Corn buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis)
Facts
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Anthophyta |
| Class | Magnoliopsida |
| Order | Ranunculales |
| Family | Ranunculaceae |
| Genus | Ranunculus (1) |
| Size |
Height: 15-60 cm (2) |
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Status
No conservation designations.
Description
Corn buttercup produces yellow flowers with shiny petals on an erect, leafy stem (2). The leaves are split into narrow lobes (5), and the seed heads (called achenes) are extremely spiky (3), and have earned this buttercup the alternative local names of Devil's claws, Devil-on-all-sides, and hellweed (4).
Range
Formerly widespread, but now very scarce (3) and only seen regularly in the south of England (5). It also occurs at a few sites in Wales, south-west England and some scattered localities in the north-west of England and Scotland (2). Elsewhere it is found in central and southern Europe, North Africa and west Asia, reaching as far east as India (2).
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Habitat
This species is a weed of cornfields (3), and seems to prefer calcareous soils (2) and clay (6). It also occasionally occurs on disturbed ground, such as on road-sides (2).
Threats
It is likely that agricultural intensification is responsible for the decline of this once common species (4), starting at the end of the nineteenth century when seed cleaning techniques were improved (2). Like all weeds of arable land, corn buttercup faces the more modern threats of herbicide and fertiliser use, the loss of field-margins, the use of more productive and competitive crops and alterations in the traditional style of crop rotation (4).
Conservation
Very little direct conservation action has been targeted at this species. It may benefit from agri-environment schemes.
Further Information
See the Plantlife website:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk/
See the website of the Botanical Society of the British Isles at:
http://www.bsbi.org.uk
Authentication
Information authenticated by Plantlife, the wild plant conservation charity:
http://www.plantlife.org.uk
Achene: a simple single-seeded fruit that falls from the plant in one piece; they usually in occur in clusters.
Agri-environment schemes : these schemes allow the government to compensate farmers for using methods that benefit the environment. The two main initiatives in the UK are the Countryside Stewardship Scheme and Environmentally Sensitive Areas. Since October 2000 these have formed part of the England Rural Development Programme (EDRP), administered by DEFRA, the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs. See http://www.defra.gov.uk/erdp/erdphome.htm for more on these initiatives.
Annual: lives or grows for just one year.
Calcareous: containing free calcium carbonate, chalky.
References
- National Biodiversity Network Species Dictionary (September 2002)
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nbn - Stace, C. (1991) New flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
- Mabey, R. (1996) Flora Britannica. Sinclair-Stevenson, London.
- Grigson, G. (1996) The Englishman's Flora. Helicon Publishers Ltd. Oxford.
- Sterry, P. (1997) Complete British Wildlife Photo Guide. Harper Collins Publishers, London.
- Byfield, A. (2003) Plantlife. Pers. comm.
