Ranunculus sceleratus L.

Growth Form

Ranunculus sceleratus L. is an annual herb that grows up to half a meter tall.

Leaf Characteristics

Its leaves are more or less glabrous, meaning hairless, with small individual blades that are deeply lobed or divided into three leaflets, and the leaves grow on long petioles.

Flower Features

Its flowers measure 5 to 10 millimeters across, with five or fewer yellow petals that are a few millimeters long, plus reflexed sepals.

Fruit Type

The fruit is an achene, borne in a cluster of several achenes.

Toxic Compound Content

All buttercup species are toxic due to the compound protoanemonin, and this is especially true for cursed buttercup, which is the most toxic buttercup and contains 2.5% protoanemonin.

General Toxicity

All parts of this plant are considered poisonous.

Contact Effects

When its leaves are wrinkled, damaged, or crushed, they cause unsightly sores and blisters on human skin.

Ingestion Effects

Ingestion of the plant leads to extreme irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, and may cause pain, a burning sensation, tongue inflammation, and increased salivation.

Global Distribution

Ranunculus sceleratus has a circumpolar distribution across the northern hemisphere.

Intraspecific Taxon Ranges

Two varieties and one subspecies of the species have distinct ranges: R. sceleratus ssp. reptabundus grows in northern Finland and northwestern Russia; R. sceleratus var. multifidus occurs in northwestern North America; and R. sceleratus var. longissimus is found from Minnesota to Alabama, as documented in Minnesota and Alabama's respective biodiversity and plant atlases.

Southern Hemisphere Distribution

This species is also distributed in Australia and New Zealand.