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1. Myosurus a r k ta tm , B en th .; sepulis 5 calcare hrevi, staminibus 5, spica oblonga acuta 2 0 -3 0 -g y n a ,
carpellis laxe imbricatis ovatis stylo persistente recui'vo subaristatis. B m th . in Hook. Loud. Journ. B o t.
V. h . p . 4 5 9 . M. apetalus, Gag, Flor . Chili, v. 1. jO. 3 1 . t . \ . f . 1.
H ab. E a s t and south-east coasts of tb e N o rth e rn Islan d ; on tb e pebbly beach nea r Cape Palliser, Colenso.
1 can find no difference between tliis and the Chilian plant found by M. Gay at 11,500 feet on the Andes in
lat. 30° S., and by Mr. Bridges on the same range about 10° further south; also by M. Geyer in California.
The New Zealand specimens are very small, hardly an inch high ; they have no petals, and the spur of the
sepals is short. M. minimus, the European (and only other) species of the genus, was also found in temperate North
America and in Chili (Port Desire), by Mr. Darwin.
Gen. I I I . EA N U N C U LU S , L in n .
Sépala 4. Pé ta la 5 -1 0 , basi foveola nectarifera in stru c ta. Slaniina e t Ovaria 00. Carpella 1-
sperma, iu capitulum subglobosum disposita, stylo subulato persistente recto v. recurvo terminata.
A very extensive genus, and one of the few that constitutes a considerable portion of almost every temperate
flora, whether insular or continental; being rare or unknown, however, in the tropics and especially in tropical oceanic
islands, except when such have high mountains. The New Zealand species belong to three sections, all with yellow
flowers and generally divided leaves : some of them are amongst the handsomest of the genus ; a few are common to
Tasmania and New HoUand, others bear a very great similarity to Chiban, Fuegian, and Ealkland-Island species,
but are distinct. The genus may be identified among the other New Zealand Ranunailaceoe, by its five to eight
yellow petals and heads of small one-seeded nuts. (Name from rana, a frog, many species growing in water.)
* Stems branched, erect, two or more flowered, more or less hairy or woolly ;— one species (E. multiscapus) Ims
sinyle-flowered scapes. Carpels smooth.
1. Ean u n cu lu s insignis. Hook. fil. ; erectas, ro b u s ta s (4-pedalis), tomento fulvo v. rufo subsericeo
ubique dense lanatus, foliis valide petiolatis (petiolo 6-unciali) rotundatis cordatis v. reniformibus (4-8 unc.
diametr.) grosse crenato-lobatis crassis coriaceis venosis, caulinis lobatis, caule pluries diviso OO-floro, pe-
duncubs validis, fioribus magnis ( l i unc. latis), sepabs la te oblongis dorso lauatis, petalis 5-6 obcordatis
basi foveobs 2 instruc tis, carpeUis hirsutis densissime eonfertis stylo vix recurvo graciU terminatis. Tab. I I .
H ab. N o rth e rn Island. Mountains of Euabiue, Tongariro, and Hikurangi, Colenso.
This magnificent plant may be known at once by its great size (2 -4 feet high), stout habit, the dense
woolly clothing of all parts (except the petals) which turns red in drying; the rounded leaves 8-10 inches across,
of a very thick texture; large flowers as broad as a halfpenny, of a bright yellow; the two pits at the base of the
petals, and the long styles to the fruit.—P l a t e II. Eig. 1 , petal; 2, stamen ; 3, pistil ; 4, head of carpels; 5.
carpel :— all butflg. 4 magnified.
i . Ean u n cu lu s nivicola. H o o k .; erectus, 2 -3 -p ed alis, pilis longis h irsu ta s v. g labratas, fobis longe petiolatis
3 - 5 unc. latis reniformi-cordatis rotandatisve profunde 3 -7 -lo b is, lobis lato-cuneatis inciso-crenatis,
caulinis paucis laciniatis, caule paniculatim ramoso, fioribus magnis (H unc. diametr.), sepalis 5 dorso bir-
sutis, petalis 1 0 -1 5 cuneato-obcordatis basi fovea nectarifera instruc tis, carpeUis glabris stylo recto apiee
u ncinato terminatis. Hook. Ic . P lant, t. 5 71, 572.
H ab. N o rth e rn Islan d . Mo u n t Egmont, near th e perpetual snow, alt. 7000 feet, Dieffenbach.
A very handsome species, but smaller than R. insignU and fewer-flowered. Easily distinguished by its spreading
liairs when these are present, which are soft and silky, chiefly clothing tlic underside of leaf and stalks and the
flower-stalks. The flowers are almost as large as those of R. insignis, but the petals are very numerous, much narrower,
and have only one nectariferous pit at the base ; they are notched at the top.
3. Eanunculus Hook, fil.; gracilis,canlescciis, l - l |- p e d a H s , parce h irsu tu s v. glabratus,
foliis longe petiolatis 2 unc. latis orbiculari-reniformibus u ltra medium 3 -5 -p a rtitis segmeiitis cuneatis
sublobatis crenatis, caubius linearibus, caule diviso paucifloro, ]>edunculis elongatis h irsu tis, flonbus
f - 1 unc. diametr., sepalis 6-8 dorso pilosis, petalis 8-10 lineari-oblongis apice ro tu n d a tis basi fovea n ec tarifera
instruc tis, carpeUis glabris stylo recto apice uncinato te rmina tis. Tab. I I I .
H ab. N o rth e rn Islan d . By rUls from tb e snow of tb e E u ab in e mo u ntains, Colenso.
Whole plant slender, smaller and more graceful than R. nivicola, easily distinguished by the cut leaves,
which are deeply divided into lobes, and are only two to three inches across; by the few flowers, with many narrow
petals rounded (not notched) at the top, and by the smooth nuts. The leaves much resemble those of many
Geraniums.—P l a t e I I I . Eig. 1, p etal; 2. stamen; 3, pistil; 4, head of carpels; 5, carpel:—off b u t f l g . i
4. Ean u n cu lu s plebeius, B r . ; p a ten tim pilosus v. glab ratu s, canle erecto diviso, foliis longe petiolatis
3-sectis segmentis sessilibus v. petiolatis oblongo-ouiieatis varie 3 -5 -lo b is crenato-dentatis, caulinis coii-
formibus supremis sessilibus, pedunouUs sulcatis, fioribus parvis ( | unc. d iam e tr.), sepalis 5 reflexis
patentim pilosis, petaUs 5 obovato-cnneatis apice ro tu n d a tis basi fovea nec tarife ra in s tru c tis , carpellis late
obovatis compressis marginatis, stylo brevi uncinato, receptáculo piloso. DC. Prodr. v. \ . p . 3 9 . E . acris et
R. plebeius, A . Cvmn. Prodr. R. acris, A. Rich. Flora.
H ab. N o rth e rn Island. Common a t th e Bay of Islan d s and Auckland, etc., especially near inhabited
places, Cunningham, etc.
Very similar to the R . repms of Europe and North America, and refeiTcd to R. acris by A. Richard, and
in part by A. Cunningham, in whose collection, however, there are no specimens so named. I t is characterized
by its erect, slender h ab it; very hairy stems and leaves, which latter are cut into narrow segments ; small flowers;
aud smooth flattened carpels, with a thick margin, aud short hooked style. The same p h u t is found in Australia,
where it is generally more hairy, and has larger flowers; also in the interior of South Africa, from mountainous
districts. I t is so similar to specimens of R. repens, from various parts of the world, that I doubted its proving distinct
; the small flowers are its most conspicuous character. The leaves have usually petiolate divisions, and are
not palmate, as in R. acris. De Candolle says (Systema, vol. i. p. 186) idoX R . repens often wants flagella or
scions, and is wholly erect. The receptacles are hairy in the New Zealand plant, and the peduncles furrowed.
5. Ranunculus hirtus. Banks e t S o l.; p a ten tim pilosus v. villosus, subsc apigems, caule debili erecto
diviso, foliis radicalibus iilurimis longe petiolatis trisectis, ju nioribus 3-lobis, foliolis sessilibus v. petiolatis
late ovatis 3 -5 -d en ta tis lobatisve rarius 3-sectis, caulinis paucis angustioribus, pedunculis gracilibus fruc-
tiferis sulcatis p aten tim villosis glabratisve, fioribus 1 Un. ad i - f unc. diametr., sepalis p etalisque 5 - 8 , re ceptáculo
carpellisque u t in R .p leh e io . DC. Prodr. v. \ . p . 39. A . Cunn. Prodr.
H ab. N o rth ern Islan d , abundant. R a n k s and Solander, etc.
I have applied the name of R. hirtus to this plant with some doubt, the styles of the achenia being invariably
hooked, not straight, as described by DC. Mr. Cunningham calls the same plant hirtus, and describes the styles as
straight, though those of his specimens are hooked, as are the original ones of Banks and Solander in the British
Museum. I t appears to be the same as R. pimpinellifoUus, Hook., of Tasmania, and may easily be known by its
hairiness; the numerous radical leaves, with broad segments, which are lobed, and not deeply cut as in R . plebeius;
aud by its stems being more sparingly divided and slender, like scapes. In alpine districts it becomes a low,
stunted, and very villous plant, like the variety vesiitus of R. pimpinellifoUus (Hook. Ic. Plant, t. 260), the leaves
also being pinnately divided.
6. Ranunculus midtiscaptis, Ilo o k . fil.; parvulus, scapigerus, sericco-pilosus v. glabratus, foliis i libus