Genus Ranunculus L.

Род 304 (17). ЛЮТИЧЕ —RANUNCULUS L.¹

L., Sp. PI. ed. 1 (1753); Gen. Pl. ed. 5(1754) 243

Fam:   Ranunculaceae Juss.
Genus:   Ranunculus L.
English Name: Buttercups, Spearworts and Water crowfoots

Description:

Annual or perennial land or aquatic herbaceous plants. Blossoms Single or many. The leaves of the land species are entire, palatable or pinnated cut out, and those of the water representatives floating - flat or triple - and submarine - filamentally distributed. The blossoms are regular, bipolar. Sepals (3) 5, rarely 8 - 12. Petals 5, rarely more, white or yellow, at the base with nectar pits. Multiple stamens and carpellums, located on a convex blossom bed. The assembled fruit consists of rounded, flat or spherical nuts, with a right or curved little nose, smooth on the surface, with warts, spikes or fine pores, naked or fibrous. Mostly cross-pollinated, some (R. montanus agr., R. auricomusca-ssubicus agr.) apomy. Propagate with seeds and vegetative.

Fossil residues of the genus Ranunculus aquatilis L. foss. were found in Pleistocene settlements near the village of Belchin, Sofia region.

Table for determination of the species 1   White blossoms ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2 1* Blossms yellow ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 2   Blossms with long stems, placed in the bosom of the leaves (always single). Aquatic plants, some of which have two types of leaves: one floating on the surface of the water and flat, other underwater with thin filaments; sometimes flat leaves are missing ………….............................……………………. 3 2* Blossms placed on the top of the stem and its branches (two or more, rarely single). Terrestrial plants, on dry, wet or marshy soil, with flat, whole or palm leaf, pear leaves …………..................................................................................................................................................................……….... 8 3   Plants with one or several flat leaves to the top of the stem ...................................................................................................................................... 4 3* Plants with only filamentary leaves .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 4   Filamentary cut leaves usually shorter than 8 centimeters and of the corresponding internodes, rarely equal to it. The average leaf share at least equal to the lateral …………………………….. ........................................................................................................................................ 41. - R. aquatilis L. 4* Filamentary leaves usually longer than 8 cm, and exceed the length of the corresponding internode. The middle leaf share considerably shorter than the lateral ............................................... ................................................................................................................ 38.- R. pseudofluitans (Syme) Newb. 5    The leaves are usually longer than 8 cm and exceed the length of the corresponding internode. Blossom 1.0 - 1.5 cm in diameter .............................. ………………..................................................................................................................................……….... 38. - R pseudofluitans (Syme) Newb. 5* Leaves shorter than 8 cm, rarely longer than the corresponding internodes, but then the blossoms at least 20 - 30 cm in diameter ............................. 6 6   Blossoms exceed 20 - 30 cm in diameter, nectarines oblong or pear-shaped. Nuts about 1 mm, hemispheres, naked ................................................. .................................................................................................................................................................. 40. - R. sphaerospermas Boiss. et Blanche 6* Blossoms 15 - 18 cm in diameter. Nectarines lunar. Nuts about 2 mm elliptical, at least on the edges of the bristles .................................................. 7 7   Blossom stems 1 - 2 times longer than adjacent leaves .... 39. - R. pseudofluitans (Syme) Newb. 7* Blossom stems shorter, equal or slightly longer than adjacent leaves .............................................................................. 42. - R. trichophyllus Chaix 8 (2*) The basal leaves are entire, kidney or weakly triple, on the edge dull jagged. Blossoms single or two. Plant not more than 15 cm .......................... ................................................................................................................................................................................... 32. - R. crenatus Waldst. et Kit. 8* The basal leaves almost to the base are digitate cut into 3 - 5 (7) shares. Flowers more than 2. Plants higher than 15 cm ....... 33. - R. platanifolius L. 9 (1*) The Sepals 3, the petals 8 - 12 ................................................................................................................................................. 31. - R ficaria L. 9* The Sepals and petals in number 5  ....................................................................................................................................................................... 10 10  All leaves are whole, entire or sometimes vaguely jagged, elliptical, ovate, lanceolate, linear or linear elliptical ......................................................... 11 10* At least part of the leaves deeply cut or clearly jagged, in their general outline of kidney, heartbeat, digitate, triple or feather-like ........................... 15 11   The flowers are sitting or almost seated in the bosom of the leaves. Stems are usually falsely dichotomous-branched .......... 38. - R. lateriflorus DC. 11* Blossms with long stems. Stems otherwise branched ............................................................................................................................................ 12 12   Blossms 30 - 50 mm in diameter. Nuts 2.5 mm long. Stems about 50 cm high …………………...................................…………... 35. R.lingua L. 12* Blossms up to 20 mm in diameter. Nuts 1 - 2 mm long. Stems rarely reach a height of 50 cm ............................................................................... 13 13   The basal leaves, lanceolate, linear lanceolate or ovate lanceolate, linearly elliptic, basically gradually narrowed. Flower stems with rare hairs ……... ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 34. - R. flammula L. 13* The basal leaves broadly ovate, with a heart-like or wedge-like base. Blossom stems naked …............................................................................. 14 14    The stems creeping, in the nodes are rooted. Smooth nuts .............................................................................................. 37. - R fontanus C. Presl 14* Stems erect, non-rooting. Walnuts with small warts .................................................................................................  36. - R. ophioglossifolius Vill. 15  Basal leaves divided to their base at 3 - 7 linearly lanceolate entire or barely serrated ................………………………………............................ 16 15* Basal leaves are entire, a little too much dwarf cut; the middle leaf share with a little stem, with a kidney, heart, rounded or wedge-shaped base, rounded, jagged or deeply incised; sometimes the leaves are prickly cut ...................................................................................................................... 17 16    Plant covered with adherent silver hairs. The sepals are bent downwards during flower bloom and are adherent to the flower stem. The basal leaves are entire or divided into 3 - 7 linear lance shares …………………………………………………...........……………….............. 22. - R. illyricus L. 16* Plant naked or almost naked. The sepals during bloom are up or spread sideways. The basal  leaves 1 - 2 times triple; the meddle leaf share  linear lance, lateral shares deep two-sided ………………………………………………...................................................... 23. - R. pedatus Waldst. et Kit. 17    Stems basically thickened in the form of a tuber ...................................................................................................................... 13. - R. bulbosus L. 17* The stems are basically not thickened in the form of a tuber ................................................................................................................................. 18 18 Part of the roots round, egg-shaped, cylindrical, spindly or cylindrically thickened ….…...................................................................................….. 19 18* All roots filamentous or corded ........................................................................................................................................................................... 27 19    The sepals during the flowering bend down and adherent to the blossom stem ……............................................................................................. 20 19* During the flowering, the sepals spread outward, upright and always adherent to the crown .................................................................................. 25 20   The leaves and sepals are bare or almost naked. Nuts with very short, straight nails ………......................................... 18. - R. gracilis E.D. Clarke 20* Leaves and sepals with sepals or protruding hairs or silk-fiber. Nuts with straight or slightly curved little noses ...................................................... 21 21  The middle leaf share of the basal leaves with a little stem. Stems spread to the side and sometimes wavy curves ....................... 13. - R. bulbosus L. 21* The middle leaf share of the basal leaves usually sitting down, at the base linked with the lateral leaf shares. Stems erect ........................................ 22 22   Silk fiber plant. The middle share of the basal leaves back conical, to the base strongly narrowed and sometimes with a short stem ............................ ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20. - R. psilostachys Griseb. 22* Plant covered with bristles. The middle share of basal leaves with a broad base .................................................................................................... 23 23    Petals broadly back ovoid. Walnuts finely-bearded; their little nose clearly bent at the top .............................................. 21. - R. ramelicus Griseb. 23* Petals elliptical, narrowly back ovate. Nuts without warts, smooth or rough; their little nose straight or barely curved ............................................. 24 24   Blossom stems with spread hairs. The assorted fruit elongated cylindrical. Walnuts oblong, sharp conical, rough; the noses are longer than they are ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 19. - R .oxyspermus M.V. 24* Blossom stems with honey. The assorted fruit spherical. Walnuts round, smooth; the little noses are straight or slightly curved, sometimes shorter than they are ............................................................................................................................................................................... 12. - R. neapolitanus Ten. 25    Basal leaves 2 - 3 times pinnate, with short linear lance shares ...................................................................................... 23. - R. millefoliatus Vahl. 25* Basal leaves digitate, 3 - 5-part ........................................................................................................................................................................... 26 26    The sepals and the basal leaves naked. Stem with short and licking hairs .................................................................. 25. - R. incomparabilis Janka 26* The sepals and the basal leaves with long, splayed hairs. The stem most often with splayed hairs, rarely almost naked ............................................... ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 26. - R. sprunerianus Boiss. 27 (18*) The middle leaf share of the lowest basal leaves with a stem; leaf shares unconnected to the base between them ............................................ 28 27* The middle leaf share of the lowest basal leaves without stems, narrowed or broad at its base; the leaf shares at the base connected each other, rarely the middle leaf share thinned into a short little stalk; sometimes the lowest leaves are entire, kidney or heart-shaped, less elliptical, only on the toothed tip .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 32 28   Fruit beds short hairy. Flower stems at least to the bottom and the stem with longitudinal furrows .......................................................................... 29 28* Fruit beds naked. Flower stems and stems without longitudinal grooves or unobtrusive  ........................................................................................ 31 29   The sepals during flowering facing upwards and clinging to the crown or outstretched. Stems basically ascending or landed on the ground, with creeping above-ground shoots, often rooted in the nodes ................... ............................................................................................. 5. - R. repens L. 29* The sepals during flowering curved down, tilted down and down  and leaned toward the blossom stem. Stems erect, without standing and rooting above ground shoots ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 30 30    Annual plants with filamentous roots. Stems are basically not thickened in the form of a tuber or a bulb .......................... ... 14. - R. sardous Grantz 30* Perennials with slightly cylindrical thickened roots. Stems are often basically thickened in the form of a tuber ............................. 13. - R. bulbosus L. 31    The roots are longer than 4 cm, horizontally or obliquely. The basal leaves are densely fibrous, silky-shiny. Leaf shares with stems longer than 1 cm. The stamen stems fibrous ………………… .................................................................................................................................. 8. - R. serbicus Vis. 31* The roots shorter than 4 cm, vertically or almost undeveloped. Basal leaves with rare tufted hairs. Leaf shares with stems shorter than 1 cm. The stamen stems naked …........................................................................................................................................................................... 7. - R. acris L. 32    Sepals during the flowering bend down and affectionate to the blossom stem ....................................................................................................... 33 32* Sepals during the flowering standing up and affectionate to the corolla or slightly spread outward .... ..................................................................... 38 33   Fruit beds short fibrous ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 34 33* Fruit beds naked ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 36 34   The fruit beds cylindrically extended. Nuts 1 mm long, globular; the little noses are barely noticeable or almost lacking. Petals a little shorter than the calyx ...........................................................................................................................................................................................  30. - R sceleratus L. 34* Fruit beds spherical. Nuts 2.5 - 8 mm long, flat; little noses long, curved or short straight. Petals longer than calyx ................................................. 35 35   Nuts 7 - 8 mm long, covered with numerous sharp, long and covered spines; the little noses 2 - 3 mm long, almost half shorter than the nuts. Petals slightly longer than the calyx ………………… ............................................................................................................................ 15. - R. muricatus L. 35* The nuts 2.5  3 millimeters long, smooth, with small pores on their surface or with small dull little warts (without sharp spines); the little noses 0.5 mm long, 4 - 5 times shorter than the nuts. Petals 2 times longer than calyx ...................................................................................... 14. - R. sardous Grantz 36   Nuts with large and clearly visible warts. Blossoms 5 - 8 mm in diameter, usually single, located in the bosom of the leaves and on the top of the stem. Leaf stems short, with longitudinal grooves, deviated sideways or curved downwards. Annual plants ……..............................……… 17. - R. chius DC. 36* Nuts smooth. Blossms 14 - 30 mm in diameter, usually several at the top of the stem and its branches. The blossom stems long, unfolded, upward, forming a thyroid inflorescence. Perennials .................................................................................................................................................................. 37 37   The little noses of the nuts shorter than 1 mm, straight. The middle leaf sharess of the basal leaves conically ovoid, with a narrow base ....................... .................................................................................................................................................................................................... 1. - R. velatinas Ten. 37* The little noses of the nuts 1 mm long, sickly curved, with a curved tip. The middle leaf shares of the basal leaves broadly ovate, broadly based ........ .................................................................................................................................................................... 2. - R. constantinopolitanus (DC.) D'Urv. 38   Nuts covered with sharp spines, large warts or velvety fibrous ............................................................................................................................. 39 38* Nuts smooth and nude ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 42 39   Basal leaves usually rounded, kidney or heart-shaped, entire, deeply triple or palm-edged, ribbed; truncated to the base divided into long, linear, linearly lance or linearly elliptical, whole or jagged shares. Walnuts almost rounded, velvety short fibrous ...................................................................... 40 39* Basal and stem leaves almost identical in shape, triple, wedge-shaped. The walnuts are laterally flattened, naked, covered with long sharp spikes or with large warts .............................................................................................................................................................................. 16. - R. arvensis L. 40   The shares of the stem leaves usually linear or linear lance, entire or less often with 3 - 4 teeth. Stems are usually numerous, with more than 4 leaves, rarely 1 – 2 ……..................................................................................................................................................................….. 29. - R. auricomus L . 40* The shares of the stem leaves lance or linearly elliptical. Stems single, usually with 1 - 3 sheets .............................................................................. 41 41   The shares of lower stem leaves wide more than 8 mm, evenly jagged; basal leaves about 10 cm wide, usually in the base, deep and deeply incised, with parallel or arcuate edge edges ……………. ......................................................................................................................... 27 - R. cassubicus L. 41* The lower stem leaves up to 8 mm wide, uneven and improperly jagged; the basal leaves entire or slightly trident, usually narrower than 10 cm, basically broadly cut, the edges distant ………… .......................................................................................................... 28. - R. fallax Wimm. et Grab. 42   Fruit beds naked ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 43 42* Fruit beds at least on theirs top short hairy ........................................................................................................................................................... 44 43   Stems and leaf stems covered with long spread hairs. The blossoms orange yellow. The basal leaves almost 3/4 of their length triple. Nuts 4 - 5 mm long; the little noses 1.5 mm long, spirally curved .......................................................................................................................... 6. - R. lanuginosus L. 43* Stems and leaf stems covered with short, loose hairs. The blossoms golden yellow. Basal leaves deeper cut. Nuts 2 - 3 mm long; the hips shorter than 1.5mm, makes ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 7. - R acris L. 44   Stems usually deflected to the side, arched or wavy curved, basically as well as leaves, bare ............................................... 11. - R. hayekii Dörfler 44* Stems erect, along their entire length, as well as leaves, short fibrous ………….................................................................................................... 45 45   The blossom stems longitudinally striped. The stems at its upper part strongly branched, with numerous blossoms. The stems and leaf stems are mostly rusty ………………………........................................................................................................................................................................……….. 46 45* Blossom stems smooth. Stems unbranded or slightly branched, with 1 - 2, rarely with 3 blossoms. The hairs on the stems and leaf stems whitish .... 47 46    Walnuts with short, straight, only on top curled nose. All basal leaves are palatable, to the base cut to 3 - 5 shares; the pieces to half or more deeply cut into narrow-line or linear pieces, along the edge with sharp teeth. Petals 7 - 14 mm long ...................................................... 3. - R. polyanthemos L. 46* Walnuts with long and spirally curved nose. All or part of the leaves deeply trimmed; the cutouts do not reach the edge at the base of the lamina; shares less than half the two-piece or triple. Petals 15 - 20 mm long .................................... ...................................................... 4. - R. nemorosus DC. 47   Fruit beds covered with bristles over their entire length. The basal leaves to their base triple; the cuts, broad, ovate, usually touching or overlapping, with egg-shaped, suddenly pointed teeth .......................... .................. .................................................................................. 10. - R. orcophylus М. В. 47* Fruit beds covered with bristles only on the top. The basal leaves to the middle of their triple; the parts 2 - 3 times cut and jagged, a little more sideways, with triangular narrow or rounded teeth ..................................................................................................................... 9. - R. montanus Willd. ¹ Developed Iv. Penev From  „Флора на НР България”, том IV, БАН, София, (1970)

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Ranunculus /ræˈnʌŋkjʊləs/[1] is a genus of about 500 species[2] of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts and water crowfoots. The petals are often highly lustrous, especially in yellow species, owing to a special coloration mechanism: the petal's upper surface is very smooth causing a mirror-like reflection.[3][4] The flash aids in attracting pollinating insects and temperature regulation of the flower's reproductive organs.[3] Buttercups usually flower in the spring, but flowers may be found throughout the summer, especially where the plants are growing as opportunistic colonizers, as in the case of garden weeds.
The water crowfoots (Ranunculus subgenus Batrachium), which grow in still or running water, are sometimes treated in a separate genus Batrachium (from Greek βάτραχος batrachos, "frog"). They have two different leaf types, thread-like leaves underwater and broader floating leaves. In some species, such as R. aquatilis, a third, intermediate leaf type occurs.
Ranunculus species are used as food by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Hebrew Character and small angle shades. Some species are popular ornamental flowers in horticulture, with many cultivars selected for large and brightly coloured flowers.

Description

Buttercups are mostly perennial, but occasionally annual or biennial, herbaceous, aquatic or terrestrial plants, often with leaves in a rosette at the base of the stem. In many perennial species runners are sent out that will develop new plants with roots and rosettes at the distanced nodes. The leaves lack stipules, have stems, are palmately veined, entire, more or less deeply incised, or compound, and leaflets or leaf segments may be very fine and linear in aquatic species. The hermaphrodite flowers are single or in a cyme, have usually five (but occasionally as few as three or as many as seven) mostly green sepals and usually five yellow, greenish or white petals that are sometimes flushed with red, purple or pink (but the petals may be absent or have a different, sometimes much higher number). At the base of each petal is usually one nectary gland that is naked or may be covered by a scale. Anthers may be few, but often many are arranged in a spiral, are yellow or sometimes white, and with yellow pollen. The sometimes few but mostly many green or yellow carpels are not fused and are also arranged in a spiral, mostly on a globe or dome-shaped receptacle. The fruits (in this case called achenes) may be smooth or hairy, winged, nobby or have hooked spines.[5]

Naming

The name Ranunculus is Late Latin for "little frog", the diminutive of rana. This probably refers to many species being found near water, like frogs.[5]
The name buttercup may derive from a false belief that the plants give butter its characteristic yellow hue (in fact it is poisonous to cows and other livestock). A popular children's game involves holding a buttercup up to the chin; a yellow reflection is supposed to indicate fondness for butter.[6]
In the interior of the Pacific Northwest of the United States the buttercup[clarification needed] is called "Coyote’s eyes"—ʔiceyéeyenm sílu in Nez Perce and spilyaynmí áčaš in Sahaptin. In the legend Coyote was tossing his eyes up in the air and catching them again when Eagle snatched them. Unable to see, Coyote made eyes from the buttercup.[citation needed]

Splitting of the genus

Molecular investigation of the genus has revealed that Ranunculus is not monophyletic with respect to a number of other recognized genera in the family – e.g. Ceratocephala, Halerpestes, Hamadryas, Laccopetalum, Myosurus, Oxygraphis, Paroxygraphis and Trautvetteria. A proposal to split Ranunculus into several genera have thus been published in a new classification for the tribe Ranunculeae.[7] The split (and often re-recognized) genera include Arcteranthis Greene, Beckwithia Jeps., Callianthemoides Tamura, Coptidium (Prantl) Beurl. ex Rydb., Cyrtorhyncha Nutt. ex Torr. & A.Gray, Ficaria Guett., Krapfia DC., Kumlienia E. Greene and Peltocalathos Tamura.

Pharmacological activity

The most common uses of Ranunculus species in traditional medicines are anti-rheumatism, intermittent fever and rubefacient. The findings in some Ranunculus species of, for example, Protoanemonin, anemonin, may justify the uses of these species against fever, rheumatism and rubefacient in Asian traditional medicines.[8]

Toxicity

All Ranunculus species are poisonous when eaten fresh by cattle, horses, and other livestock, but their acrid taste and the blistering of the mouth caused by their poison means they are usually left uneaten. Poisoning can occur where buttercups are abundant in overgrazed fields where little other edible plant growth is left, and the animals eat them out of desperation. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, excessive salivation, colic, and severe blistering of the mouth, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract. When Ranunculus plants are handled, naturally occurring ranunculin is broken down to form protoanemonin, which is known to cause contact dermatitis in humans and care should therefore be exercised in extensive handling of the plants.[9] The toxins are degraded by drying, so hay containing dried buttercups is safe.[citation needed]

Fossil record

†Ranunculus gailensis and †Ranunculus tanaiticus seed fossils have been described from the Pliocene Borsoni Formation in the Rhön Mountains, central Germany.[10]
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Ranunculus

The genus Ranunculus is in the family Ranunculaceae in the major group Angiosperms (Flowering plants).
Statistics are at the end of the page.
From “The Plant List” - www.theplantlist.org/tpl1.1/record/kew-2526257

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References:„Флора на НР България”, том IV, БАН, София, (1970), Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,

“The Plant List” - www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Ranunculaceae/Ranunculus/

Distribution in Bulgaria: (Conspectus of the Bulgarian Vascular Flora) = conspectus&gs_l= Zlc.
Distribution:

SPECIES:

Ranunculus acris L. - Meadow buttercup, Tall buttercup, Common buttercup and Giant buttercup

Ranunculus ficaria L. - Lesser celandine or Pilewort

Ranunculus millefoliatus Vahl. - Jerusalem butercup

Ranunculus polyanthemos L. - Multiflowered buttercup

Ranunculus repens L. - Creeping buttercup

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