| Ranunculus hederaceus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Ranunculales |
| Family: | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus: | Ranunculus |
| Species: | R. hederaceus |
| Binomial name | |
| Ranunculus hederaceus | |
Ranunculus hederaceus is a flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae.
Ivy-leaved crowfoot is a small, creeping, annual or perennial plant with stems up to about 50 cm long and only laminar leaves (i.e. no submerged capillary leaves), which can be opposite or alternately arranged along the stem. The leaves are dark blueish-green on the upper surface and paler below, 2.5-3.5 cm across, with 3-5 shallow lobes that are broadest at the base. The flowers are solitary on 1-2 cm long pedicels which arise opposite a leaf. They have 5 narrow petals about 3 mm long, which are white with a yellow base and a crescent-shaped (lunate) nectar pit. The petals do not touch or overlap. There are also 5 green sepals, which are almost as long as the petals. The flowers are bisexual with 9-43 carpels, arranged on the hairy receptacle, and numerous bright yellow stamens. Flowering occurs from March to August in northern Europe. The fruits are hairless, about 2 mm long, and sometimes have a narrow wing. [1] [2]
It is distinguished from other water crowfoots by a lack of submerged capillary leaves, all leaves being shiny, ivy shaped with 3-5 shallow lobes, broadest at the base and sometimes darker in the centre. Ivy-leaved crowfoot grows in mineral waters whereas the similar-looking round-leaved crowfoot is "invariably" found in more peaty waters.
The name Ranunculus hederaceus was published by Linnaeus in Species Plantarum in 1753. A few synonyms have been coined over the years, but none of them has been widely used. [3]
The generic name Ranunculus is Late Latin for "little frog", the diminutive of rana. The specific epithet hederaceus simply means "like ivy", from the shape of the leaves. Common names include the Welsh Crafanc-y-Frân Dail Eiddew which translates to "ivy-leaved claw" and the Swedish for "ivy flower", Murgönsmöja. [4]
Ivy-leaved crowfoot is commonly associated with bare muddy ground close to water, carpeting shallow water and drainage ditches. It often grows on the cattle-poached edges of ponds, ditches and streams, in wet gateways and on paths and tracks and sometimes disappears for a year or two in dry times.
The species appears to be characteristic of contact zones between more elevated oligotrophic sandy soils and eutrophic (or polluted) small streams or small artificial running waters, or of stagnant waters strongly influenced by seepage phenomena. [5]
Its Ellenberg values in Britain are L = 7, F = 9, R = 5, N = 5, and S = 0, which show that it favours wet, sunny places with neutral to slightly acid soil and low fertility, avoiding brackish situations. [6] In the British National Vegetation Classification it is associated with two aquatic communities: A13 alternate-leaved water-milfoil vegetation, which is typical of low-nutrient waterbodies towards the north and west, and A8 yellow water-lily community, which is typical of rivers, ditches and canals in the lowlands in the south. [7] It is, however, more common in water margin vegetation rather than open water, and it has been found in OV30 trifid bur-marigold, OV32 lesser spearwort and OV35 blinks communties, which are found on the margins of pools and lakes and in springs. [8] [9]
Common in the wetter west of England, Wales and southern Scotland, less common in the east of England and north west of Scotland. In Ireland it is common in the north and south but more scarce to the centre. The UK is thought to hold at least 20% of the global population of ivy-leaved water-crowfoot. [10]
In Europe, its conservation status is LC (Least Concern), although the European Environment Agency considers it to be synonymous with R. hyperboreus, which has a wider distribution. In Britain it also has the status LC. [11] [12]
Known to cause gastrointestinal distress, but also sometimes used to treat skin conditions and wounds (wildflowerweb)
Ranunculus is a large genus of about 1700 to more than 1800 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus are known as buttercups, spearworts and water crowfoots.
Ranunculus repens, the creeping buttercup, is a flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe, Asia and northwestern Africa. It is also called creeping crowfoot and sitfast.
Sandbach Flashes are a group of 14 wetlands west of Sandbach in Cheshire, England. The flashes were designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1963, with a total area of 1.53 km2. There are a number of individual flashes including Bottom's Flash, Crabmill Flash, Elton Hall Flash, Fodens Flash, Groby's Flash, Ilse Pool, Moston Flashes, Pump House Flash, Railway Flash, Red Lane Tip and Pool, and Watch Lane Flash.
This article gives an overview of the aquatic communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system.
Ranunculus peltatus, the pond water-crowfoot, is a plant species in the genus Ranunculus, native to Europe, southwestern Asia and northern Africa.
Biddle Street, Yatton is a 44.8 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near the village of Yatton in North Somerset, notified in 1994.
Montia fontana, blinks is a herbaceous annual to perennial plant that grows in freshwater springs in upland regions, and in seasonally damp acid grassland in the lowlands. It is widespread throughout the world, except in southern Asia. It is rather variable in morphology, which is reflected in a complex history of taxonomy. Currently, there are three accepted subspecies which are defined largely by the appearance of the seedcoat. It is edible and consumed as a salad in some areas, but is otherwise of minimal economic impact. Because of its association with clean water habitats, it is often viewed as a species of conservation value.
Ranunculus fluitans is a species of buttercup. It is a perennial water plant, which when in favourable conditions can grow up to 6 m (20 ft) height.
Potamogeton polygonifolius or bog pondweed is an aquatic plant. It is found in shallow, nutrient-poor, usually acid standing or running water, bogs, fens and occasionally ditches.
Railway Stell West is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in the Sedgefield district of County Durham, England. The site consists of a length of ditch alongside the East Coast Main Line railway, 3 km east of the town of Newton Aycliffe.
British NVC community OV26 is one of the open habitat communities in the British National Vegetation Classification system. It is one of four tall-herb weed communities.
Ranunculus trichophyllus, the threadleaf crowfoot, or thread-leaved water-crowfoot, is a plant species in the genus Ranunculus, native to Europe, Asia and North America.
Marloes Mere is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Pembrokeshire, South Wales. It has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest since November 1985 in an attempt to protect its fragile biological elements. The site has an area of 17.17 hectares and is managed by Natural Resources Wales.
Oenanthe aquatica, fine-leaved water-dropwort, is an aquatic flowering plant in the carrot family. It is widely distributed from the Atlantic coast of Europe to central Asia.
Ranunculus lingua, the greater spearwort, great spearwort, tongue-leaved crowfoot, or water buttercup, is a plant species in the family Ranunculaceae native to temperate areas of Europe, Siberia and through to the western Himalayas. It is a semiaquatic plant that prefers to grow in about 40 cm (16 in) of water in a variety of wetland habitats. A cultivar called 'Grandiflorus', the large-flowered greater spearwort, has 6 cm flowers and is favored by gardeners.
Ranunculus allegheniensis is a species of flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. Its common names include Allegheny Mountain buttercup and Allegheny crowfoot.
Ranunculus tripartitus is a species of flowering plant in the family Ranunculaceae, which grows in pools and muddy hollows in coastal parts of Europe, North Africa and West Asia. It is rare and endangered throughout its range, and is considered to be an indicator of favourable environmental conditions.
Oenanthe fluviatilis, the river water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, Apiaceae, which is endemic to north-west Europe. It grows only in clear, unpolluted rivers and is declining throughout its range.
Oenanthe silaifolia, narrow-leaved water-dropwort, is a flowering plant in the carrot family, which is native to Europe and adjacent parts of Asia and North Africa. It is an uncommon plant of water-meadows and wetlands.
Ranunculus baudotii is a flowering plant in the buttercup family.
