GREATER SPEARWORT

Ranunculus lingua

Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]  

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8Aug

status
statusZnative
 
flower
flower8yellow
 
morph
morph8actino
 
petals
petalsZ5
 
stem
stem8round
 
stem
stem8hollow
hollow
toxicity
toxicityZlowish
 

8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
In a wet hollow.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Flowers very buttercup-like, shiny, with five petals.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Leaves long, wide and linear emerging from the stem in various places.


5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Country Pk, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
In a drainage ditch full of iron-coloured organisms.


5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Country Pk, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
Leaves hairy with short hairs on one side at least.


5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Country Pk, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
A single plant.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The petals drop off to reveal the fruiting head.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The fruiting head plus petals.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Before flower is fully open it resembles Globe Marigold.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
A fully open flower.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Flower not yet unfurled.


5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Country Pk, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
Right shows flower bud not yet open.


5th July 2014, Rimrose Valley Country Pk, Merseyside. Photo: © RWD
A multitude of yellow filaments with yellow stamens atop.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
With some stamens still attached at the bottom of the fruiting head, the petals once below having dropped off.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
View from top of fruiting head.


8th July 2009, Mature Dune Slacks, Birkdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The fruiting head. The ends are curled around like a Burdock Burr. In shape the fruits are very flattened pointed-oval. They are still not ripe here.


Slight resemblance to (When the flower has not yet opened) : Globeflower and to Marsh Marigold, which are both members of the same Buttercup family as Greater Spearwort.

Distinguishing Feature :

No relation to : Spear Mint [a plant of similar name].


  Ranunculus lingua  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Ranunculaceae  

Distribution
family8Buttercup family8Ranunculaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Ranunculus
Ranunculus
(Buttercups)

GREATER SPEARWORT

Ranunculus lingua

Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]  

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