Ranunculus Ranunculus, L.

31. R. bulbosus L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 554 (1753).

Pubescent perennial up to c. 50 cm. Basal leaves 3-partite; middle segment abruptly contracted into a stalk, or cuneate and sessile; all variously dentate and lobed; lower cauline leaves resembling the basal but smaller; upper sessile with linear-lanceolate lobes. Flowers 20- 30 mm in diameter. Achenes 2-4 mm; margin keeled and grooved; beak short, curved. Most of Europe westwards from c. 30° E. All except Az Cr Fa?Gr Is Rs (K, E) SbTu.

A variable species and imperfectly understood, particularly in S. Europe; it may be tentatively divided into the following subspecies whose distributions overlap to some extent.

1 Middle segment of basal leaves stipitate

2 Stock conspicuously swollen and corm-like; roots stout but not tuberous

3 Plant usually 20-50 cm; basal leaves ±densely hairy above;

branches long, strict (a) subsp. bulbosus

3 Plant rarely as much as 20 cm; basal leaves sparsely hairy or often glabrescent above; branches short, divaricate

(b) subsp. castellanus

2 Stock not or scarcely swollen and corm-like; roots fusiform,

tuberous

4 Basal leaves all similar; receptacle elongate-conical (d) subsp. aleae

4 Inner and outer basal leaves markedly different in lobing;

receptacle ellipsoidal (e) subsp. adscendens

1 Middle segment of basal leaves sessile

5 Stock conspicuously swollen and corm-like; roots stout but not tuberous (c) subsp. bulbifer

5 Stock not or scarcely swollen and corm-like; roots fusiform,

tuberous (f) subsp. gallecicus