RANUNCULUS SUBHOMOPHYLLUS

Family and Genus:- See- RANUNCULACEAE

Common Names:- Thread-leaved water crowfoot

Homotypic Synonyms:- Ranunculus cadmicus, Ranunculus chaerophyllus

var. subhomophyllus

Meaning:- Ranunculus (L) Little-frog, diminutive of rana, (reference to the water-

loving habit of many species).

Subhomophyllus (Gr) With almost uniform leaves.

General description:- Delicate, almost hairless (subglabrous) perennial with a

cluster of obtuse root tubers some short and ellipsoid, some up to 20mm and ±

cylindrical.

Stems:-

1) Very slender, flexuous, usually 1-flowered.

Leaves:-

1) Basal, long-petiolate;

a) petiole, slender, usually 5-9 cm.

b) lamina, suborbicular in outline or usually somewhat broader than long, 2-5 x

3-5.5 cm, thin and delicate, cordate, at the base, 3- to 5-partite c. halfway

into obovate lobes which are further divided into a few, obtuse segments or

teeth.

2) Cauline, lower, well-developed.

Flowers:-

1) Sepals, appressed to patent, c. 5 mm, elliptic, subglabrous.

2) Petals, 5-8 mm, narrowly obovate, obtuse, bright yellow.

3) Receptacle, glabrous.

Fruit:-

1) Achenes;

a) head, broadly ovoid to subglobose.

b) body, strongly compressed, 2.5-3 mm, obliquely suborbicular, smooth and

glabrous, winged, the wing, falcate or almost straight.

2) Beak, 1-1.5 mm.

Key features:-

1) Basal leaves, cordate at the base, 3- to 5-partite c. halfway.

2) Lamina, of the basal leaves 3-partite to the base divided into narrow subacute to

obtuse segments.

3) Pedicels, 12-40 mm in fruit, shorter than or equalling the opposite petiole.

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Habitat:- Seasonally damp crevices and ledges of limestone cliffs, generally in

semi-shade in gorges and among boulders. 700-1900 m.

Distribution:- Endemic Peloponnisos, Crete and Karpathos. On Crete confined the

the Lefka Ori and Psiloritis massifs and one location on Afendis Kavousi.

Flowering time:- Apr-May.

Photos by:- Fotis Samaritakis

Status:-

Conservation status (for threatened species): Rare (R) according to IUCN 1997

Protection status (for threatened species): Greek Presidential Decree 67/1981