LESSER SPEARWORT

Ranunculus flammula

Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]  

month8jun month8june month8jul month8july month8Aug month8sep month8sept month8Oct

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

rarity
rarityZrare
(sspp. minimus & scoticus)

30th May 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
In a shallow wet area with Yellow Flag and Creeping Willow.


30th May 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Just over a foot tall.


8th July 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
But can also be prostrate.


1st July 2005, A wet flush, near Burnmoor Tarn, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are narrow lanceolate or linear.


1st July 2005, A wet flush, near Burnmoor Tarn, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The lower stems reddish.


30th May 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The flowers yellow with five shiny petals, buttercup-like.


8th July 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
With several flowers, then fruits, on each stem.


8th July 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Five shiny yellow petals.


8th July 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
The fruits typical of buttercups.


30th May 2009, Wet Sand Dune Slacks, Ainsdale, Southport. Photo: © RWD
Likes to sit in still or slow-moving shallow water.


10th July 2009, A stream, Near Castle Crag, Borrowdale Valley, Cumbria. Photo: © RWD
The leaves are narrow lanceolate or linear.


Easily confused with : Two other sub-species of Lesser Spearwort, namely ssp. minimus and ssp. scoticus, but the former is found only in the northernmost reaches of Scotland, and the latter also in some of the Western Scottish Isles.

Hybridizes with : the much rarer Creeping Spearwort, Ranunculs Reptans, which itself is not to be confused with the ubiquitous Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus Repens).

Some similarities to : Greater Spearwort, but that is much taller, never prostrate, and with correspondingly larger flowers. Distinguishing Feature : Stands in shallow water with Buttercup-like flowers.

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

Lesser Spearwort is a member of the Buttercup family.


  Ranunculus flammula  ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ Ranunculaceae  

Distribution
family8Buttercup family8Ranunculaceae
 BSBI maps
genus8Ranunculus
Ranunculus
(Buttercups)

LESSER SPEARWORT

Ranunculus flammula

Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae]  

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