Volume 11 > Part 1 > Year 2011 > Page 68 > Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus

3. Ranunculus sceleratus L.

Sp. Pl. 1: 551. 1753; Craib, Fl. Siam. 1: 18. 1925; Tamura, J. Phytogeogr. Taxon. 28: 15. 1980; Thai Forest Bull., Bot. 25: 78. 1978.

Accepted Name : This is currently accepted.

Description : Biennial herbs, 10–45 cm tall, without rhizomes. Stems glabrous, fistulose, sometimes slightly hairy in upper part, well-branched. Leaves: Basal leaves glabrous, 3–20, orbicular to reniform, 2.5–8 by 3.5–9 cm, 3-sect to -partite, middle segment 3-fid lateral ones obliquely 2- or 3-fid or -partite, lobes 3-lobulate or lobulate-dentate, lobules with 2–4 round teeth; petioles glabrous, 4.5–10 cm long, sheathing near base. Cauline leaves 5–16, glabrous, lower ones ternate, segments lanceolate-elliptic to oblong, 3.8–4 by 0.8–1 cm, sometimes 3 lobate-dentate at apex; petioles up to 8; upper one bract-like, usually entire, elliptic-oblong, 1.8–3.5 cm long. Inflorescences corymbiform, many-flowered; pedicels 5–27 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent. Flowers flat, 5–8 mm diam. Sepals 5, usually slightly reflexed, elliptic, acuminate at apex, 2.5–3 by 1.2–1.8 mm, green, upper surface glabrous, lower surface hairy, sometimes nearly glabrous later. Petals 5, yellow, obovate, obtuse to round at apex, 2.5–4 by 1.3–1.8 cm, upper surface glabrous, with a nectar pit, lower surface hairy, sometimes nearly glabrous later. Anthers elliptic, lateral, 0.2–0.5 mm long, connectives not projected, filaments narrow linear, 1–3 mm long. Receptacles ellipsoid, hispid or glabrous, 1.5–4 by 0.8–2.5 mm in flower; swollen, 2–12 by 1–4 mm in fruit. Achenes 80–230 in an ellipsoidal head, 8–12 by 3–5 mm; broad obovate, 0.8–1.2 by 0.8–1 mm, margins not distinct, swollen, glabrous, often transversely wrinkled, beaks very short.

Thailand : NORTH-EASTERN: Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom.

Distribution : Widely distributed in the northern hemisphere (Europe – type), south to north India, Myanmar, Indochina, and N America.

Ecology : On wet ground, on river banks, up to ca 200 m alt. Flowering and fruiting: January–July. This is a rather common species but in Thailand, recent collections have not been seen.

Vernacular : Klip phai (กลีบภัย)(Northeastern).