Spinyfruit buttercup

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• rough-fruited buttercup
• rough-seeded buttercup
• spiny-fruited buttercup
• Scilly Buttercup
• bur buttercup
• prickle-fruit buttercup
• rough-fruit buttercup
• sharp buttercup
• sharp crowfoot
• sharp-fruit buttercup
• sharp-point crowfoot
• spinyfruit buttercup

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Ranunculus muricatus var. carolinus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. tucumanicus
• Ranunculus palaris
• Ranunculus ventricosus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. marginatus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. brasilianus
• Ranunculus pseudomuricatus
• Ranunculus cabulicus
• Ranunculus emuricatus
• Ranunculus graecus
• Ranunculus coronatus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. creticus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. graecus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. pygmaeus
• Ranunculus muricatus var. emuricatus
• Ranunculus lavrentiadis
• Notophilus muricatus

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, situated within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified under the order Ranunculales and the family Ranunculaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is defined by the genus Ranunculus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a diverse geographical distribution across several European regions. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented within Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is also found throughout Germany. The distribution extends into Southwestern Europe, where it inhabits the Balearic Islands and Corsica. Finally, the plant is also commonly located within the borders of France.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Ranunculus muricatus is characterized by its broad adaptability across various landscapes and altitudinal gradients. This species thrives in diverse habitats, commonly found colonizing crop fields, riverbanks, roadsides, and shrubberies. Its environmental tolerance allows it to occupy a significant elevational range, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 1400 m AMSL.

Elevational range max:

1400 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

crop fields, rivers, roadsides, shrubberies

Life history

The life history of Ranunculus muricatus is characterized by an annual lifecycle, meaning it completes its entire developmental process—from germination to seed production—within a single growing season. As a therophyte, the plant maintains its biological presence by producing seeds that persist in the environment during unfavorable periods, rather than maintaining vegetative structures above ground. This life form is strictly deciduous, shedding its foliage as it concludes its seasonal cycle, which allows the species to synchronize its growth with specific environmental cues and avoid harsh conditions.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Ranunculus muricatus is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb and specifically a forb. This plant is a self-supporting organism, lacking any climbing or vine-like tendencies, and it functions as an independent species without parasitic behavior. It is strictly a terrestrial plant, neither aquatic nor epiphytic in its natural habitat. In terms of stature, it is a relatively small species with a plant height that typically ranges from a minimum of 0.04 m to a maximum of 0.5 m, maintaining an average height of approximately 0.2 m.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.5 m

Plant height mean:

0.2 m

Plant height min:

0.04 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Ranunculus muricatus is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, which dictates its carbon fixation processes and metabolic efficiency in varying environmental conditions. The plant's vegetative structure is defined by elliptic leaf forms that exhibit significant morphological plasticity in size. These leaves range in length from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 14 cm, while their width shows a similar breadth of variation, ranging from a minimum of 1.5 cm to a maximum of 8 cm, with a mean width of approximately 4 cm. Furthermore, the species does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nitrogen availability to support its growth and metabolic requirements.

Leaf form :

elliptic

Leaf length max:

14 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Leaf width max:

8 cm

Leaf width mean:

4 cm

Leaf width min:

1.5 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Reproduction

The reproduction of Ranunculus muricatus is characterized by a sexual process involving bisexual flowers that primarily rely on biotic pollination, specifically through an insect pollination syndrome. The flowering period typically commences in April and concludes in May, featuring yellow flowers that range in width from 1 to 2 cm and in length from 0.45 to 1 cm. Self-fertilization is noted to be absent in this species. Following successful pollination, the plant produces dry, brown, indehiscent fruits classified as achenes. These fruits vary in size, with a mean length of 0.45 cm (ranging from 0.5 to 0.8 cm) and a consistent mean width of 0.3 cm. Each fruit is prolific, containing between 101 and 1000 seeds. The seeds themselves are quite small, possessing a mean mass of approximately 0.0115945 g (with a range around 0.011589 g) and a consistent volume of 11 mm³. For dispersal, the plant utilizes an unspecialized strategy with a specific tendency toward epizoochory, allowing the seeds to be spread via animals. Asexual reproduction is absent in this species.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

unspecialized

Dispersal syndrome :

epizoochorous

Flower colour :

yellow

Flower length max:

1 cm

Flower length min:

0.45 cm

Flower width max:

2 cm

Flower width min:

1 cm

Flowering time :

Apr

Flowering time :

May

Fruit colour :

brown

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit length max:

0.8 cm

Fruit length mean:

0.45 cm

Fruit length min:

0.5 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Fruit width max:

0.3 cm

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

bisexual

Seed mass max:

0.011589 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0115945 g

Seed volume max:

11 mm³

Seeds_per_fruit :

101-1000

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Ranunculus muricatus has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include 4-methoxylonchocarpin, Flavonoids, IRON, Phenols, Saponins.

4-methoxylonchocarpin

1. Biomolecules

Flavonoids

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

IRON

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Phenols

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Saponins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Tannins

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

ZINC

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Activities

Ranunculus muricatus has 6 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Anticarcinogenic, Antifungal, Antimicrobial.

Antioxidant

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
2. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antibacterial

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Anticarcinogenic

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Antifungal

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antimicrobial

1. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences

Antiprotozoal

1. Plants (Basel, Switzerland)

Medicinal Uses

Ranunculus muricatus has 4 reported medicinal uses identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include asthma, breast cancer, gout, thyroid carcinoma.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations