R A N U N C U L U S Flammula*
Lejfer Spear-tvort.
P O L Y A N D R IA Polygynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. 5-leaved. Petals 5, with a honeybearing
pore on the infide of the claw of each.
Seeds naked.
S p e c . Char. Leaves ovato-lanceolate, on foot-llalks.
Stem declining:.
S y n . Ranunculus Flammula. Linn. Sp. PI. 772
Hudf. FI. An. 239. With. Bot. Arr. 571. ed. 3,
504. Relb. Cant. 2,11. Sibth. Ox. 171. Curt.
Lond. fafc. 6. t.
R. flammeus minor. Rail. Syn. 250.
1 HIS grows very frequently in watery places in a black
fpongy foil, flowering throughout the fummer.
The long fibrous perennial roots run deep into the ground,
producing numerous round branched leafy fmooth hollow items
fpreading in every direction, and fometimes proftrate. Leaves
on channelled footftalks, lanceolate, acute, many-ribbed, various
in fize, fmooth, partly entire and partly ferrated more or lefs
ftrongly, in which refpe£t they are very variable. Flowers on
long round flower-ftalks, terminating the item and branches,
of a bright gold-colour. Calyx reflexed, often flightly hairy.
Honey-pore in the claw of the petals very fmall. Seeds fmooth.
At page ico of this work, Vol. 2, we have figured and deferred
the more uncommon R. Lingua, which is nearly allied
to that now deferibed, differing only in its greater fize, ere£t
item, and more feflile leaves. We believe them however to be
truly diftinft, though we cannot fay the fame of R. reptans,
which appears to be a fmall creeping variety of R. Flammula.
Dr. Withering in his 3d edition recommends the diftilled water
of this plant as preferable to any other medicine for procuring
inftantaneous vomiting in cafes of poifon. Every part of the
herb is highly acrid, and blifters the fltin.