Nomenclature

Species name:

Ranunculus paludosus   Pior.

Author(s):

Jean Louis Marie Poiret
   France, 1755-1834

Common name:

Fan-Leaved Buttercup
Jersey Buttercup

Maltese name:

Cfolloq tax-xaghri

Plant Family:

Ranunculaceae   (Buttercup Family)

Name Derivation:

Ranunculus = from rana, "little frog" because many species tend to grow in moist / marshy places (Latin);

paludosus = Marsh-loving (Latin). (However in Malta is found growing in semi-arid rocky garigue)

Synonyms:

Ranunculus abulensis, R. chaerophylloides, R. chondrodes, R. comatus, R. flabellatus (main synonym), R. granulatus, R. heldreichianus, R. nidulans, R. rhodensis, R. robustus, R. rufulus, R. winkleri and maybe more old synonyms.

Plant Description

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Habitat:

Garigue and rocky places.

Sources in Malta:

Seveeal species found at Dingli Cliffs, Cart ruts, Bahrija, Wied Znuber, and other garigues around Malta and Gozo. Not very common.

Plant Height:

8-20cm

Flowering Time:

Mar-May

This perennial plant have several synonyms because its degree of variability mislead early botanists thinking that they are seeing differnt species. Although the arial plant is not seen during the arid hot months of late spring and summer, it is described as perennial due the living underground spindle-shaped root-tubers.

The plant forms a basal rosette of stalked leaves which tend to be rather variable from one specimen to another. The inner (or younger) leaves have 3 distinct lobes as if they are made of 3 leaflets. On the other hand, the outer basal leaves have these 'lobes' more joined together as a singular lamina and can be described of having 3 shallow lobes rather than 3-fid. The margin of all leaves is well dented. All leaves are covered by fine, soft hair.

From the rosette of ground-lying leaves grows a flower stalk which hold a terminal single flower. The flower stalk can rise up to 50cm high. The flower is made up of an indeterminate number of petals (usually 9-11) which overlap considerably and form a cup-shaped structure. They are completely bright yellow with a glossy and shining appearance in sunlight as in several other buttercups.

The reproductive organs are located at the centre of the flower and consists of a swollen glabrous receptacle which bears many small achenes which on closer examination they are found to have small dots or glands. The achenes are strongly keeled at the back which tapers to a beak-like structure with a hook at the tip. The achene is 2mm long and the beak structure is as much as long. The numerous yellow stamens grow around the receptacle more or less from its base.

The fertilised ripe achenes will simply drop off to the ground without any dispersal mechanism. However, their hooked tip might assist the achenes to be carried away by any moving vectors. Each achene is a one-seeded fruit and can give rise to a single plant if succesful germination takes place soon after the rainy season in October/November.

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