|
Celery-leaved Buttercup
Ranunculus sceleratus L.
|
Family: Ranunculaceae,
Buttercup
Genus: Ranunculus
Description
General: hairless to sparsely stiff-hairy annual with
numerous slender, fleshy roots. Stems 1 to several, erect,
20-50 cm tall, usually freely branched, hollow.
 Leaves: the basal with a stalk 2-4 times as long as the
blades, the blade kidney-shaped in outline, mostly 2.5-4
cm long and deeply 3 (or apparently 5)-parted into more or
less wedge-shaped, and again less deeply once- or twice-
lobed or toothed. Stem leaves numerous, alternate, more
deeply cleft or divided than the basal leaves.
 Flowers: several on stalks rather stout, 1-3 cm long.
Sepals 5, spreading, yellowish, 2-4.5 mm long, soon
dropped. Petals 5, yellow, 2-5 mm long. Nectary scale 1
mm long, largely joined to the petal, the edges and base
forming a slight pocket bordering and partially covering the
exposed gland. Receptacle in fruit ellipsoid-cylindric, up to
14 mm long, usually slightly short-hairy. Stamens 15-20.
Flowering time: May-September.
 Fruits: achenes, 100-250 in a cylindrical cluster,
obovate in outline, about 1 mm long, flattened, the central
portion of the face smooth and set off from the edges by a
distinct depression. Style pimple-like, about 0.1 mm long.
Distribution
Moist meadows and boggy shoreland to semi-aquatic and
often brackish areas, in w. and c. parts of MT. Also in most
of N. America n. of Mexico, and in Eurasia.
  Toxic and Medicinal Plant: see below. |
|
|
|
(click on image for full size)
|
|
|
(click on images for full size)
Poisonous Properties:
All parts of buttercups are mildly poisonous when fresh, the toxins are destroyed by heat or by drying.
The plant also has a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin. Ingestion causes burning
of the mouth, abdominal pain, vomiting, and bloody diarrhea. Skin redness, burning sensation, and blisters
may follow contact with the sap. The toxic principle is protoanemonin, released from the glycoside ranunculin.
However, larger quantities must be eaten for serious toxic effects to be experienced. The Thompson Indians
rubbed flowers or whole plants of celery-leaved buttercup on arrow points as a poison.
Medicinal Uses:
The celery-leafed buttercup is one of the most strongest acting of our native plants. The whole plant
is acrid, mildly pain-relieving, antispasmodic, induces sweating, promotes or assists the flow of menstrual
fluid and causes irritation to the skin. When bruised and applied to the skin it raises a blister and
creates a sore that is difficult to heal. If chewed it inflames the tongue and produces violent effects.
If used medicinally, the herb should be used fresh since it loses its effects when dried. The leaves and
the root have been used externally for rheumatism. The seed is tonic and has been used in the treatment
of colds, rheumatism and excessive ejaculation.
Our specimen belong to var. multifidus Nutt. |
|
|
Copyright © Plant-Life.org
|
|
