Ranunculus sceleratus

Species: Ranunculus sceleratus 

English Name:  Celery-leaved Crowfoot

Chinese Name: 石龍芮

Family: Ranunculaceae

Description:

Herbs annual. Roots fibrous, subequally thick. Stems 10–75 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent, branched above. Basal leaves 5–13; petiole 1.2–15 cm, subglabrous or sparsely pubescent; blade 3-partite, pentagonal, reniform, or broadly ovate, or broadly ovate, 1–4 × 1.5–5 cm, papery or herbaceous, glabrous or abaxially puberulent, base broadly cordate, central lobe cuneate or rhombic, 3-lobed, lobules 1- or 2-denticulate or entire; lateral lobes obliquely broadly obovate or obliquely cuneate, unequally 2-lobed or 2-cleft to middle. Lower stem leaves similar to basal ones; upper stem leaves short petiolate, cuneate at base, 3-sect, segments oblanceolate. Compound monochasi um terminal, corymbose; bracts leaflike. Flowers 0.4–0.8 cm in diam. Pedicel 0.5–1.5 cm, glabrous or sparsely puberulent. Reeptacle puberulent or glabrous. Sepals 5, ovate-elliptic, 2–3 mm, abaxially appressed puberulent or glabrous. Petals 5, obovate, 2.2–4.5 × 1.4–2.4 mm, nectary pit without a scale, apex rounded. Stamens 10–19; anthers ellipsoid. Aggregate fruit cylindric, 3–11 × 1.5–4 mm; carpels numerous. Achene slightly bilaterally compressed, obliquely obovoid, 1–1.1 × 0.8–1 mm, glabrous, sometimes transversely 2- or 3-rugose, somewhat turgid along sutures; stigmas persistent, ca. 0.1 mm. Fl. Jan–Jul.

© 2011 Pato Novoa

© 2011 Pato Novoa

© 2011 Pato Novoa

© 2011 Pato Novoa

© 2012 Gernot A. Molitor

© 2012 Gernot A. Molitor

Photos used under a Creative Commons license

References:

Wu ZY, Raven PH, Hong DY (eds) (2001) Flora of China. Vol. 6 (Caryophyllaceae through Lardizabalaceae.). Science Press, Beijing, and Missouri Bot Garden Press, St. Louis