Small-Flowered Buttercup
ExplorePlants
Small-Flowered Buttercup
ranunculus abortivus
The Small-Flowered Buttercup is a cheerful little flower that brightens up fields and meadows. Its small yellow blooms are like tiny suns shining in the grass!
Habitat: Wet meadows, fields, and along stream banks.
Appearance
The Small-Flowered Buttercup has small, dull yellow to yellowish-green flowers, often with petals so tiny they seem absent. Its basal leaves are rounded or kidney-shaped, distinct from the deeply lobed upper stem leaves. Unlike other buttercups, its flowers lack a glossy sheen.
KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderRanunculalesFamilyRanunculaceaeGenusRanunculus
Category
PlantsRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
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Interesting facts
Despite its common name, some people call it the 'Kidney-Leaf Buttercup' due to its unique leaf shape!
If you crush its leaves, they give off a peppery smell, a hint of its chemical defenses!
Its tiny, pale flowers are often overlooked compared to its showier, golden buttercup cousins!
This plant can spread through both seeds and small plantlets that grow from its roots!
Special abilities
Ability
Quick Leaf Changer
Small-Flowered Buttercup can change its leaf shape dramatically as it matures, from rounded to deeply lobed, helping it adapt to light.
Ability
Irritant Defense
Small-Flowered Buttercup has sap containing protoanemonin that can irritate skin, protecting it from being eaten by animals.
Ability
Cold Resilience
Small-Flowered Buttercup can survive in cold early spring conditions, allowing it to grow and bloom before many other plants.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 10-60 cm
- Flower Size
- 0.5-1 cm
- Bloom Season
- Spring_early_summer
- Edible
- No
- Toxicity
- Mild
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Pollination Method
- Insect
Ecological connections
pollinates
honey bee
Apis mellifera
visits flowers for nectar
pollinates
common eastern bumblebee
Bombus impatiens
collects pollen from blooms
eaten by
grey field slug
Agriolimax reticulatus
young leaves are a food source
parasitizes
buttercup rust
Puccinia ranunculi
causes rust disease
Traits
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Herbivorous
This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Pollinator
Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.
Also known as
Lesser Buttercup
Collections
Safety
Danger
1/5 · Very low
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is Small-Flowered Buttercup?
10-60 cm
How big are the flowers on Small-Flowered Buttercup?
0.5-1 cm
When does Small-Flowered Buttercup bloom?
Spring_early_summer
Is Small-Flowered Buttercup edible?
No
Is Small-Flowered Buttercup toxic?
Mild
What is Small-Flowered Buttercup's lifecycle?
Perennial
How is Small-Flowered Buttercup pollinated?
Insect
Where is Small-Flowered Buttercup usually found?
Wet meadows, fields, and along stream banks.
Snap Map
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