170 Ranunculaceae 
HH. Leaves ovate to cordate; petals 6—10 mm. long. C.E. (J. alismel- : 
lus; R. populago.) } 
R. alismaefolius alismellus Gray 
CC. Leaves or some of them lobed or yet more deeply separated into segments. 
I. Faces of the akenes smooth or merely pilose; mostly perennials. 
J. Plants glabrous or nearly so, 3 dm. or less high or long (except FR. sclera- 
tus and IX. bongardii.) 
K. Basal leaves toothed or entire or 2——-7-lobed for less than V4, the dis- 
tance to the base; stem-leaves 2—5-cleft or -parted. 
L. Basal leaves 2—4-toothed or -lobed; earpels forming a_ globose 
head. 
M. Blades of basal leaves widest above their middle; petals broadly 
obovate. FE. (R. ellipticus.) 
R. glaberrimus Hook. 
MM. Blades of basal leaves widest below their middle; petals spatu- 
late-oblong. E. (JR. digitatus.) 
Re jovis Nels. 
LL. Basal leaves 5—-9-lobed at apex; carpels forming an oblong or cy- 
lindric head. E. 
R, eximius Gr. 
KK. Both basal and stem-leaves parted or divided or compound. 
N. Leaves ternately divided; the segments linear to linear-spatulate, 12 
mm. wide. E. R. triternatus Gray 
NN. Leaves not so in every particular. 
O. Head of akenes globose. 
P. Beak of the akene hooked. 
Q. Segments of basal leaves again deeply lobed. (See D.) 
QQ. Segments of basal leaves not again lobed. (See MM.) 
PP. Beak of the akene without hook. 
R. Petals 2—4 mm. long W.E. (R. eremogenes. ) 
R. sceleratus L. (Cursed Buttercup) 
RR. Petals 8—13 mm. long. |W. C. 
R. suksdorfii Gray 
OO. Head of akenes 2 or more times as long as wide. 
S. Beak of akene not hooked. 
T. Petals 2—4 mm. long; annual. (See R.) 
TT. Petals 6—13 mm. long; perennial. W. C. E. 
R. eschscholtzii Schl. 
SS. Beak of akene hooked; petals 2—4 mm. long. C. E. 
R. verecundus Rob. 
JJ. Plants pubescent or hairy, usually 3—5 dm. or more high or long (except 
R. parviflorus and R. cardiophvllus). 
U. Beak of akene not hooked. 
V. Petals 5, 2—4 mm. long, not exceeding the calyx; plant erect. W. 
; R. pennsylvanicus L. (Bristly Buttercup) 
VV. Petals 6 or more mm. long, exceeding the calyx. 
W. Petals 5; beak of akene less than 2 mm. long. 
X. Leaves not white-spotted; stem erect or ascending; plant with- 
out stolons. 
Y. Plants glabrous or but little hairy. W. 
R. oreganus How. 
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