Lesser celandine  (Ranunculus ficaria)

Learn about the scientific name of this species and how it fits into the tree of life at Nature Navigator.

Biology

The flowers of lesser celandine close just before it begins to rain, and are only open between 9 am and 5 pm (5). They are pollinated by bees, flies and beetles (2), but very few seeds are typically set (5). This perennial plant remains in full bloom throughout March and April but begins to fade in early summer (5). The plant dies back during May, and remains dormant throughout the rest of summer, autumn, and winter, with nutrients stored in the underground root-tubers (5). These tubers allow the plant to spread quickly in disturbed areas - they break away from the roots and give rise to new plants. The subspeciesbulbifer can also spread by means of the tuberous bulb-like structures it produces at the junction between plant stem and leaf stem (4).

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