Species

Ranunculus acris subsp. acris

Etymology

Ranunculus: From the Latin 'rana' frog, meaning little frog and probably refers to the plants typical marshy habit where frogs abound

Common Name(s)

giant buttercup

Authority

Ranunculus acris L. subsp. acris

Family

Ranunculaceae

Flora Category

Vascular - Exotic

NVS Species Code

RANACR

The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.

Structural Class

Dicotyledonous Herbs other than Composites

Habitat

Farmland (particularly dairy farms), roadsides, river flats, wetlands and anywhere else damp and warm.

Flower Colours

Yellow

Year Naturalised

1872

Origin

Europe, N. Asia

Reason for Introduction

Accidental

Life Cycle and Dispersal

Seed and vegetatively by rhizomes and through nodal rooting (layering) of collapsed flower stems. The seed is easily spread via stock, agricultural equipment, flood waters and hay. Rhizome fragments are also spread by stock, machinery and flood waters. The longevity of the seed in the soil appears to vary depending on soil moisture and other climatic conditions. Rhizome fragments readily survive drought. (Hayes, 2014).

References and further reading

Hayes, L. 2014. What's New In Biological Control of Weeds? Issue 67: Feb 2014. Landcare Research. http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/71467/whatsnew67.pdf

This page last updated on 30 Jul 2014