BUTTERCUP FAMILY. 



199 



long, rather thick, .sessile, in clusters of about 4 to 9$ achenes with 

 prominent spreading beak. 



Low plains near Antioch and Stockton; shallow vernal pools in 

 alkaline fields near Vacaville. Mar.-Apr. Fruiting May-June. 

 Between this species and M. sessilis Wats, of Oregon there is not the 

 least difference in habit and but a slight difference in the achenes; it 

 is altogether likely that the two plants will be found, in all respects, 

 identical. 



8. RANUNCULUS L. Buttercup. 

 Annual or perennial herbs with divided or entire leaves. Flowers 

 solitary or somewhat corymbed, yellow or white. Sepals 5, rarely 

 4 or 3. Petals 5 (rarely 1 or 3) to many, with a little nectar- 

 bearing pit at base, commonly covered by a scale. Stamens usually 

 numerous. Achenes numerous, in a globular or oblong head. Ovules 

 attached near the base of the cell. (Latin name for a little frog, some 

 species aquatic, growing where frogs are found.) 



Petals yellow; nectar-bearing pit covered by a scale. 

 Leaves undivided; achenes not strongly flattened. 

 Petals 5; beak of achene straight but short; perennial . . Li?. Flammula 



var. intermedins. 



Petals 1 to 3, minute; achene beakless or nearly so; annual 



2. 11. pusillus. 



Leaves lobed, cleft or divided; achenes flattened. 

 Perennial; achenes smooth (hispidulons in no. 7). 

 Leaves with mostly 3 leaflets; petals 5, emarginate; beak subulate, 



straight 3. R. Bloomeri. 



Leaves ternately once or twice divided, the divisions parted, laciniate or 

 lobed. 



Petals 5 to 8; beak subulate, as long as body of achene. 4. R. maxim us. 

 Petals 5; beak very broad, only slightly curved . ... 5. i?. canus 



var. hesperoxys. 



Petals many (about 9 to 16), in some of the varieties few (5 to 8): beak 

 very short, recurved; herbage more or less pubescent or hirsute; 

 common 6. R. California^. 



Petals 5; beak rather slender, curved or hooked . . . 7. R. occidentalis 



var. Rattan i. 



An nual. 



Achenes with hooked hairs; slender herbs with minute flowers 



8. R. hebecarptis. 



Sides of achenes bearing prickles, the margin with raised border: flowers 



4 or 5 lines broad 9. R. muricatus. 



Petals white; nectar-bearing pit not covered by a scale; aquatic. 



Leaves submersed, dissected into capillary divisions; achenes many 



10. R. aqaatili*. 



Leaves floating, with hroad divisions; submersed leaves as in the preceding 

 or none; achenes 4 to 6 11. i? Lobbii. 



1. R. Flammula L. var. intermedius Hook. Spearwort. 

 Stems slender or almost filiform, decumbent and creeping, rooting at 

 the joints, 4 to 11 in. long; leaves lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, 

 entire, 1 to 2 in. long, tapering into the petiole; flowers 2 to 4 lines 

 broad; achenes few, the short beak straight and stout. 



Common at middle altitudes in the Sierras, along the margins of 

 lakes, pools, or shallow slow meadow-streamlets; rare in the Bay 

 Region (Point Reyes, Dar;i). July. 



2. R. pusillus Poir. Slender annual, 4 to 10 in. high, or succu- 



