Ranunculus royi G.Simpson
Type: BD 75712, G. Simpson, 1200 m. FL. 12. FT. 12.
Small, rather sparsely hairy, rosette plant with stout stock ± 1 cm. diam., bearing ∞ rather thick roots. Lvs all radical, on hirsute petioles up to 5 cm. long; sheath broad, membr. Lamina broadly ovate-cuneate, ± 1·5 cm. diam., 3-lobed, lobes crenately 1-2-toothed. Scape stout, 2-3 mm. long at anthesis, becoming up to 10 cm. or more at fruiting stage. Sepals 5, ± 5 mm. long, oblong, membr.; petals 0 (one specimen found with a single petal 7 × 2 mm., sharply clawed, gland 1 near base). Fruiting heads ± globose, 5-9 mm. diam.; receptacle small, pilose. Achenes ± 2 mm. long, obliquely suborbicular, slightly compressed and margined; style ± 1 mm. long, hooked.
DIST.: S. Moist montane grassland on Mount Roy, Lake Wanaka.
The hairy covering gives the plant a grey-green colour; its distribution and relation to R. lappaceus need further study.
