RANUNCULUS 
131 
6. RANUNCULUS AURICOMUS. Goldilocks. Plate 135 
R. auricomus Gerard Herball 807 (1597); R. nemorosus dulcis secundus tragi Parkinson Theatr. Bot. 326 
(1640); Ray Syrt. ed. 3, 248 (1724). 
Ranunculus auricomus L. Sp. Pl. 551 (1753)!; Smith E?ig. Bot. no. 624(1799)!; FI. Brit. 590(1800); 
Syme Eng. Bot. i, 36 (1863); Rouy FI. France i, 101 (1893). 
leones: — Smith Eng. Bot. t. 624; Curtis FI. Lond. i, in ; FI. Dan. t. 665; Reichenbach Icon, iii, t. 12, et 
t. 13 (several varieties); Syme Eng. Bot. i, t. 32. 
Camb. Brit. FI. iii. Plate 1 35. (a) Root and lower leaves, (b) Stem with partially abortive flowers. ( c ) Stem 
with perfect flowers. (d) Head of ripe achenes. (e) Achenes (one enlarged), a — b from Huntingdonshire 
(E. W. H.) : c from Huntingdonshire (E. W. H.) : d — e from Cambridgeshire (C. E. M.). 
Exsiccata : — Billot, 502, et 502 bis, as R. auricomus ; Don, 16; Fellman, 5; Reichenbach, 1086; 1286, as 
R. auricomus var. grandifiorus ; Schultz (H. N.), v, 408; Herb. FI. Ingric. i, 17; vii, 17 c, as R. auricomus var. 
incisifolius ; vii, 17 d, as R. auricomus var. fallax ; vii, 17 e, as R. auricomus var. cassubicus. 
Map 52. Distribution of Ranunculus auricomus in the British Islands 
Perennial, with short rhizomes. Root small, not much thickened. Shoot glabrous or nearly so, 
hollow, up to 3 dm. high. Ground leaves with very long petioles ; laminae 3-partite or 3-lobed, 
segments very variable in shape and lobing, 2 — 3 cm. long. Stem-leaves sessile, with 8 — 2 lobes ; 
segments of the lower leaves either narrowly cuneate and with 2 — 3 lobes or linear. Pedicels not 
furrowed, slightly pubescent, up to 6 cm. long. Receptacle glabrous, much longer than broad. Flowers 
up to 2 cm. in diameter ; April and May. Sepals spreading, pubescent. Petals yellow, often more 
or less abortive, sometimes quite suppressed ; nectary without a covering scale. Head of achenes 
subglobose, rather loosely packed. Achenes only slightly compressed, slightly pubescent, scarcely 
margined ; beak long, apex recurved. 
17 — 2 
