Caltha

Scientific name

Caltha L.

Common names

marsh marigold, king's cup, may blob, meadow-bright

Family

Ranunculaceae

Similar genera

Nymphoides, Ranunculus

Native distribution

temperatetemperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
regions of the world

Species cultivated

Caltha leptosepala DC.

C. natans Pall. ex Georgi.

C. palustris L. (C. polypetala Hochst. ex Lorent) (cosmopolitancosmopolitan:
(adj) essentially worldwide in distribution
)

Adventive distribution

information not available

Weed status

not weedy

Habit

emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
or creeping stem plantstem plant:
(n) (a term used in the aquarium and pond plant trade) having an elongate stem (as opposed to a compact stem)

Brief description

Perennialperennial:
(adj) (of a plant) having a life cycle of more than two years
, herbaceous. Stem creeping or ascending, rhizomatousrhizomatous:
(adj) possessing rhizomes
. Leaves submergedsubmerged:
(adj) (syn. submersed) under water; submerged below the water surface
, floating or emergentemergent:
(adj) (syn. emersed) with parts raised out of the water; extending up out of the water
, in a rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, al ternateternate:
(adj) in threes
; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
simple, lobedlobed:
(adj) divided into (usually rounded) segments
or reniformreniform:
(adj) kidney-shaped
to circular; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire or toothed, sometimes upturned basally. Flowers solitary or in loose cymosecymose:
(adj) in the form of a cyme; bearing cymes
panicles; actinomorphicactinomorphic:
(adj) of flowers, having radial symmetry; capable of being bisected into identifical halves along more than one axis
; perianthperianth:
(n) collective term for the calyx and corolla of a flower; also used for floral whorl(s) in which the calyx and corolla cannot be resolved; any of the leaves or bracts surrounding the sex organs of bryophytes
segments in single whorlwhorl:
(n) three or more similar organs arranged in a circle at the same point around an axis
, 5 or more, yellow or white. Dispersal of seeds by water or unknown.

Natural habitat

wet areas and margins of cool-cold waters, often around snowmelt runoff

Additional comments

Genus consists of six species plus seven varieties, found in temperatetemperate:
(adj) of the climatic zone between boreal and tropical
regions. Some species are recorded as poisonous when eaten.