Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae] |
status
flower
inner
morph
petals
stem
toxicity
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Grows up to 2 feet tall in marshy or shallowish wet places. |
12th May 2010, Chesterfield Canal, Renishaw. | Photo: © RWD |
Very stout main stem, with side branches at intervals. Glossy leaves. |
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
The stalks have single yellow flowers at the tips. |
12th May 2010, Chesterfield Canal, Renishaw. | Photo: © RWD |
Upper stem leaves are commonly three-lobed and narrower than the palmately lobed leaves lower down. |
30th May 2009, marshes, Southport, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Each flower has an elongated fruit in the middle. The stems are hollow. |
22nd June 2016, Marshside RSPB Hut, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
The fruit, some of them have already lost half their seeds. |
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Leaves shiny, darkish green with very short hairs. Flowers have five typically buttercup shiny yellow petals. |
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
The fruits grow bigger, losing the petals. |
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Fruits have numerous small pimples. |
31st May 2007, Galloper Pool, Foxfield, Cumbria. | Photo: © RWD |
Fruit with petals. |
30th May 2009, marshes, Southport, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
Upper surface of petals is shiny, underneath matt. |
22nd June 2016, Marshside RSPB Hut, Sefton Coast. | Photo: © RWD |
The seeds are flattish, cream-coloured and nearly circular. |
26th Aug 2016, nr. Waterloo, Sefton Coast, Merseyside. | Photo: © RWD |
A more-ripe and larger seed head a couple of months later in the season containing dozens of tightly-packed seeds in a cylindrical head. |
12th May 2010, Chesterfield Canal, Renishaw. | Photo: © RWD |
Palmately lobed dark-green, shiny lower leaves. |
Not to be confused with :
Some similarities to : other Uniquely identifiable characteristics
Distinguishing Feature : The shiny dark-green leaves and the elongated fruits separate this from other Buttercups. One of only three Buttercup species (Lesser Spearwort, Greater Spearwort and No relation to : Wild Celery [a plant with similar name]. Habitat: Likes marshes, shallow fresh water, banks of streams, wet mud, ponds, ditches and similar wet places. It has an acrid taste and is poisonous, containing Ranunculin which is converted to the poisonous Protoanemonin by the action of enzymes, which it contains and are released on damage. On the skin the sap will cause severe irritation and blisters with ulceration. If eaten, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, tinnitus, headache, dizziness, seizures, tachycardia, nephritis and perhaps death by respiratory and cardiac arrest. Accidental poisoning of cattle is more common.
|
Ranunculus | sceleratus | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Ranunculaceae |
Ranunculus (Buttercups) |
Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae] |