Ficaria

Scientific name

Ficaria Guett.

Common names

lesser celandine, fig buttercup, pilewort

Family

Ranunculaceae

Similar genera

Caltha, Centella, Ranunculus

Native distribution

Eurasia including Europe, Northern Africa, Western Asia

Species cultivated

(one species plus cultivated hybrids and varieties)

Ficaria verna Huds.

Adventive distribution

Ficaria verna is introduced into North America and Australia.

Weed status

Ficaria verna [under the synonym Ranunculus ficaria] is consdiered a noxious weed in at least one country.

Habit

amphibiousamphibious:
(adj) of a plant able to live on land or in water
to occasionally inundated, low growing rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant

Brief description

Low-growing stoloniferous rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
plant. Stem compact, decumbentdecumbent:
(adj) (of stems) having a portion lying along the ground, with upper parts erect or ascending
to erect, simple or branched, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
. Roots tuberous, sometimes with cream-colored bulbils in leaf axils. Leaves oppositeopposite:
(adj) (of leaves) two leaves per node; in pairs on opposite sides of an axis
, mainly in a basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosetterosette:
(n) a radiating cluster of leaves, usually close to the ground at the base of a plant
, petiolepetiole:
(n) the stalk of a leaf
long, short in upper leaves; leaf bladeblade:
(n) (syn. lamina) the flat, expanded part of a leaf, frond, or petal (excluding, e.g., the petiole)
reniformreniform:
(adj) kidney-shaped
to cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
, shallowly and irregularly lobedlobed:
(adj) divided into (usually rounded) segments
, glabrousglabrous:
(adj) without hairs or scales
, fleshy, dark green, shiny; apexapex:
(n) the point farthest from the point of attachment; the tip (often pointed)
rounded or obtuseobtuse:
(adj) with a blunt or rounded apex and sides coming together at an angle of more than 90 degrees
; base cordatecordate:
(adj) heart-shaped; in the form of two rounded lobes
; marginmargin:
(n) edge; rim
entire or crenatecrenate:
(adj) (of a margin) with shallow, rounded teeth
. Flowers terminalterminal:
(adj) at the apex
or in axils of upper leaves, solitary; pedicelspedicel:
(n) the stalk of a single flower in an inflorescence, or of a grass spikelet
delicate; sepals 3, ovateovate:
(adj) egg-shaped in outline; generally with the broad end at or near the base
, light green; petals (7-) 8 (-12), ellipticelliptical:
(adj) in the form of an ellipse (oval)
or oblongoblong:
(adj) two to four times longer than wide, with +/- parallel sides
, glossy, yellow; stamens many; carpels many, clustered in center.

Natural habitat

moist forested floodplains, stream banks, and other wet areas

Additional comments

The leaves, stalks and buds of Ficaria verna are edible, but as the fruit matures the leaves turn poisonous.