( 302 .) 
RANUNCULUS* * 
Liunean Class and Order. Polya'ndria f, Polygy'.ma. 
Natural Order. Ranuncula'ce/e+, Juss. Gen. PI. p. 23L — 
Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 1 36. — Lindl. Syn. p. 7. ; Introd. to Nat. Syst. 
of Bot. p. 6. — Rich, by Macgilliv. p. 465. — Loud. Hort. Brit. p. 495.; 
Mag. hi at. Hist. v. i. p. 137. — Don’s Gen. Syst. of Gard. and Bot. 
v. i. p. 2.— Mack. FI. Hib. p. 4.— Hook. Brit. FI. (4th ed.) p. 395.— 
Rosales; sect. Ranunculin.f. ; subsect. RanunculianjE ; type, 
Ranhnculaceje ; subtype, Ranunculea: ; Burn. Outl. of Bot. 
v. ii. pp. 616, 828, 832, 837, & 839 . — Multisiliquas, Linn. 
Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, of 5, rarely fewer, egg- 
shaped, concave, somewhat coloured, deciduous sepals, not length- 
ened at the base. Corolla (fig. 2.) of 5, rarely 8 or 10, blunt, 
polished petals, each with a nectariferous scale on the inside at the 
base (see fig. 3). Filaments (see fig. 4.) numerous, not half the 
length of the petals. Anthers roundish, linear, or heart-shaped, 
terminal, upright, of 2 cells, bursting at the outer edges. Germens 
(see fig. 5.) superior, numerous, collected into a head. Styles none. 
Stigmas small, reflexed. Pericarps or Cariopsides ( seeds of Linn, 
and Smith.,/ (see figs. 6 & 7.) numerous, egg-shaped, somewhat 
compressed, either smooth, striated, tuberculated, or prickly, each 
tipped with a point or hook, arranged in a globose or cylindrical 
head. Seed erect, one in each pericarp. 
The calyx of 5 sepals ; the corolla of 5, or more, petals, each 
with a nectariferous scale at its base ; and the numerous, 1 -seeded 
pericarps [seeds of Sm.) without awns ; will distinguish this from 
other genera in the same class and order. 
Fifteen species British. 
RANU'NCULUS A'CRIS. Acrid Crowfoot. Upright Meadow 
Crow-foot. Butter-flower. Butter-cup. King-cup. 
Spec. Char. Leaves 3- to 5-parted ; segments 3-lobed and 
cut; those of the uppermost leaves strap-shaped and entire. Stem 
upright, many-flowered, covered with close hairs. Flower-stalks 
round and even. Calyx spreading. Pericarps smooth. 
Engl. Bot. t. 652. — Curt. FI. Lond. t. .—Mart. FI. Rust. t. 30. — Woodv. 
Med Hot. Suppl. t 246. — Linn. Sp. PI. p.779. — Hnds. FI. Angl. (2nd edit.) p. 
241. — Willd. Sp. PI. v.ii. pt. n. p. 1326. — Sm. FI. Brit. v. ii. p. 593 ; Engl. FI. 
v. iii. p. 51. — With. (7th ed.) v. iii. p. 680.— Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p.718. — 
Lindl. Syn. p. 11. — Hook. Brit. FI. p 266. — Don’s Gen. Syst- of Gard. & Bot. 
v. i. p. 35. — Macr. Man. of Brit. Bot. pp. 4 & 5. — Liglitf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 293. — 
Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 174. — Abbot’s FI. Hedf. p. 122. — Thorn. Fam. Herb, p.561, 
with a figure.— Davies’ Welsh Bot. p. 55.— Puit. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 259. — Relh. 
FI. Cant. (3rd ed.) p.224. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 174. — Grev. FI. Kdin. p. 125. — 
FI. Devon, pp. 94 & 193. — Johnst. FI. of Berw. v. i. p. 123. — Winch’s FI. of 
Northumb. and Durh. p. 38 — Walker’s FI. of Oxf. p. 157. — Perry’s PI. Varv. 
Select, p. 46. — Bab. FI. Bath. p. 2. — Dick. FI. Abred. p. 42. — Mack. Catal. of 
PI. of lrel. p 53.; FI. Hibern. p. 8. — Ranunculus pratensis erectus acris, 
Ray’s Syn. p.248. 
Fig. 1. Calyx. — Fig. 2. Corolla. — Fig. 3. A Petal, with its nectariferous Scale. — 
Fig. 4. Stamens and Pistils. — Fig. 5. Calyx and Germans. — Fig. 6. Head of Peri- 
carps. — Figs. 7. Single Pericarps. 
* From rana, a frog ; from the plants delighting to grow where frogs abound. 
Sir W. J. Hooker. f See folio 43, note f. $ See folio 12S, a. 
