8 
PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO 
[Itanunculacea. 
This species is in flower principally during the spring season. 
The Ranunculus hirtus, Banhs cj- Solander (R. plehejus, It. Br.; R. scapigerus, Hooli.; R. colo- 
norurn, Endl.; R. discolor, St mid.), differs only from R. lappaceus in reflexed sepals, and forms most 
probably a mere variety of this species. It occurs in Victoria on the Moe Swamp and the Snowj Rher, and 
a form of it, with very flaccid stems, and scarcely to the middle cleft radical 3-lobed leaves, has been 
observed at South Port, in Tasmania. It does not appear that the position of the nectar-gland can be relied 
on for distinction of species in this genus. The R. lappaceus approaches very closely to the European 
R. repens, L., from which it differs chiefly and perhaps not specifically in not producing creeping scions. In 
the absence of specimens of Ranunc. geranifolius in our public herbarium, I have not \ entui ed to 1 efer that 
species to R. lappaceus, although its description and figure (FI. of N. Zealand, i. p. 9, t. iii.) would point to 
such a reduction. 
Ranunculus rivularis* Banks <$* Solander , in Cand. Syst . i. 2/0; R. acaulis, B. S. loc. ext .; 
J. Hooh. FI. Antarct. i. p. 4, t. 2; R. inundatus, R. Br. in Cand. Syst. 1. c.; R. glabrifolius, Hook. Joxim. 
Rot . i. 243; R. macropus, J . Hooh. Icon. Plant , t. cdxxxiv.; R. incisus, J. Hooh. Flor. of N. Zeal. I, 
p. 10, t. iv.; R. inconspicuus, J. Hooh. FI. of Tasm. i. p. 9, t. ii. b. —Rivulet Crowfoot. 
Glabrous, rarely scantily appressed-hairy, perennial; stems creeping or stoloniferous, or in part flaccidlv 
erect; leaves small on long petioles, some rarely kidney-shaped and crenate, the majority deeply divided into 
three rarely five or more primary segments , which are simply or repeatedly cleft into several lanceolate or 
oblong- or lanceolate- or narrow-linear, or cuneate or even rhomboid lobes, or are perfectly entire or toothed; 
peduncles radical, or opposite to the stem-leaves, one-flowered; sepals spreading, three times or less shorter, 
rarely longer, than the corolla; petals yellow, cuneate-oblong, 5-12; receptacle short-hairy; carpels round 
or oblique-ovate, rather turgid, somewhat fleshy, suddenly terminated in a slender' almost straight style. 
In swamps, rivulets, marshes, or inundated places, or amongst river-reeds, from the coast to the higher 
Alps, as well in brackish as in fresh water, scattered throughout the colony of Victoria. It is also ascertained 
to extend from Moreton Bay to the Darling and St. Vincent’s Gulf, although the plant is rare in most parts 
of South Australia. Dr. Hooker found it in Lord Auckland’s Group and in New Zealand; and if, as seems 
more than probable from the figures in Hook. Icon. t. 677 and 497, and in J. Hook. Flor. Antarct. ii., 
t. 81, R. stenopetalus, R. biternatus and R. crassipes are belonging to our R. rivularis, then this species 
extends to Chili, Magellan’s Strait, the Falkland Islands, and Kerguelen Land. If so, the name R. biter¬ 
natus, given by Sir James Smith, would claim priority. That plant is certainly described by Candolle as a 
white-flowered species in the Batrachium section; but J. Hooker already transfers it to that of Hecatonia, 
and points out its close aflinity to R. crassipes, thus leading to suppose that it is yellow-flowered (Conf, 
Flor. Antarct. ii. p. 224). Nodes of the creeping rhizome enlarged at times to small globular tubercles; 
fibres of root occasionally much thickened at the extremity. Remnants of leaf-staiks bristle-like. Stems, 
when erect, from 1J inch to several feet high, according to their growth in shallow or deep water, and 
varying like the peduncles and petioles much in thickness; both the latter occasionally, particularly when 
the plant occurs in drier localities, at the apex downy or appressed-hairy. Leaves from a few lines to 2 
inches long, showing an endless play of modifications, often resembling the more dissected floating leaves of 
R. aquatilis, generally smooth, rarely and then scantily clothed with appressed hairs. Sepals 5, or (according 
to J. Hook. FI. Antarct. i. 5) occasionally 3, orbicular-ovate or roundish, in age reflexed. Petals 1-7 lines 
long’; their claw long or short, and accordingly the nectar-pit, which is variable in form, more or less distant 
from the base of the petals. Stamens several or numerous. Anthers ovate or didymous. Carpels f-11 line 
long, in drying longitudinally or transversely corrugated, with a more or less elongated rarely recurved style. 
It is most probable that several other supposed distinct Ranunculi, particularly American ones, are to 
be reduced to this species. Its luxuriant forms much resemble the smaller varieties of the R. lappaceus. It 
flowers throughout the year. 
