Toxicity: Many of the species of Ranunculus are poisonous and will severely irritate the skin. It is found throughout North America except in the U.S. abortivus is one of 16 buttercup species found in Minnesota. It is native to Minnesota, being found in all counties with a few scattered exceptions near the western border. It has been listed on subsequent census reports. Martha Crone noted it in bloom in 1939 and listed it on her 1951 Garden Census under the name Small-flowered Buttercup. Notes: Kidneyleaf Buttercup is indigenous to the Garden area Eloise Butler catalogued it on May 25, 1907. abortivus most closely resembles that of R. recurvatus Bristly Buttercup, Ranunculus pensylvanicus. The author name for the plant classification, 'L.' refers to Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778), Swedish botanist and the developer of the binomial nomenclature of modern taxonomy.Ĭomparisons: While the difference of basal and stem leaves of this species are unique, here are a few other buttercups for comparison: Cursed Crowfoot, R. The family name of Buttercup, used to be "Crowfoot', hence the continuation of the 'Crowfoot' in many of the species common names. The use of abortivus is then usually meant to mean - 'parts missing' or 'showing arrested development' which may be a reference to petals of the flower that are quite small, but we are not certain if that is what Linnaeus had in mind. The species, abortivus, is from the Latin aborior, meaning 'pass away' or 'aborted'. The generic name Ranunculus, is from two Latin words, 'rana' meaning ' frog' and 'unculus' meaning 'little' and together they refer to a group of plants, many of which grow in moist places - like little frogs. Names: Ranunculus abortivus is in Ranunculus Sect. It grows from a fibrous root system with the bottom of the stem sometimes enlarged. Plants can survive standing shallow water for short periods. Kidneyleaf Buttercup grows in rich moist soil of woods, meadows, fallow fields and clearings. Habitat: Buttercups comprise about 275 different species. Toxic: Buttercups have hazardous properties - see notes below. Varieties: Three have been listed in the literature but Flora of North America (Ref.# W7) does not consider it necessary to subdivide the species. Buttercup seeds need some cold stratification for germination, at least 30 days and some species require 60 days. Seed: Mature fruit is an oval cluster of dry achenes each of is 1.4-1.6 × 1-1.5 mm in size with a very small curved beak. The nectaries of the flower are in a pocket around the base of the petals. In the center is a cluster of green carpels, with very short styles, surrounded by a ring of stamens that have greenish-yellow filaments and yellow anthers. There are normally 5 recurved sepals that are without hair, longer and wider than the narrow yellow petals which are some of the smallest in the Buttercup family. The flower is 5 parted, but very small, 1/4 inch wide. The inflorescence consists of a number of solitary stalked flowers rising from the upper leaf axils. Stem leaves are alternate, few, usually stalkless, but deeply lobed with 3-5 oblong lobes, like many other buttercups. The tips have a least 5 large rounded teeth - some would say small lobes. They are on long stems and usually undivided but sometimes the inner most leaves can be 3-parted. Basal leaves are kidney or heart-shaped, hence the common name. The leaves are both basal and stem and unlike the other 3 buttercups in the Garden, the basal and stem leaves are very different. Kidneyleaf Buttercup is a native, erect, branched perennial, growing on smooth but faintly ridged stems, 8-20 inches high.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |