Tall or Common or Meadow Buttercup (Ranunculus acris L.)

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Tall or Common or Meadow Buttercup(Ranunculus
acris L.)
Family Ranunculaceae (ra-NUN-ku-lus) From the
Latin rana, frog referring to the damp places
where this family is often found. It is in the
buttercup family. Genus ranunculus
(ra-NUN-ku-lus) From the Latin rana or frog,
referring to the species growing in damp places
such as marshes and bogs. Species acris
(AK-riss) Means acrid or bitter tasting.
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Common Buttercup
The tall buttercup is in the crowfoot family.
Also known as meadow buttercup, it is an invasive
which originated in northern Europe. This hairy,
branching plant grows erect from 30 to 90 cm
tall. The tall buttercup has poisonous toxins
in all its parts. These can be destroyed by
drying or by heat. The strongly acrid juice can
cause blistering on exposed skin.
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Common Buttercup
The stems with leaves are hairy, unbranched and
appear translucent or white.

• The leaves are basal and are long-stalked and
  deeply palmately lobed into 3 to 7 parts.
• Those higher up on stems are alternate,
  short-stalked and 3-lobed. Both types of leaves
  have soft-hairs on both sides.

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Common Buttercup
The flowers, which appear from May to July and
often last until September, are pollinated by
bees, flies, beetles, moths and butterflies.

• The flower has five uniformly shaped shiny
  golden-yellow petals, 2 - 3.5 cm across appearing
  on long stalks with numerous stamens and pistils.
  
• The sepals are hairy.

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Tall Buttercup

• The fruit is in a globose cluster which is dry
  and seed-like achenes.

Future location of photo.
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Tall Buttercup

• In Altona Forest, tall buttercup grows in full
  sun or semi-shade around the parking lot and in
  and around the clearings on the west and north
  sections.
• The leaves can be cooked and used as greens. The
  flowers are popular in Tibetan medicine for
  various medicinal purposes. In the past, leaves
  and stems were crushed and applied as a poultice
  to the chest to relieve colds and chest pains or
  they were sniffed as a treatment for headaches.
  It has also been used to treat rheumatism, boils
  and abscess. The acidic sap was used to remove
  warts and as a sedative. This plant is still
  being studied and caution should be used in any
  food or medicinal preparation. If not done
  properly intense pain and burning of the mouth
  can result.
• The acrid juice discourages browsing animals thus
  helping it to spread.

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