I. R ANUN CUL ACEiE 
9 
alternate, sessile, pinnately divided into thread-like segments. 
Mowers regular, about \ in. diam., solitary at the end of branches. 
Sepals 5, ovate, green or slightly coloured, soon falling off. Petals 
5-8, rather longer, scarlet with a dark purple spot at the base, 
spreading, basal gland none. Stamens numerous. Carpels many, 
1-ovuled, style short. Fruit an ovoid or oblong head of many 
small, wrinkled, pitted achenes tipped with the persistent styles. 
The head lengthens as the fruit ripens. 
Kotgurh, in cornfields ; March, April. — W. Himalaya, up to 6000 ft. — Tem- 
perate Asia, Europe. 
Closely allied to the British A. autumnalis (Pheasant’s Eye). 
5. RANUNCULUS. From the Latin rana , a frog, referring to 
the damp situations in which some species grow. — All temperate, 
alpine and subarctic regions (Britain, Buttercup). 
Annual or perennial herbs. Radical leaves long-stalked, usually 
deeply lobed. Stem-leaves alternate, smaller, usually lobed. 
Flowers regular, panicled. Sepals 5, green, imbricate, soon falling 
off. Petals 5, yellow, shining, imbricate, each with a thickened 
glandular spot at the base covered, in some species, with a minute 
scale. Stamens numerous. Carpels several or many, 1-ovuled, 
in a globose or oblong head, style short. Fruit a head of small 
achenes sometimes flattened, the tip of the persistent styles often 
hooked. 
The gland at the base of the petals secretes honey and thus renders the 
flowers attractive to insects. 
The flowers of Ranunculus resemble in some points those of Rubus, 
Potentilla, Fragaria and Geum , genera belonging to Rosacece. The sepals 
and petals are similar in number, colour and shape, the stamens in all are 
numerous and free, and the fruit is composed of small distinct achenes. But 
in Ranunculacece the sepals and petals are inserted on the receptacle, in 
Rosacece on the calyx. This constitutes the difference between Thalamifloral 
and Galycifloral flowers. 
Radical leaves deeply 3 -lobed. Achenes glabrous or hairy. 
Stem and leaves glabrous. Achenes in oblong or 
cylindric heads •. . . . . . . 2. R. sceleratus. 
Stem and leaves hairy. Achenes in globose heads. 
Flowers \ in. diam. Achenes hairy . . .1. R. hirtellus. 
Flowers I in. diam. Achenes glabrous. 
Stems decumbent, producing runners. Leaves of 
an ovate outline, mid-lobe longer than the 
others. Achenes minutely dotted . . . 3. R. diffusus. 
Stems erect, without runners. Leaves of a rounded 
outline, mid-lobe not longer than the others, 
Achenes not dotted . . . . . 4. R. Icetus. 
Radical leaves wedge-shaped, not lobed. Achenes spinous . 5. R. arvensis. 
1. Ranunculus hirtellus, Boyle ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 18. Perennial, 
more or less covered with adpressed hairs. Stems 6-18 in., often 
tufted, erect or almost decumbent. Radical leaves 1 J-2 in. across, 
long-stalked, cordate, deeply 3-lobed, segments coarsely toothed, 
