Weed Identification

Australia > WA > Swan Coastal Plain (IBRA) > Celery Leaf Buttercup

Celery Leaf Buttercup

Ranunculus sceleratus subsp. sceleratus

Alternative Name(s): Poison Buttercup.

Family: Ranunculaceae.

Form: Water plant

Origin: Native of Europe, Asia, northern Africa and possibly eastern North America.

Flowers/Seedhead: 5-petalled, in upper extremities of the branchlets. Flowers mainly spring and summer.

Description: Erect semi-aquatic rosette-forming, hollow-stemmed annual or overwintering biennial herb to 80 cm high. Lower leaves 1–4.5 cm long, 1.5–5 cm wide, shallowly or deeply lobed, bright shiny green, on leaf stalks 2–30 cm long; upper leaves narrower.

Distinguishing features: Distinguished by being either hairless or with a few long soft hairs; erect growth when mature; adult leaves deeply 3-lobed; petals pale yellow; sepals reflexed; one-seeded fruit (achenes) to 1.3 mm long with a minute beak, minutely ridged when dry, in elongated heads of 40–300.

Dispersal: Spread by movement of seed-like achenes.


3-lobed leaves and fruit in elongated heads Darlington Pt, NSW, Sept

Notes: Found in shallow pools and intermittently flowing drainage channels where it sometimes impedes flow. Plants are often associated with high nutrient levels. Rosettes appear in autumn. It is generally regarded as the most toxic of the buttercups. Ranunculus sceleratus is also naturalised in New Zealand and western USA.

References:

    Waterplants in Australia. G. Sainty and S. Jacobs, 4th edition, 2003, pages 254–255. Flora of Victoria. N. Walsh and T. Entwisle (eds), Vol. 3, 1996, pages 48–49. Flora of Australia. A. Wilson (ed), 2007, pages 353–354.

Web References: Search Australian web sites for further information on this weed.

Blocking drainage channel
Coleambally
NSW, Sept
Juvenile
Yoogali
NSW, April
Plants in drainage channel
Seed-like achenes
Yoogali, NSW

This weed has been included in the WEEDeck field guide as card W24

More information about WEEDeck is available from Sainty & Associates Pty. Ltd.

 

Australia > WA > Swan Coastal Plain (IBRA) > Celery Leaf Buttercup

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