Ranunculus acris

Sharp Buttercup ( Ranunculus acris ), illustration

The Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris ) is a plant of the family Ranunculaceae ( Ranunculaceae ). In some regions of Germany and in German-speaking Switzerland it is - as though some other yellow blooming wild flowers too - sometimes referred to as buttercup (see for example, Creeping Buttercup ).

Description

Appearance and foliage leaf

The buttercup grows as a perennial herbaceous plant, reaching heights of growth from 30 to 110 centimeters. It is formed sometimes a rhizome. The aboveground plant parts are bare. The stems and flower stalks are round and not furrowed.

The leaves are at the base of the stem and distributes alternate. The relatively long -stalked basal leaves have a length from 1.8 to 5.2 inches and a width of 2.7 to 9.8 centimeters a pentagonal outline and are three-to five-piece, with one to three times deeply lobed or divided sections. The top section is narrow elliptic or oblong to lanceolate with a lobed to toothed margins and a pointed or rounded end. The stem leaves are serrated three-to five-piece and cut. The further up the leaves on the stem are the shorter the petiole.

Generative features

The flowering period extends from May to October. The hermaphrodite, radial symmetry flowers have a diameter of 1 to 2.5 inches on. The base of the flower ( receptaculum ) is bald. The five rough hairy, usually 4 to 6 (up to 9 ) mm long and 25 mm wide sepals are spread ( the bulbous buttercup they are repulsed ). The five most kronblattartigen, bright golden yellow, slightly glossy leaves are usually nectar 8 to 11 (up to 17 ) mm long and 7-13 mm wide.

In a spherical, capitate collecting fruit with a diameter of usually 5 to 7 ( to 10 ) mm are much nutlets together. The bare nutlets are 2 to 3 mm long and 1.8 to 2.4 mm wide, the edge of which forms a narrow 0.1 mm to 0.2 mm rib. The durable beak is delta -shaped with a straight or curved, short with 0.2 to 1 mm to long pfriemförmigen tip.

The chromosome number is 2n = 14

Ecology

The flowers are " nectar leading disk flowers ". They consist of five calyx-like tepals and 5 kronblattartigen nectar leaves with a basal scale, in which the nectar gland is located. The flower visitors are numerous, but also the self-pollination is successful. In England and purely female plants ( with smaller flowers ) were observed.

The fruits are only 1.5 mg of heavy nutlets, which can propagate as a glider; in addition also an intestinal spread by cattle and humans propagation is possible. Fruit ripening from July to October.

Occurrence

The buttercup has a wide distribution area in the northern hemisphere in Eurasia and North America. Within Europe, it does not happen only in Portugal and Turkey. It grows at altitudes 0-2300 meters, sometimes up to 2757 meters. Ranunculus acris grows on meadows and in thickets, and preferably moist, nitrogen-containing clay.

Ingredients and toxicity

The plants contain, inter alia, the toxins Ranunculin, Anemonin as well as the strong skin and mucous irritating, pungent-tasting toxin protoanemonin and are avoided by cattle. In grazed pastures the type therefore often remains insular. If large quantities of buttercups fed to cattle in the grass, it may cause poisoning in this. In Hay, however, is lost during the drying process, the toxic and pungent protoanemonin.

For humans, the protoanemonin is toxic. Among the symptoms of poisoning that occur after the consumption of plant parts include stomach pain, diarrhea and cramps. For very large quantities may occur even death. For consumption it has come earlier because in folk medicine the leaves and the green of the various Crowfoot species were used as a laxative. In today's medicine, they are no longer used.

The buttercup has a share of 0.15% protoanemonin in the entire herb.

Subspecies

In Europe there are four subspecies:

• Subsp. acris
• Subsp. borealis ( usually ) Nyman, comes in Europe especially in the Northeast
• Subsp.. friesianus ( Jordan ) Rouy & FOUC, home in Europe: Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece, or even deported
• Subsp. pumilus ( Wahlenb. ) Á. Löve & D. Löve, arrives in Europe in the far north, especially in Iceland before

Cultivar

Ranunculus acris ' Multiplex' is a strikingly bright yellow double flowers varieties of sharp tap foot. This ornamental plant flowers from May to June and reaches heights of growth of about 60 centimeters. It thrives in natural gardens, preferably in the vicinity of water.

Swell

• Alan T. Whittemore: Ranunculus in the Flora of North America, Volume 3, 1997: Ranunculus acris - Online. (Section Description and occurrence)
• R. Duell / H. Kutzelnigg: Pocket Dictionary of Plants in Germany. 7th edition, Quelle & Meyer Verlag, 2011, ISBN 978-3-494-01424-1