Family |
Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus asiaticus
L.
Ranunculus asiaticus L.
First published in Sp. Pl.: 552 (1753).
(Nouvelle Flore du Liban et de la Syrie, vol. 2, pp. 38–39, Pl. XIV, 2; 1970)
Description
Life-form & habit: Perennial with oblong-cylindrical tuberous roots. Stem usually solitary, 10–40 cm tall, variably hairy and sparingly branched.
Leaves: Outermost basal leaves sometimes undivided, rounded with heart-shaped bases and scalloped edges, on hairy stalks. Later leaves, or sometimes all leaves, divided into many-lobed segments; the terminal segment is long-stalked and deeply divided at its base. Stem leaves smaller and also much lobed.
Inflorescence & flowers: Large flowers, 3–6 cm across or more. Sepals green or purple, spreading or reflexed. Petals five or more even in wild plants, usually scarlet, sometimes orange-yellow. Mouterde mentions white flowers but says he had not observed them. Stamens blackish, occasionally orange-yellow in flowers of that colour.
Fruit: Elongate cylindrical-conical fruiting head with numerous hairless, papery, shortly beaked achenes.
Flowering and habitat
Phenology: March–May.
Habitat & elevation: Uncultivated ground of various kinds.
Distribution
Lebanese distribution: Widespread along the coast and common in the lower mountain zone: Saida, Khalde, Beirut, Nahr el Kelb, Nahr Ibrahim, Tripoli, Abey, Aley, Dar es Salib, Baabda, Rayfoun, Sannine, Machghara–Jezzine, Zahle, Beqaa, Marjayyoun, southwest of Rachaya and Nahr Hasbani.
Syrian distribution: Bhamra, Massiaf, Harim, Khan Cheikhoun–Maaret en Noaman, Hama, Aleppo, Tell Aqibrin, west of Sarmada, Kurd Dagh, Cheddade, Deirik, Jabal Druze, Khisfine, Jabal Dmeir, Abou Chamate and Palmyra.
Recorded locations: Kfertay.
Native range: Cyprus, East Aegean Is., Egypt, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Kriti, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Palestine, Sinai and Türkiye.
Introduced into: Bolivia.