[Illustration: Ranunculus inamœnus Greene. (⅓ Nat.)] [Sidenote: =Ranunculus pedatifidus= J. E. Smith. _Northern Buttercup._] Erect 4—12 inches high, branching. Basal leaves petioled, broadly ovate or nearly orbicular, about ¾ of an inch broad, crenate or often lobed, those of the stem deeply and narrowly lobed, nearly sessile. Flowers about ⅓ of an inch in diameter, petals little surpassing the spreading sepals. In moist shaded situations near Banff; flowering in June. [Sidenote: =Ranunculus eremogenes= Greene. _Ditch Crowfoot._] Stem branching, more or less hairy, 6—18 inches high, sparingly leafy. Leaves rounded in outline, mostly 5-parted, the segments cut into about 3-toothed lobes. Flowers of ¼ an inch or more broad, the light yellow petals surpassing the sepals; fruit in an obtusely ovoid head. In wet springy places, ditches and the margins of pools, frequent through the Rockies at the lower altitudes; flowering in June and July. [Sidenote: =Ranunculus Eschscholtzii= Schl. _Snow Buttercup._] Smooth, 3—12 inches high, 1—3-flowered. Leaves round in outline, those at the root all 3—5-parted and deeply cut; their obovate or wedge-shaped divisions mostly lobed or narrowly cut, stem-leaves similar with oblong to spatulate or lanceolate, often entire divisions. Flowers bright yellow; petals 5, a third of an inch or more long. Frequent at the higher altitudes, blooming close to the melting snow, throughout the region; flowering in June and July. [Sidenote: =Ranunculus alpeophilus= A. Nelson.] Similar in habit to the previous species though usually larger, bright green and nearly smooth throughout. Leaves sparingly hairy on the margins, the basal broader and less divided. Flowers pale yellow, ¼ of an inch or more broad; petals little longer than the calyx. Along streams and in moist grounds, an alpine species frequent throughout the Rockies; flowering in June and July. [Illustration: _a_ Ranunculus saxicola Rydb. _b_ Ranunculus alpeophilus A. Nelson. (½ Nat.)] [Illustration: Ranunculus Eschscholtzii Schl. (⅔ Nat.) Snow Buttercup.] [Sidenote: =Ranunculus saxicola.= Rydb.] Stems about 4 inches long, decumbent or ascending, smooth. Basal leaves on petioles 2 inches long, rounded, somewhat hairy when young, 3-lobed, lobes spreading and toothed, stem-leaves 1—3, nearly sessile, cleft into 3—7 linear lobes. Flowers about ½ an inch broad, sepals tinged with brown, half the length of the petals, broad, obovate, obtuse, slightly hairy; petals broadly obovate, bright yellow; achenes more or less hairy, with a straight style. Throughout the Rockies in stony ground at the higher altitudes; flowering in July. [Sidenote: =Ranunculus inamœnus.= Greene.]