14

RANUNCULACEiE.

[Ranunculus.

Hab. Shores of Lake Huron . Dr. Richardson. Drummond. —Mode of growth and general aspect ofRanunculus pamassicefolius; the leaves being of nearly the same shape, undivided, on long petioles, so thatthey rise much above the very short stem and flowers. Their leaves, too, are very large in proportion to thesize of the plant; yet when we come to compare this plant with the preceding one, we shall find that thereare many essential characters in common, and that it is probably only a variety of it. There are severalspecimens, however, in the collection, and there is no variation among them.

10. 11 . cardiophyllus ; pubescenti-hirsutus, foliis radicalibus rotundato-cordatis basisub-profunde emarginatis integris niultifidisque, caulinis pahnato-multifidis laciniis lineari-bus inciso-crenatis, calyce patente corolla dimidio breviore, fructibus oblongis. (Tab. V. B.Fig. 1, Pericarp:— magnified.)

Tota planta magis minusve pubescenti-hirsuta. Caulis fere pedalis, crectus, strictus, subrobustns. Foliaradicalia 3 vel 4, longe pctiolata, rotundato-cordata, basi subprofunde emarginata, integra, crenata vel multi-partita, laciniis linearibus suhintegris : caulina fere scssilia, multipartita. Flores majusculi, aurei. Calyxmembranaeeus, subcoloratus, patens. Corolla duplo brevior. Petala late ovalia, concurs, obtusissima.Fruclus oblongus. Cariopsides numcrosse, subrotunda5, parvie, compressa;, stylo uncinato longiusculo ter-minatae.

IIab. From Canada to lat. 55°. In the central prairie and limestone districts. Dr. Richardson. Drum-mond. Alpine Prairies in the Rocky Mountains . Drummond. —Of all this tribe, the present individual is thetallest, stoutest, and has the largest flower. Its radical leaves are more deeply emargiuato at the base thanany other; yet I dare not positively consider it a good species. It may be considered as holding nearly thesame relationship with R. ovalis, as R. affinis docs with auricomus.

I have more than once, and that in unison with the ideas of my valued friend Mr. Arnott, had the inten-tion of describing the whole of the last four species as different states of It. auricomus: but I felt that Ishould make myself better understood and create less confusion, by considering them species, or, if thereader pleases, subspecies, than by enumerating them as varieties. When seen growing by Mr. Drummond,in their respective localities, they appeared to him to bo truly distinct; but, at the same time, there aregradations which seem to unite the whole. They all agree in general habit, in the faseieulato-iibrous roots,erect stems, deeply divided caulino leaves or bracteie, in the somewhat coloured thin membranaceous crecto-patent, at length reflexed sepals, and in the shape and structure of the carpels: they vary in the divided orentire root-leaves, in the comparative lengths of the petals, and in the rounded or elongated heads of fruit.

To some of these species or varieties, the R. cassubicus approaches very nearly; but it has a morestraggling habit, and the root-leaves are more reniform, the heads of capsules rounded, or nearly so, and withfewer carpels. Many of these are probably included in the numerous varieties of R. auricomus of Schlecht-endal, who considers it certain that the R. cassubicus should be united with that plant. One other plantof this group yet remains to be described, namely the

11. 11 . abortivus; foliis radicalibus cordato-subreniformibus late ovatisve obtusis crena-tis integris vel trisectis, caulinis plerumque tripartite segmentis lineari-lanceolatis integrisvel incisis, calyce colorato reflexo, fructus capitulo oblongo rotundato.

». petalis linearibus calyce vix longioribus.—It. abortivus. Linn. — Pursh, FI. Am. v. 2.p. 392. Bigel. FI. Bost. ed. 2. p. 225. Elliott, Carol, v. 2. p. 58. De Cand. Prodr. v. 1.p. 34. Schlecht. Animadv. Sect. 2. p. 10.—11. nitidus. Walt. FI. Carol, p. 159; (accord-ing to De Cand. though Elliott refers that to 11. sceleratus ;) not of Muhl. and Elliott.Pursh, FI. Am. v. 2. p. 392.

/3. petalis calyce pilosiusculo, flore duplo longioribus.

Hab. *. and/3. Canada ; and to lat. 57°: central limestone and prairie districts, and eastern declivities