Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae] |
status
flower
morph
petals
stem
toxicity
rarity
(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 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.
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Ranunculus | flammula | ⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ | Ranunculaceae |
Ranunculus (Buttercups) |
Buttercup Family [Ranunculaceae] |