THE BUTTERCUP FAMILY 
5 
(crenate) edges ; the floating (submerged) leaves repeatedly divided into narrow (linear) segments, 
not collapsing when taken out of the water. \Plate 3. 
Common. Ponds. June — August. Perennial. 
Water Crowfoot. (Ranunculus hederaceus, Linn.)— Again another similar species. 
The flowers very small and all the leaves broadly kidney-shaped, heart-shaped (cordate) at the 
base, and 5-lobed. 
Common. Ditches and wet places. June — August. Perennial. 
Section II. — Land Plants with Yellow Flowers. 
Celery-leaved Crowfoot. (Ranunculus sceleratus, Linn.)— The flowers very small, 
^-inch across, terminating the stem and branches ; the sepals 5, turned back, green, as long as the 
petals ; the petals 5, pale yellow ; the fruit an oblong head of very small achenes. [As described 
in the genus Buttercup, Crowfoot, etc. (Ranunculus).] Stem 1-2 feet high, hollow, thick, full of a 
bitter juice, with smooth, glossy leaves divided from the base into 3-deep lobes (palmatifid) with 
scalloped (crenate) margins. Smelling like celery. Poisonous. 
Common. Wet places, ditches. May — September. Annual. 
Lesser Spearwort. (Ranunculus Flammula, Linn.)— The flowers £-1 inch across, 
in loose terminal clusters, or nearly solitary ; the sepals 5, yellow ; the petals 5, yellow. [As 
described in the genus Buttercup, etc. (Ranunculus).] The stem 9 inches to 2 feet high, 
creeping at the root, then erect, hollow, furrowed, slightly branched ; the upper leaves stalkless 
(sessile), undivided, very narrow (linear), and slightly toothed ; the lower ones stalked and egg- 
shaped (ovate). Varying from a juicy, slightly thick-leaved to a dry grass-like plant, according to 
where it grows. [Plate 3. 
Very common. Damp pastures, ditches, and marshes. June — September. Perennial. 
Adder’s-tongfue Spearwort. (Ranunculus ophioglossifolius, Vill.) — A similar plant, 
with smaller flowers, broader leaves, and achenes having small raised dots on their surface. Only 
found in Jersey. 
Creeping 1 Spearwort. (Ranunculus reptans, Linn.)— A slender creeping plant with 
small flowers, f-inch across, and a few small, narrow (linear) leaves. 
Very rare. Sandy shores of lakes in Scotland. June — September. Perennial. 
(Ranunculus petiolaris, Marshall.)— A similar species, with its earlier root (radical) 
leaves reduced to pointed stalks. 
Very rare. Under water near Scotch lochs. 
Greater Spearwort. (Ranunculus Ling^ua, Linn.) — The flowers very large, 1-2 inches 
across, terminating the stem and branches ; sepals 5 ; petals 5, rich yellow ; stamens numerous, 
golden yellow ; carpels numerous. The stem 2-5 feet high, hollow, furrowed ; the leaves of the 
stem narrowly lance-shaped, faintly toothed (dentate), stalkless (sessile), 6 inches to 1 foot long ; 
those of the root (radical) egg-shaped, stalked. 
Fairly common. Sides of pools, bogs. June — September. Perennial. 
Goldilocks, Sweet Wood Crowfoot. (Ranunculus auricomus, Linn.) — The flowers 
when perfect 1 inch across ; the sepals 5, yellow ; the petals 5, golden yellow, frequently deformed ; 
the stamens numerous. The stems numerous, 6-10 inches high, slender and smooth ; the leaves 
of the stem stalkless (sessile), and lobed from the base into 5-2 narrow segments (palmatifid), 
those of the root (radical) on long stalks, roundish or kidney-shaped (reniform), deeply or slightly 
lobed. 
Fairly common. Woods and copses. April — May. Perennial. 
