Most have bisexual flowers, except some species of meadow rue ( Thalictrum) and Clematis. The floral parts are all independently attached below a superior ovary. There are often, but not always, numerous stamens and 3- to numerous simple pistils (apocarpous). You may discover that the most common pattern of the family is the apparent lack of a pattern! Buttercups can have either regular or irregular flowers with anywhere from 3 to 15 sepals, often colored like petals, and 0 to 23 actual petals. Yet these flowers are still considered "simple" because all the parts are independently attached. The Buttercup family may be considered "simple" from an evolutionary standpoint, but it includes some flowers that are highly complex in appearance, such as the delphinium and columbine. More advanced plant families have reduced, more specific numbers of floral parts, and the parts are often fused together. Also, the stamens and pistils are spirally inserted in a cone-like receptacle, although it is often very small to see. The Buttercups are considered very "simple" because the floral parts-the petals, sepals, stamens and pistils-are all of an indefinite number and separate from one another. None of today's species were around 100 million years ago, but the Buttercups and other primitive groups like the Magnolias have retained the most ancestral characteristics over time. The Buttercup family is like a window back in time. Home | Plant Identification | Plant Families Gallery | Edible Plants | Mushrooms | Linksĭesertification & Weed Ecology | Weed Profiles | E-Mail | Search this Site Native Americans ate the leaves and used the plant for several medical conditions, but most buttercups are toxic and thus consumption should be avoided.Plant Identification, Edible Plants, Weed Ecology, Mushrooms, and more. It is found in every county of Pennsylvania. It is known to grow throughout the northern, eastern and central parts of North America, though populations in the Southeast and Midwest tend to be scattered. It is a biennial or short-lived perennial plant. The species can bloom throughout the growing season spring to early summer. The small-flowered crowfoot normally grows in woods or damp thickets, but does well in disturbed areas where it can become a bit weedy. The leaf pattern is distinctive and makes it easy to identify this species. The cauline leaves are alternate and slimmer and often divided into 3 to 5 lobes, especially towards the bottom of the stem. These leaves have petioles up to 3 inches long. The basal leaves are roughly kidney-shaped and often roughly toothed. A variety of insects feed on the nectar of this little flower and help with pollination.Īlthough the hairless stems are slim, the plant can grow from 6-24 inches tall. Like other buttercups, this species has bushy stamens. In the center is a cluster of green carpels, and a ring of stamens with yellow anthers. Each stem can bear up to 50 of these flowers, but the actual number is usually fewer. The 5 yellow petals of this species are very small, often reflexed (bent back) or drooping downwards. Look carefully for this tiny flower along the trail. Thus it belongs in my “be it every so humble” category. It is easy overlooked because it is not a showy species. Although there are other small-flowered buttercup species in eastern United States, this is the most common. The yellow flowers of this member of the buttercup family are tiny and inconspicuous-only about ¼ inch in diameter. This common biennial species is also called the kidney-leaf or little-leaf buttercup.
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