Ranunculus ficaria. 
P i l e w o r t. 
1 
RANUNCULUS Linnai Gen. PL Polyandria Polygynia. 
Cal. 5-phyllus. Cor. 5 -petala. Sem. plurim. Petala ungue ne&arifero. 
Raii-Syn. Gen. 15. Herbie semine nudo Polyspermy. 
RANUNCULUS Ficaria foliis cordatis angulatis petiolatis. Linnai S)Jl. Fegetab. p. 428. Fl.Suecic.p. 193. 
FICARIA Haller hifl. helv. n. 1 1 60. Hudfon FI. Angi. p. 213. 
RANUNCULUS Ficaria. Scopoli FI. Camiol. p. 395. 
CHELIDONIA rotundifolia minor. Bauhin Pin. 309. 
CHELIDONIUM minus. Gerard emac. 816. Parkinfon 617. Raii Syn. 246, Pilewort or the lefler 
Celandine. Oeder FI. Dan. icon. 469. 
RADIX tuberofa, tuberibus numerofis, congeftis, pal- f ROOT tuberous, the knobs or bulbs numerous, croud- 
lidis, fubpyriformibus, modo brevibus, modo | ed, of a pale colour, fomewhat pear-fhaped, 
longe protends ; efunimo tuberum oriuntur fi- ? fometimes fhort, fometimes extended to a con- 
brilliE plurima;. | fiderable length ; from the top of them arife 
I many fmall fibrous roots. 
CAULES plures, palmares et ultra, teneri, glabri, ad | STALKS numerous, four inches or more in length, 
bafin rubri, ramofi, decumbentes, nonnunquam | tender, fmooth, red at bottom, branched, de- 
etiam repentes, bulbillis in axillis foliorum * cumbent, fometimes even creeping, from little 
radicantibus. f bulbs in the bofoms of the leaves taking root. 
FOLIA radica/ia fubrotundo-cordata, variantia, longe | LEAVES next the root of a roundifh heart-fhaped figure, 
pctiolata, maculis albis interdum notata, gla- | variable, ftanding on long foot-ftalks, fometimes 
bra, venis fuperne impreflis, fubcrenata, caulina ^ fpotted with white, fmooth and lhining ; the 
fubtriangularia, ringulofa. t veins on the upper fide of the leaf prefled in, 
t differently notched in different leaves ; thofe 
I of the ftalk triangular with an angular mar- 
t gin. 
PEDUNCULI uniflori, fulcati, perafta florefcentia re- | FOOT-STALKS of the flowers, fuftaining one flower 
curvati. | on each, grooved, when the bloffom is fallen 
t bending backwards. 
CALYX: Perianthium triphyllum foliolis concavis, | CALYX: a Perianthium of three leaves, which are 
deciduis bafi fua caulem ampleftentibus, 1. f hollow and deciduous, and embrace the top of 
I the ftalk, Jig. 1 . 
COROLLA : Petala plerumque o&o, quoad formam | COROLLA : generally eight Petals, which vary ex- 
valde variantia, plerumque vero ovato-lanceo- | ceedingly in their form, moft commonly of an 
lata, lutea, nitida. Jig. 2, 3. | oval-pointed fhape, jellow and lhining,/^. 2,3. 
STAMINA : Filamenta numerofa ; Anthery flavas, y STAMINA: Filaments numerous; Anthery yel- 
oblongas, compreflie. Jig. 6, 7. | low, oblong and flat, Jig. 6, 7. 
PISTILLUM : Germina numerofa, in capitulum collec- | PISTILLUM: Germina numerous, forming a little 
ta; Sticmata parva, jig. 8. f head; Stigmata very fmall. Jig. 8. 
SEMINA plurima fubovata faspius abortiva, Jig. 9. | SEEDS numerous, fomewhat oval, moft commonly 
¥ abortive, fig. 9. 
NECT ARIUM fquamula ad bafin petalorum, fg. 4, J. | NECTARY a little fcale at the bafe of the petals, 
f fg ■ 4. 5- 
BOTANISTS feem very much divided in their opinions refpefting the genus of this plant, fome malting it 
a Ranunculus, others a genus diftinft from it. Thofe who objeft toils being a Ranunculus urge its not having the 
charafters of that genus ; that the Calyx, Inftead of having five leaves, has only three, while the Petals are more 
numerous thanin the Crowfoots : this is granted : but is a deficiency in, or an addition to any of the parts of the frufhfl- 
cation a fufficient reafon for founding a new Genus ! I fhould apprehend not ; for fuch inftances we meet, with in 
plants almoft every day : habit and peculiar charafteriftics are more to be attended to : and in this cafe, its gloily 
Petals, with its fquamula or fcale at the bafe of each; its grooved peduncles joined to its general appearance, feem 
fully to juftify the great reformer of Botany in making it a Ranunculus. 
Although the Calyx in general has only three leaves, it fometimes occurs with four and five. 
As the Pilewort blows earlier than any of our other Crowfoots, it is liable to have its parts of fruffificatlon injured 
bv the inclemency of the weather, to fecure it from which, it has a power of doling it Petals in a much greater 
decree than the others, and in this Hate we ufually find it in the mornings and evenings, and in wet weather j and 
mav not nature to produce this effea deviate from the ufual ftrudure of the flowers of this genus ? Is not the Calyx 
by being in three leaves ftronger than if it had been in five ? And will not the Petals by being more numerous make 
lels refinance to the doling power of the Calyx ? , 
Jn its firft appearance in the Spring, this plant is fmall and extends but little ; but in the month, of May, parti- 
cularly bv the fides of moift ditches, it grows much more luxuriantly, and in this Hate, fmall bulbs, like grains of 
wheat are obfervable in the bofoms of the leaves, which, as the ftalks lie on the ground, get into the earth, and 
become the tuberous roots of young plants 1 this provifion of nature for its encreafe, feems the more neceflary, as it 
is butfeldom that its feds come to perfe&ion. Now andthenahead with perfeft feeds is obfervable, and when the plant 
Rands fingly the fialk fupporting them bends towards the ground, fo that the feeds may infumate themfelves : thus 
nature appears to have been abundantly careful in its prefervation. 
The Roots, like thofe of the Orchis and other bulbous plants, are renewed every year. 
In fome Meadows, Paftures and Orchards, it very much abounds, to the. exclufion of more ufeful plants : as 
Cattle do not appear to eat It, it would be good hufbandry to dig it up, and fow the ground with luch plants as are 
m °The b rarSar form of Its roots ferns firft to have introduced it as a medicine for the Piles, in which diforder, 
like many other remedies more rationally recommended, it may palliate, but will fcarcely cffeS a cure. 
It is cultivated in Gardens with a double flower. 
