debilis, simplex, vel ad basin divisus. Folia omnia, radicalia preecipue, longe petiolata ; in- 

 feriora exacte ovalia seu elliptica, integra, superiora fere obovata vel subcuneiformia, apice tridentata, basi 

 in petioltim decurrentia, subparallelim atque obscure nervosa. Petiolus gracilis, basi in vaginam membran- 

 aceam dilatatus. Pcdunculus solitarius, unillorus, oppositifolius. Flos parvus. Sepala suborbiculata, cito 

 reflexa. Petala ovata, pallide flava, calyce paululum longiora. Stamina pauca. Carpella 8-10, in capitu- 

 lum laxum, ratione floris majuscula, globosa, subnitida, impresso-punctata, glaberrima, stylo perbrevi recti- 

 usculo terminata. 



Hab. Conception. — This species we do not find any where described. It bears the name of Ranun- 

 culus humilis in Mr. Collie's notes ; and since the R. humilis of Persoon is referred to R. pusillus, we retain 

 the appellation given by its discoverer. It comes next to if. pusillus in a systematic arrangement. It is 

 also allied to R. fiagelliformis of Smith, and R. bonariensis of Pursh : but besides the great difference in 

 size, the former has orbiculari-cordate leaves, and the latter has the upper ones lanceolate sessile and 

 serrated, and smooth carpels. In habit our plant approaches to R. ophioglossoides ; but that plant has mar- 

 gined and tuberculated carpels. 



Tab. II. Fig. 1, Flower; fig. 2, Capitulum; fig. 3, A single carpel; fig. 4, Root-leaf; fig. 5, Upper stem- 

 leaf : — magnified. 



§ §. Floribus flavis, foliis indivisis. 



2. R. chilensis ; patenti-pilosus, foliis rotundato-cordatis 3-quinquelobatis lobis subro- 

 tundo-cuneatis grosse dentatis, petalis 8-10, sepalis villosissimis, carpellis orbiculari- 

 compressis marginatis, stylo brevi curvato, caulibus procumbentibus. (Tab. III.) — De 

 Cand. Syst. Veget. v. 1. p. 286. Prodr. v. 1. p. 38. Schlecht. Animad. p. 21. 



Caules 1-2-pedales, procumbentes, teretes, pilis patentibus flavescentibus hispidi, ramosi. Folia 

 petiolata, majuscula, rotundato-cordata, pilosa, profunde trilobata, lobis subrotundo-cuneatis, lateralibus nunc 

 bifidis, omnibus profunde grosse et inuequaliter dentato-serratis, atro-viridia, subtus pallidiora: superiora 

 nunc multo minora, 3-partita, bracteiformia, et tunc caulis superne paniculatus evadit. Petioli foliis longiores, 



