Ranunculaceae are a
familyIn biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
of about 1700 species of
flowering plantThe flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in about 60 genera, distributed worldwide.
The largest genera are
RanunculusRanunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine....
(600 species),
DelphiniumDelphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
(365),
ThalictrumThalictrum is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family native mostly to temperate regions....
(330),
ClematisClematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
(325), and
AconitumAconitum , known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the buttercup family .-Overview:These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the...
(300).
Description
Ranunculaceae are mostly herbaceous plants, but with some woody climbers (such as
ClematisClematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
) and subshrubs (e.g.
Xanthorhiza).
Members of the Ranunculaceae usually have five colored sepals instead of petals (except buttercups), and
divided leaves and nonwoody tissue (except clematis).
http://theseedsite.co.uk/ranunculaceae.html
Leaves are usually divided or lobed, but are heart-shaped or narrow and undivided in some species of
Ranunculus, and usually arise from the base of the plant, or alternately up the stem, but in
Clematis they are opposite. Perennial species form a small rhizomes or tubers which develop new roots each year.
Flowers may be solitary, but are frequently found aggregated in cymes, panicles or spikes. Many species have no true petals, and the 'flower' is formed by a brightly colored calyx. There are usually five sepals, although there are many which come in a wide variety of shapes.
RanunculusRanunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine....
(buttercups) is the only genus in this family with a true calyx and petals. There are many stamens surrounding many fused carpels.
The
fruitIn broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
is most commonly a
follicleIn botany, a follicle is a dry unilocular many-seeded fruit formed from one carpel and dehiscing by the ventral suture in order to release seeds, such as in larkspur, magnolia, banksia, peony and milkweed....
(e. g.
Helleborus,
NigellaNigella is a genus of about 14 species of annual plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to southern Europe, north Africa, south and southwest Asia. Common names applied to members of this genus are devil-in-a-bush or love in a mist....
) or an
acheneAn achene is a type of simple dry fruit produced by many species of flowering plants. Achenes are monocarpellate and indehiscent...
(e. g.
RanunculusRanunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine....
,
ClematisClematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
).
Ranunculaceae contain
protoanemoninProtoanemonin is a toxin found in all plants of the buttercup family . On maceration, for example when the plant is wounded, it is produced by an enzymatic process from the glucoside ranunculin...
, which is toxic to humans and animals. Other poisonous or toxic compounds,
alkaloidAlkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that contain mostly basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral and even weakly acidic properties. Also some synthetic compounds of similar structure are attributed to alkaloids...
s and
glycosideIn chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to a non-carbohydrate moiety, usually a small organic molecule. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. These can be activated by enzyme...
s, are also very common.
Taxonomy
The family Ranunculaceae is included in the Ranunculales which is the sole order of the Ranunculanae, a superorder of eudicots according to APG 3 systematics. The phylogeny is well illustrated in
Taxonomic comparisons
According to Dr John David, (2010) the Ranuculaceae are combined with the Eupteleaceae, Lardizabalaceae, Menispermaceae, Berberidaceae, and Papaveraceae in the Ranunculales, the only order in the superorder Ranunculanae. This follows the work of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group.
Takhtajan 1997 includes the Ranunculaceae as the only family in the Ranunculales which he placed in a subclass, the Ranunculidae, instead of a superorder. Previously, Thorn 1992 placed the Ranunculaceae in the Berberidales, an order within the Superorder Magnolianae. Earlier Cronquist in 1981 included the Ranunculaceae along with seven other families in the Rancunculales which was included in the Magnoliidae, which he regarded as a subclass.
The cladogram below is according to the
APG II systemThe APG II system of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. It was a revision of the first APG system, published in 1998, and was superseded in 2009...
, based on molecular phylogeny.
The genus
GlaucidiumGlaucidium is a genus of plants in family Ranunculaceae, comprising a single species Glaucidium palmatum...
was once put in its own family (Glaucidiaceae), but has been recently recognised as a primitive member of Ranunculaceae. Tamura (1993) recognised five subfamilies, mainly based on chromosomic and floral characteristics (Hydrastidoideae, Thalictroideae, Isopyroideae, Ranunculoideae, Helleboroideae).
Hydrastidoideae and Glaucidioideae have only one species,
Hydrastis canadense and
Glaucidium palmatumGlaucidium is a genus of plants in family Ranunculaceae, comprising a single species Glaucidium palmatum...
respectively. Coptoideae has 17 species and Thalictroideae has 450, including
ThalictrumThalictrum is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family native mostly to temperate regions....
and
AquilegiaAquilegia is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.-Etymology:The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle , because...
. The other genera (2025 species, 81% of the family) belong to Ranunculoideae.
Some older classifications included
PaeoniaPaeonia or Paionia may refer to:*the generic name of the peony*the ancient tribe and kingdom of Paeonia , in today's northern Greece and the Republic of Macedonia*Paionia , a municipality in northern Greece...
(peony) in Ranunculaceae but this genus is now placed in its own family, Paeoniaceae in order
SaxifragalesSaxifragales is an order of flowering plants. Their closest relatives are a large eudicot group known as the rosids by the definition of rosids given in the APG II classification system. Some authors define the rosids more widely, including Saxifragales as their most basal group. Saxifragales is...
.
Circaeaster and
Kingdonia are now placed in
CircaeasteraceaeCircaeasteraceae is a family of one to two species of herbaceous plants native to China and the Himalayas.The family has been recognized by many taxonomists. The APG II system , recognizes it and places it in the order Ranunculales in the clade eudicots...
.
Fossil record
Fossils of fruits, pollen, seeds, and leaves are known from several dozen locations. The fossil record begins in the early
CretaceousThe Cretaceous , derived from the Latin "creta" , usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide , is a geologic period and system from circa to million years ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic period and is followed by the Paleogene period of the...
and continues throughout the
TertiaryThe Tertiary is a deprecated term for a geologic period 65 million to 2.6 million years ago. The Tertiary covered the time span between the superseded Secondary period and the Quaternary...
. In most cases, the fossils are assigned to extant genera, or show a close relationship to a particular extant genus.
Uses
Some Ranunculaceae are used as herbal medicines because of their alkaloids and glycosides, such as
Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal), whose root is used as a tonic.
Many genera are well known as cultivated flowers, such as
AconitumAconitum , known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the buttercup family .-Overview:These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the...
(monkshood),
ConsolidaConsolida is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native from western Europe through the Mediterranean region east to central Asia...
(larkspur),
DelphiniumDelphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
,
Helleborus (Christmas rose),
TrolliusTrollius is a genus of about 30 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae, closely related to Ranunculus. The common name is globeflower or globe flower...
(globeflower).
The seeds of
Nigella sativaNigella sativa is an annual flowering plant, native to south and southwest Asia. It grows to tall, with finely divided, linear leaves. The flowers are delicate, and usually coloured pale blue and white, with five to ten petals. The fruit is a large and inflated capsule composed of three to seven...
, are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.
Genera
- Aconitum
Aconitum , known as aconite, monkshood, wolfsbane, leopard's bane, women's bane, Devil's helmet or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the buttercup family .-Overview:These herbaceous perennial plants are chiefly natives of the mountainous parts of the...
L.
- Actaea
Actaea, commonly called baneberry or bugbane, is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
L.
- Adonis
Adonis is a genus of about 20-30 species of flowering plants of the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe and Asia.The species grow to 10-40 cm in height, with feathery, finely divided leaves...
L.
- Anemoclema (Franch.) W.T.Wang
- Anemone
Anemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
L.
- Anemonopsis
Anemonopsis is a monotypic genus in the family Ranunculaceae, containing only the species Anemonopsis macrophylla.-Description:Anemonopsis is a herbaceous perennial growing approximately 75 cm high, with pale lavender flowers in late summer, each about 2 cm in diameter. The flowers are...
Siebold & Zuccarini
- Aquilegia
Aquilegia is a genus of about 60-70 species of perennial plants that are found in meadows, woodlands, and at higher altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere, known for the spurred petals of their flowers.-Etymology:The genus name Aquilegia is derived from the Latin word for eagle , because...
L.
- Asteropyrum J.R.Drumm. & Hutch.
- Barneoudia Gay
- Beesia
Beesia is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family. It was named after the plant nursery firm Bees of Chester, who financed the plant hunting trips of George Forrest and Frank Kingdon-Ward in China.Species include:*Beesia calthifolia...
Balf.f. & W.W.Sm.
- Calathodes Hook.f. & Thomson
- Callianthemum
Callianthemum is a genus that consists of 24 species of little rhizomatous herbs from high mountains in Europe, Central Asia and East Asia. The botanical name comes from the Greek, which means beautiful flower. The plants are low-growing, ornamental perennials and are lovely to rock garden. Leaves...
C.A.Mey.
- Caltha
Caltha is a genus of 10 species of rhizomatous perennial plants in the buttercup family, native to wet areas in temperate and cold regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.Leaves are generally heart- or kidney-shaped.-Species:...
L. |
Ceratocephala Moench
CimicifugaCimicifuga is a genus of between 12-18 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere....
Wernisch.
ClematisClematis is a genus of about 300 species within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. Their garden hybrids have been popular among gardeners beginning with Clematis × jackmanii, a garden standby since 1862; more hybrid cultivars are being produced constantly. They are mainly of Chinese and Japanese...
L.
ConsolidaConsolida is a genus of about 40 species of annual flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native from western Europe through the Mediterranean region east to central Asia...
Gray
CoptisCoptis is a genus of between 10–15 species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to Asia and North America.-Species:Selected species*Coptis aspleniifolia*Coptis chinensis...
Salisb.
DelphiniumDelphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. The common name, larkspur, is shared with the closely related genus Consolida...
L.
Dichocarpum W.T.Wang & P.K.Hsiao
EnemionEnemion is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family known by the common name False rue anemone. Enemion biternatum is native to the eastern half of North America , while several other species are native to the West Coast.-External links:**...
Rafinesque
EranthisEranthis is a genus of eight species of flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae , native to southern Europe and east across Asia to Japan....
Salisb.
GlaucidiumGlaucidium is a genus of plants in family Ranunculaceae, comprising a single species Glaucidium palmatum...
Siebold & Zuccarini
Halerpestes Greene
Hamadryas Comm. ex Juss.
HelleborusCommonly known as hellebores, members of the genus Helleborus comprise approximately 20 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, within which it gave its name to the tribe of Helleboreae...
L. |
HydrastisGoldenseal is a perennial herb in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States. It may be distinguished by its thick, yellow knotted rootstock. The stem is purplish and hairy above ground and yellow below ground where it connects to the...
L.
IsopyrumIsopyrum is a genus of flowering plants of the family Ranunculaceae native to Eurasia. It is sometimes treated as part of the North American genus Enemion.Species include:*Isopyrum occidentale...
L.
KnowltoniaKnowltonia is a genus of the family Ranunculaceae. There are at least ten species native to South Africa and an uncertain number growing in the Amazon Basin. The juice from the stem of many of the species in the genus is a powerful vesicant....
Salisb.
Laccopetalum Ulbr.
Leptopyrum Reichenbach
Metanemone W.T.Wang
Miyakea Miyabe & Tatew.
MyosurusThe genus Myosurus, or Mousetail, belongs to the buttercup family . It comprises about 15 species of annual scapose herbs...
L.
NaraveliaNaravelia is a genus of plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. There are at least two members of the genus, wood climbers, native to China....
Adans.
NigellaNigella is a genus of about 14 species of annual plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native to southern Europe, north Africa, south and southwest Asia. Common names applied to members of this genus are devil-in-a-bush or love in a mist....
L.
Oreithales Schltdl.
Oxygraphis Bunge
Paraquilegia J.R.Drumm. & Hutch. |
Paroxygraphis W.W.Sm.
RanunculusRanunculus is a large genus of about 600 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae. Members of the genus include the buttercups, spearworts, water crowfoots and the lesser celandine....
L.
Semiaquilegia Makino
Souliea Franch.
ThalictrumThalictrum is a genus of 120-200 species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the buttercup family native mostly to temperate regions....
L.
TrautvetteriaTrautvetteria is a genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family. Today it is often considered a monotypic genus, containing only one species, Trautvetteria caroliniensis, which is known by the common names Carolina bugbane, false bugbane, and tassel-rue. A second species, T. japonica, is now...
Fisch. & C.A.Mey.
TrolliusTrollius is a genus of about 30 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae, closely related to Ranunculus. The common name is globeflower or globe flower...
L.
Urophysa Ulbr.
XanthorhizaThe Yellowroot is the only member of the genus Xanthorhiza, and one of very few genera in the family Ranunculaceae with a woody stem...
Marshall |
- Anemonella Spach
→ ThalictrumThalictrum thalictroides is a spring ephemeral plant in the buttercup family, prized for its white to pink flowers, native to woodland in eastern North America.-Description:...
|
HepaticaHepatica is a genus of herbaceous perennials in the buttercup family, native to central and northern Europe, Asia and eastern North America...
Mill.
PulsatillaThe genus Pulsatilla contains about 33 species of herbaceous perennials native to meadows and prairies of North America, Europe, and Asia. Common names include pasque flower , wind flower, prairie crocus, Easter Flower, and meadow anemone...
Mill.
→ AnemoneAnemone , is a genus of about 120 species of flowering plants in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae in the north and south temperate zones...
|
Psychrophila (DC.) Bercht. & J.Presl
→ CalthaCaltha is a genus of 10 species of rhizomatous perennial plants in the buttercup family, native to wet areas in temperate and cold regions of both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.Leaves are generally heart- or kidney-shaped.-Species:...
|
General references
- Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2006 [and more or less continuously updated since]. http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/ Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia, Edagricole, Bologna 1982. ISBN 8850624492
- Tamura, M.: "Ranunculaceae.", en Kubitzki, K., Rohwer, J.G. & Bittrich, V. (Editores). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. II. Flowering Plants - Dicotyledons..- Springer-Verlag: Berlín, 1993.- ISBN 3-540-55509-9
- Strasburger, Noll, Schenck, Schimper: Lehrbuch der Botanik für Hochschulen. 4. Auflage, Gustav Fischer, Jena 1900, p. 459 (flower diagrams)
External links