SPECIES DESCRIPTION
RANUNCULUS FICARIA subsp. CHRYSOCEPHALUS
Family and Genus:- See- RANUNCULACEAE/Subgen. RANUNCULUS/Sect.
Common Names:- Lesser celandine
Homotypic Synonyms:- Ranunculus ficaria ssp. ficariiformis
Meaning:- Ranunculus (L) Little-frog, diminutive of rana, (reference to the water-
loving habit of many species).
Ficaria (L) Small-fig (reference to the shape of the root tubers).
Chrysocephalus (Gr) Golden head.
General description:- Subglabrous perennial, with a cluster of spindle to club-
shaped root tubers mixed with fibrous roots.
Stems:
1) 5-25 cm erect to decumbent, often rooting at the lower nodes, sometimes much
reduced.
Leaves:-
1) Basal, long-petiolate;
a) petiole, dilated to a sheath towards the base.
b) lamina, up to 7 x 7 cm but often much smaller, broadly ovate to reniform,
subentire to shallowly crenate-serrate, bright green and shining on the upper
surface, somewhat paler beneath.
2) Cauline, few, resembling the basal leaves but the petiole shorter, sometimes with
axillary bulbils.
Flowers:-
1) 2-5 cm, Æ, on long pedicels, solitary
2) Sepals, 3, 60% as long as the petals, broadly elliptic, concave, rounded at the
apex, greenish or sub-membranous.
3) Petals, (6-)8-12,10-22 mm long, usually broadly oblong-elliptic, obtuse, bright
shining yellow above, greenish-yellow beneath.
4) Fruiting head, subglobose or sometimes poorly developed with mostly abortive
achenes.
5) Receptacle, ± globose, pubescent.
Fruit:-
1) Achenes, 2-3.5 mm long, obliquely ovoid, somewhat keeled, scarcely
compressed, ± pubescent, with a very short beak.
Key features:-
1) Basal leaves, broadly ovate to reniform, subentire to shallowly crenate-serrate.
2) Sepals, 3, 60% as long as the petals.
3) Achenes, obliquely ovoid, somewhat keeled, scarcely compressed, ±
pubescent.
Habitat:- Seasonally damp, ± shaded, nutrient-rich habitats, meadows, fallow
fields, orchards, deciduous woods, by streams, etc, on various substrates, 0-1300(
-1900) m.
Distribution:- Most of Europe, extending to Caucasia and NW. Africa; introduced in
E North America. Widespread and common on Crete.
Flowering time:- (Feb-)Mar to early May.
Photos by:- Steve Lenton
