SPECIES DESCRIPTION
RANUNCULUS CUPREUS
Family and Genus:- See-
Common Names:- None
Homotypic Synonyms:- None
Meaning:- Ranunculus (L) Little-frog, diminutive of rana, (reference to water-loving
habit of many species).
Cupreus (L) Coppery. (deriving the name from the very distinctive
coppery orange underside to the honey leaves).
General description:- Subglabrous perennial with a cluster of ellipsoid, acute
root tubers mixed with longer fibrous roots.
Stems:-
1) 1-3, erect, 4-15 cm, 1- or 2-flowered.
Leaves:-
1) Basal, several.
a) petiole, 3-7 cm, slender, ± patent-pilose.
b) lamina, c. 2 cm broad, sparsely pubescent, ovate-suborbicular, 3-partite to
the base, the lobes again 3-partite to the middle or more into obtuse
segments.
2) Lateral, subsessile, all 3-partite to the middle or more into obtuse segments.
3) Cauline, 1-2, small, pinnatisect.
Flowers:-
1) Sepals, appressed, c. 5 mm, elliptic-ovate, glabrous margins scarious.
2) Petals, 7-9 mm, obovate, obtuse or sometimes emarginate, yellow above,
copper-coloured beneath.
3) Receptacle, glabrous.
Fruit:-
1) Achene;
a) head, ovoid.
b) body, c. 2.5 x 2.5 mm, strongly compressed, smooth and glabrous, with a
thickened central part and a thin wing,
c) beak, c. 1 mm, falcate.
Key features:-
1) Root tubers, ellipsoid, acute, 8-11 x 3-5 mm
2) Basal leaves, segments 2- or 3-pinnatisect.
3) Petals, copper-coloured beneath (Crete).
Habitat:- Shady crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs, rocky slopes with dry open
shrubby vegetation, gorges etc., generally on limestone. 50-900(-1500) m.
Distribution:- Endemic Crete. Sporadic distribution mainly in the east with a few
scattered locations in the west.
Flowering time:- Mar to early May.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
