A special place in the decorative and floral design of parks, gardens, household plots is occupied by perennial plants included in buttercup family , the flowers of this family are very bright and colorful, having many decorative varieties of a wide variety of color shades.

buttercup family has a wide list of plants, which is not inferior in diversity. The reproduction of these plants occurs both by seed and vegetative methods, which will be discussed later.

Like all other plants, they also need some care, but more on that later. As for the varieties themselves buttercup family , the main ones used in landscape floriculture can be listed:

• forest anemone;
• spur (delphinium, larkspur);
• noble liverwort;
• wrestler (globuchkovy aconite);
• bathing suit European;
• bathing suit Asian;
• bathing suit Chinese;
• marsh marigold;
• catchment area (eagle), aquilegia;
• swamp reaper;
• prince;
• clematis;
• cimicifuga, black cohosh;
• Adonis;
• basil;
• springweed, erantis;
• hellebore, wintering, helleborus;
• lumbago, sleep-grass.

According to biological properties they are frost-resistant plants that tolerate stable low temperatures well, but not sharp temperature fluctuations.

According to the ecological and soil state of the environment , distinguish: ground-blooded (lawn substitutes), coastal plants for decorating reservoirs, climbing plants - lianas. According to the illumination necessary for their development, they are divided into light-loving, semi-shade-tolerant.

To ground-blooded plants include: catchment (eagle, aquilegia), forest anemone, spur (delphinium, larkspur), marsh liverwort.

To coastal plants include: wrestler (glomerular aconite), European bathing suit, Asian bathing suit, Chinese bathing suit, marsh marigold.

To curly plants - vines, include the prince and clematis.

According to the illumination necessary for their development , they are divided into light-loving, penumbra-tolerant.

To light-loving Plants in the buttercup family include:

Wrestler (glomerular aconite), spur (delphinium, larkspur), clematis, cimicifuga, black cohosh, cornflower.

To penumbra-tolerant plants include:

Wrestler (glomerular aconite), European bathing suit, Asian bathing suit, Chinese bathing suit, flattering anemone, cimicifuga, klapagon, adonis, springweed, erantis, hellebore, hibernator, helleborus, backache, sleep-grass.

Catchment (Orlik, Aquilegia)

Distributed in Europe, Asia, America. It is a herbaceous perennial belonging to the group of ground-blooded plants with upright leafy stems, the height of which is from 40 to 70 cm. Beautiful openwork leaves, twice or thrice dissected, with a bluish bloom, are collected in a basal rosette.

Flowers of the original form, large, 6-11 cm in diameter, have pointed sepals and oblique funnel-shaped petals of various colors, elongated in the form of spurs. The flowering of the plant is observed in May-July and lasts up to one and a half months.

Seeds are shiny, black. The fruit is a leaflet. This plant of the ranunculus family propagates by seeds, and to obtain the most valuable varieties and especially decorative forms, plants are propagated vegetatively - by dividing a bush of three to four years of age.

Catchment - frost-resistant plant, grows well in partial shade. The soil for its cultivation should be moderately moist, fertilized with mineral fertilizers - nitrogen, potash, phosphorus.

They plant a catchment in curbs, on rocky areas, in group plantings, near trees and shrubs.

The following varieties are most common:

Crimson Star (Rot Stern) - red and white branches;

Gailodgensis - light purple with yellow;

Delicacy - pink with yellow;

Elena - yellow with white;

Snow Queen - white.

forest anemone

Homeland - Europe, Ciscaucasia, Siberia and the Far East. Wood anemone belongs to the group of plants used for decorating water bodies, as well as ground-blooded plants that serve as lawn decorations.

These are perennial herbaceous plants of the buttercup family with a powerful rhizome and tubers with erect transparent, leafless stems, the height of which is 20-80 cm. The leaves are large, pinnately dissected, collected in basal rosettes. Fragrant flowers are small, solitary or collected in multi-flowered half-umbels of white, red, yellow, pink, bluish-violet.

The forest anemone blooms in June for a month. The fruit is a leaflet. Wood anemone is propagated both by seeds and by division of rhizomes. The plant is frost-resistant, easily tolerates winter, without shelter. Grows well in partial shade. The soil needs light, sandy, enriched with lime, moderately moist.

It is observed that in one place the plant can grow up to 4-5 years. Forest anemone is planted in parks, mixborders, in wet areas, in groups.

Varieties: Crown anemone, Japanese anemone, Canadian anemone, Oak anemone, Caucasian anemone.

Spur (Delphinium, Larkspur)

Distributed in the northern and highlands of Africa. A perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the group of ground-blooded plants with tall, leafy stems, the height of which reaches 50-200 cm, with racemose-branching adventitious roots.

The leaves are large, palmately divided, the flower of the ranunculus family is simple and double, they (groups of flowers) are collected in multi-flowered brushes, having a cylindrical or pyramidal shape of various colors: blue, bright blue, purple.

The flowering time of Spurnik is June - September. The fruit is a pubescent leaflet. Seeds of medium size, triangular brown or dark brown in color. It is observed that soon after collection, their germination is lost.

The spur is propagated by seeds or by dividing the bush. The plant is light-loving, frost-resistant, slightly drought-resistant, which is desirable to grow in open sunny areas. The soil for its cultivation requires loamy or sandy, well-moistened, containing organic fertilizers. Spurs are planted in group plantings, mixborders.

Noble liverwort

Homeland - Russia, Western Europe. A low plant, whose height is 6-8 cm, refers to ground-blooded plants planted in shady, wet areas. The leaves are basal, leathery, three-lobed, green in color, which, after flowering, are replaced by young plants.

In this plant, the flowers of the ranunculus family are solitary, star-shaped, the diameter of which is 2-2.5 cm, blue-violet in color, located on a long pedicel, the length of which is 10-15 cm, the flowering time of the plant is April-May.

The Noble Liverwort propagates by dividing the bush, less often by seeds that lose their germination immediately after harvest. The plant is frost-resistant, moisture-loving. For cultivation, well-loosened, nutritious and moist soils, dark places are needed. The plant is planted on rocky areas and when making lawns.

Wrestler (Aconite glomeruli)

Homeland - Europe. Perennial, belonging to the group of coastal plants, the ranunculus family, representatives that are used in the design of reservoirs. The plant has the appearance of a compact bush, with erect stems, tuberous roots, the height of which reaches 80-120 cm.

Dense leaves have a palmately dissected shape of a dark green color. The flowers are blue-violet, blue, white, collected in multicolor, loose inflorescences. The flowering time of the plant is July-September. Ripe seeds must be sown immediately after harvesting in the ground, as they quickly lose their germination capacity. The main elements of propagation of Aconite are the seeds of autumn sowing, tubers, cuttings, divided rhizomes and bushes.

The plant is frost-resistant, grows both in open sunny places and in partial shade. The soil should be loose, nutritious, moderately moist. In one place, the plant grows up to 6 years. They are planted in flowerbeds, flower beds, mixborders, and also used for colorful decoration of fences.

When growing Aconite, it is worth remembering that it is poisonous!

There are the following types:

Aconite Altai - with large dark blue flowers;

Aconite Kuznetsov - with bright purple flowers.

European bathing suit

Homeland - Europe, Siberia, Scandinavia. The European swimsuit belongs to the group of coastal plants used to decorate reservoirs. This perennial plant with straight, sometimes branched stems, the height of which reaches 50-60 cm, has a branched, growing rhizome, densely covered with roots.

The basal and lower leaves of this plant, the ranunculus family, are rather large, up to 8 cm long, with a palmately divided form of dark green color. Plants turn yellow after flowering. The flowers are large, 3-4 cm in diameter, single or paired, round-spherical, golden in color, have a weak aroma. Flowering time is May.

The European bathing suit is propagated by sowing seeds or by dividing the bush. Frost-resistant, moisture-loving, penumbra-tolerant plant. The soil for its cultivation should be loose, fertile, well-moistened. In one place it can grow up to 5 years.

Planted near water bodies, in wet places, in mixborders.

Hybrid varieties of European bathing suit:

Orange Princess - with orange flowers;

Fire Globe - with orange-red flowers.

Bathing suit Asian

Homeland - Europe, Siberia, Mongolia. The Asian swimsuit belongs to the group of coastal plants used for decorating reservoirs, as well as ground-blooded, that is, for decorating lawns.

This extremely decorative perennial herbaceous plant of the buttercup family, whose height reaches 60-85 cm, has a branched rhizome growing upwards with a basal rosette of leaves. The leaves are ornamental, shiny, dark green.

The flowers are large, reach a diameter of 8 cm, bright orange in color, singly located on long peduncles. The flowering time of the plant is May-June. The Asian swimsuit is propagated by dividing the rhizomes, as well as by sowing seeds in the ground in the fall.

The plant is frost-resistant, grows well and develops both in open places and in partial shade. It is necessary to regularly moisten the soil and add peat, humus soil so that the rhizomes are not exposed. Without a transplant in one place grows for about 6 years. Asian bathing suit is planted in discounts and groups.

Bathing suit Chinese

Motherland - Far East, Sakhalin, China. The Chinese bathing suit belongs both to the group of coastal plants used in the design of reservoirs, and to the ground-blooded ones, that is, for the design of lawns. This is a perennial herbaceous plant of the ranunculus species, the height of the stems of which reaches 70-90 cm, it has a beautiful rosette of basal leaves.

The leaves are ornamental, three to five separate, shiny dark green. Flowers solitary, large, up to 5 cm in diameter, orange. Flowering begins in June and lasts about three weeks.

The seeds ripen in August, and they also propagate the Chinese bathing suit. The plant is frost-resistant, moisture-loving, grows well both in open places and in partial shade. To grow the Chinese bathing suit, the soil must be nutritious and well-fertilized, moist with the addition of peat.

Without a transplant in one place, the plant grows up to six years. The Chinese bathing suit is planted in wet places, in groups and discounts.

Marsh marigold

Homeland - zones of the northern hemisphere. A perennial plant belonging to shallow water plants planted to decorate artificial reservoirs. Plants have a low stem, the height of which reaches 20-30 cm and a powerful rhizome. Shiny basal long-leaved leaves are kidney-shaped. The flowers are solitary, golden yellow, blooming from May to June.

The plant is propagated by dividing the rhizome. Marsh marigold frost-resistant, moisture-loving plant. It grows well in shallow water with fertile clay soil. Marsh marigold is planted in parks, in wet areas, near shallow artificial reservoirs, along the banks of streams.

Two species of this plant are known.:

perennial marigold,

Thin-leaved marigold.

prince

The plant is common in the forest zones of the northern hemisphere. This is a perennial liana that has multiple ranunculus family signs, thin shoots, the height of which reaches three meters. The leaves are opposite, trifoliate, dark green in color, have long, pubescent petioles, using which the vine can climb thin supports, tenaciously wrapping itself around them.

The flowers are large, diameter reaches 8 cm, solitary, widely bell-shaped, located on last year's stems. There are 6-8 sepals of white, yellowish, blue-purple or violet color, the number of which is equal to the number of flower petals. Flowers and sepals are the same color.

The fruit is an achene, a long, pinnately pubescent column. Flowering is observed in April-May. The prince is propagated by seeds, dividing the bush, cuttings. Knyazhik is a frost-resistant plant, not demanding on soils. It is used in decorative floriculture as an early flowering plant.

Clematis

Homeland - temperate zone of the northern hemisphere. The genus of these most ornamental plants of all known woody lianas, representatives of ranunculus, has various forms - these are shrubs and semi-shrubs, having both climbing shoots from 1.5 to 10 m high, and straight (up to 1.5 m) herbaceous perennials with straight shoots , whose height is from 30 cm to 1.5 m.

Leaves entire, trifoliate or pinnate. Flowers from 1 to 20 cm high without petals, saucer-shaped, broadly bell-shaped, tubular, cup-shaped. Collected in inflorescences, sometimes there are single flowers. The sepals are petal-shaped, of various colors - white, yellow, blue, purple, carmine-red with various numerous shades.

Flowering is observed in June-July. The fruit is an achene with a pinnately pubescent nose, the seed ripening time is September-October. Clematis is propagated by seeds, green cuttings, dividing the bush. The plant is photophilous, however, in the southern regions it is necessary to create light shading, and in the northern regions - to protect from the wind. The soil for its cultivation should be moderately moist, fertile, permeable, neutral or slightly alkaline.

Bush forms of clematis are planted in borders, creepers - for vertical gardening.

Of the many varieties of clematis, there are:

large-flowered clematis, small-flowered clematis.

Clematis grandiflorum Jacqueman - this is a hybrid that was obtained in 1860 by Jacqueman as a result of crossing Clematis purple with Clematis woolly, these ranunculus representatives look like a hybrid liana, the height of which reaches 4 m. The leaves are dense, odd-pinnate, dark green in color, consist of 3 -5 leaves. Velvety, wide-open flowers, odorless, up to 15 cm in diameter, purple-blue. There are 4 - less often - 5-6 sepals. Flowering occurs from June until frost.

The fruit is a large, rounded achene, up to 8 cm in diameter, has a long feathery nose. Propagated vegetatively by green cuttings. Clematis grandiflora Zhakman is common for vertical gardening in the southern and northern regions of Russia.

Using this hybrid, numerous varieties of Clematis have been bred, which are combined into a group called the Jacqueman group:

• Victoria - purple-pink flowers;
• Mephistopheles - velvety dark purple flowers;
• Satellite - gray-blue flowers;
• Ville de Lyon - purple-carbine-red flowers;
• Crimson Star - flowers are dark dirty red with a purple tint;
• Purple-double - pink-purple flowers;
• Ernest Markham - dense crimson flowers;
• Gypsy Queen - dark purple flowers - the most beautiful of all varieties of this group.

Small-flowered Clematis - these are creepers, the length of which reaches 4 m. Flowers with a diameter of 2.5 to 5 cm, are collected in inflorescences of various colors, depending on the variety of clematis. Flowering occurs in June-July, small-flowered clematis propagate only by seeds. The following varieties are known:

• Armanda - evergreen vine;
• Clematis purple - flowers are purple, purple, blue, lilac;
• Clematis orientalis - flowers are yellow or yellowish;
• Clematis burning - flowers are white, fragrant;
• Clematis grape-leaved - flowers are white, small;
• Clematis paniculata - white, fragrant flowers;
• Clematis mustachioed Balearic - an evergreen graceful vine, flowers are bluish-white with purple speckles.

Clematis are the most preferred varieties of ornamental perennials for gardeners in the southern regions, they are very popular when decorating parks, squares and home gardens in the southern regions. In our area, it is called as "Warthog", is used moderately often.

Tsimitsifuga, Black cohosh

Widespread in the northern temperate zone. Perennial, large rhizomatous, well-leafy plants, the height of which reaches 2 m. The leaves are coarsely dissected, dark green in color.

The flowers are white or cream in color, collected in spike-shaped or paniculate inflorescences. The plant produces ranunculus blossom in July-August. Fruit-nuts, propagated by seeds and division of the bush. Refers to frost-resistant plants that grow well in sunny open areas and in partial shade.

The soil should be loose, well-moistened, rich in humus. Planted in group plantings or singly.

In landscaping, the following species are most common: American Cimicifuga, Heart-leaved Cimicifuga, Racemose Cimicifuga (originally from America), Japanese Cimicifuga (originally from Japan).

Adonis

Homeland - Europe, Siberia. Perennial, rhizomatous plant, the height of which is from 10 to 50 cm, the leaves are alternate, palmately dissected and pinnately dissected. The flowers are sometimes double, golden yellow, white, red, 7 cm in diameter. Adonis blooms in April-May.

The fruit is a wrinkled nut. Adonis is propagated by division of rhizomes and seeds. The plant belongs to frost-resistant, half-shade. For its cultivation, the soil must be nutritious, sufficiently moist. They are planted in borders, ridges, in groups, in parks and on rocky areas.

: Spring Adonis, Amur Adonis, Siberian Adonis.

basil

Distributed in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Perennial rhizomatous plant, has erect stems, the height of which reaches 40-120 cm. Basal and stem leaves are pinnately divided. Small flowers - white or lilac-pink, collected in inflorescences, paniculate or corymbose. Numerous stamens, which are much longer than the tepals, give a special delicacy to the inflorescence. Basil flower blooms in May-June or July-August. The fruit is a polynut.

Seeds are large, oblong. Basil is propagated by seeds and division of rhizomes. Refers to winter-hardy, light-loving plants, and tolerates shading. Absolutely undemanding to the soil, planted in groups, on lawns, in mixborders.

The following types are common:

Basil water-leaved, Basil dvuhkryloplodny, Basil Delavaya.

Vesennik Erantis

Homeland - Europe, Asia. Herbaceous plant of the buttercup family, perennials with a rather short growing season (the so-called ephemeroids). When plants bloom or after it, 1-2 basal leaflets appear, palmately divided, and in some varieties - strongly dissected. Single yellow flowers, located on low grassy stems. In the southern regions, plants bloom in February-March in the temperate zone after the snow melts. Flowering lasts 2 weeks.

Propagated by division of rhizomes and seeds. Plants are winter-hardy, grow well in partial shade. In the temperate zone, they are covered with dry leaves for the winter. Soils should be light, containing humus, soddy soil, sand. Planted in parks, rocky and alpine gardens, borders, where they create an early flowering yellow carpet.

Known species of Vesennik: Winter vesennik, Cilician vesennik.

Hellebore, Winterer, Helleborus

Homeland - Europe, the Mediterranean, Western Asia. Perennial, herbaceous plants cultivated as rosette-rhizome and stem species. The leaves are evergreen, basal, leathery, palmately dissected or long-petiolate in large rosettes. The flowers are drooping, decorative due to brightly colored sepals of white, pink, red, yellowish-green, purple, located on flowering stems, the height of which reaches 20-50 cm. Plants bloom in spring in April-May.

Propagated by division of rhizomes and seeds. They belong to frost-resistant, semi-shade plants, many species of which hibernate without shelter, some with shelter with dry leaves and spruce branches. The soil for their cultivation should be fertile, drained, moderately moist. Some species of these plants need to add lime to the soil. Planted in parks, mixborders, borders, semi-shaded rocky gardens.

Known rosette-rhizomatous species:

Hellebore Abkhazian, Hellebore hybrid, Hellebore Eastern, Hellebore black.

stem species:

Hellebore stinky and Hellebore Orsikansky.

Backache, Sleep-grass

Distributed in areas of the Northern Hemisphere. Herbaceous perennial, has vertically long or obliquely arranged rhizomes. Basal leaves are openwork, palmately dissected or palmately dissected - in rosettes, stem - in whorls that form an envelope of flowers. Ranunculus flower single, bell-shaped, various colors: purple, pink, yellow, white, lilac. The plant blooms in April-May.

Propagated by seeds. The plant begins to bloom 2-3 years after sowing. Pulsatilla is a semi-shade, frost-resistant plant; for its cultivation, the soil must be fertile, drained and moderately moist. The plant is planted in mixborders, alpine and rocky gardens.

The following types are known:

Large Pasque, Crimean Pasque, Open Pasque, Mountain Pasque, Common Pasque.

Perennial Care buttercup family

Along with the right choice of a place on the site and one or another type of land, it is also important to carefully care for the cultivation of these perennials, due to which their good and rapid development is achieved, as well as high decorativeness. Care is as follows:

• regular weeding;
• loosening the soil;
• watering;
• top dressing with organic fertilizers;
• top dressing with mineral fertilizers;
• shelter for the winter;
• transfer.

Regular weeding necessary for the timely removal of weeds, this preserves the nutritional and water regime of plants. By loosening the soil, soil moisture is preserved and the air regime necessary for plants is created. Watering is necessary to maintain the optimum soil moisture regime.

Plant nutrition organic fertilizers (humus, compote, peat, mullein) are carried out in the spring, at the beginning of the vegetation of plants, this delays the growth of weeds, as a result of which the hydrotechnical regime necessary for plant growth is created.

Mineral fertilizers - nitrogen - are applied in early spring when watering plants, they are needed for the development of the vegetative organs of plants. Potash and phosphorus fertilizers, which improve fruiting and increase plant resistance to fungal diseases, are applied in summer and early autumn during irrigation.

Shelter for the winter (if the plant needs it) - dry leaves or branches of spruce and pine. Timely transplantation of plants contributes to the rejuvenation of plants, it must be carried out every 4-5-6 years after planting.

Seed propagation of perennials buttercup family

The seed method of propagation of these perennials is used less frequently than the vegetative one, since with this method of reproduction the plant develops more slowly. However, such perennials as Wrestler, European bathing suit, Asian bathing suit, Knyazhik, Noble liverwort, small-flowered Clematis, Tsimitsifuga, Klopogon, Adonis, Basil, Hellebore, Zimovnik also reproduce in this way.

Their seeds are sown in autumn in pots or boxes with well-prepared loose soil to a depth of 1-2 cm, and placed in greenhouses. In the spring of the following year, seedlings are transplanted into well-prepared, open, wind-protected ridges.

The plant begins to bloom in the second year after sowing. Prince and Adonis, on the other hand, begin to bloom only 3-4 years after sowing. It should be especially noted that the seeds of such perennials as Wrestler, European bathing suit, Asian bathing suit, Knyazhik, Noble liverwort, Vesennik, Erandus, Pasque, Sleep-grass, must be sown in prepared boxes or pots immediately after they are collected, because they are quickly lost germination.

buttercup family

Despite the fact that with this method of reproduction, the plant develops more slowly, it is still used quite often in several of its varieties. In decorative floriculture, the following methods of vegetative propagation of perennial decorative flowering garden plants of the ranunculus family are common:

• dividing the bush;
• incomplete division of the bush;
• division of rhizomes;
• cuttings.

By dividing the bush, in which its separated parts must have growth buds, or rudimentary shoots and roots, and not by complete division of a bush of three or four years of age, such perennials propagate as: Bora, Catchment, European bathing suit, Shpornik, Noble liverwort, Tsimitsifuga, Klapagon.

With incomplete division of a bush of three or four years of age, the plant is carefully dug in on one side, cut into two parts. One part, together with the earth, is transferred and planted on another, well-prepared place. The second part of the plant remains in the same place.

The division of rhizomes propagate hellebore, wintering, wrestler, Asian swimsuit, forest anemone, marsh marigold, Adonis, basil, vesennik. Rhizomes are cut into as many parts as there are leaf-bearing segments in it.

propagated by cuttings some types of Clematis and Princes, while using stem, summer cuttings, as well as cuttings obtained from vegetative shoots, from apical shoots or from shoots with buds.

The divided parts of the bush of rhizomes and cuttings are planted for a year for growing, that is, to achieve the established conditions, in light, sandy, nutritious, moderately moist soil. During this time, plant care consists in timely feeding, watering, loosening, weeding. A year later, the plant is planted in a permanent place in late August / early September - this time is considered the best for their further development.

The buttercup family includes about 50 genera and over 2000 species, represented mainly in temperate and cold regions of the globe. They are widely distributed on all continents, especially in the northern extratropical zone. The most rich in genera and species of buttercups is the Holarctic kingdom. Within its limits, only in the East Asian floristic region, two-thirds of all genera are concentrated (36 genera, of which 11 are only in this region), and 28 genera are found in the Circumboreal floristic region. In the Arctic, the number of genera and species is not so numerous, but they constitute an important element of the flora. In the tropics and subtropics, buttercups are much less common and mainly in mountainous areas. There are also endemic genera here.

Thus, most buttercups prefer temperate and cool climates, many species are damp places. There are many aquatic plants in this family. In ponds, rivers, ditches, the water buttercup is often found (considered either as a subgenus of the buttercup genus or at the rank of an independent genus Batrachium) with leaves strongly dissected to filiform lobes. Marigold grows under conditions of strong moisture (Caltha, Table 26).

Some types of marigold are plants with floating stems rooting at the nodes. The marigold (S. dionaeifolia), which grows in Argentina and southern Chile, has an unusual appearance. Small (5-7.5 cm high) plants form dense tufts. Rounded fleshy leaves, fringed along the edge, folded lengthwise, resemble sundew leaves. The membranous stipules are large - 2-3 times larger than the leaves (Fig. 102). At the same time, the family has plants and dry habitats. Many species grow in deserts and semi-deserts.

Most buttercups are perennial herbs, but among them there are annual or biennial herbs, as well as subshrubs. Rhizome mostly sympodial (rarely monopodial); it is formed if the internodes of new underground shoots are shortened. If they lengthen, a stolon arises (anemone - Anemone, ranunculus - Ranunculus, Table 27, cornflower - Thalictrum, trautfetteria - Trautvetteria, equal fruit - Isopyrum, conmuc - Coptis). Usually, the occurrence of underground formations of a certain type - rhizome or stolon - is constant for the species, although there are exceptions (flexible anemones - Anemone flaccida - have forms with both rhizomes and stolons). There are strongly thickened roots that store nutrients (for example, the Illyrian buttercup - Ranunculus illiricus - has tuberous roots). Sometimes the lower tuberous thickened part of the stem performs the storage function (tuberous buttercup - R. bulbosus). Buttercup spring, or chistyak (R. ficaria), is interesting in that it has two types of brood nights - on the roots (tuberous thickened adventitious roots) and in the axils of the leaves. Both those and others serve for vegetative propagation. The woody structure of the stem is present only in clematis (Clematis) and the monotypic Himalayan genus Archicclematis (Archiclematis) close to it, but it arose in them a second time from the herbaceous type.

Buttercup leaves are mostly alternate, less often opposite, simple, separate or lobed, palmately, less often pinnately dissected, sometimes entire, more often without stipules, sometimes with rudimentary stipules (some basilis). Basal leaves usually have long petioles and wide sheaths; stem leaves have shorter petioles and the blade often passes into the sheath. The predominant leaf type in the family is with a heart-shaped base, palmately divided into lobes with coarse teeth or incisions. Small leaves are usually round, and large reniform. If the leaf is whole or divided into shallow lobes, its edge is usually serrated or crenate (marigold, chistyak, some buttercups). When the leaf is narrow, its base is rounded or wedge-shaped, and separation, incision or serration is rare and limited only to the upper part (mousetail, some buttercups).

Ranunculus flowers are located in primate inflorescences - from racemose to paniculate, less often solitary, bisexual, occasionally unisexual, spiral, spirocyclic or cyclic, actinomorphic or less often zygomorphic (larkspur - Delphinium, table 28, consolida - Consolida and aconite - Aconite).

The receptacle is usually well developed, and sometimes it is very long (mousetail - Myosurus).

,
,

Ranunculaceae have a variety of flower colors - from white (oak anemone - Anemone nemorosa, table 29) to blue (coppice - Hepatica, table 29, aconite, larkspur), yellow (buttercup, marigold, bathing suit - Trollius), bright red ( adonis - Adonis, table 20, Asian buttercup - Ranunculus asiaticus, table 27). Perianth double or simple, represented only by a calyx, like marigold, anemone, sleep-grass (Pulsatilla, pl. 26), clematis (pl. 30), cornflower. More often, the bright color of the flower refers to the color of the sepals. The calyx usually consists of five sepals, sometimes six, in many clematis - of four, in the clematis - of three, occasionally of two (black cohosh-Cimicifuga, Fig. 103). The number of sepals is not always constant, it especially varies in the marigold, swimsuit, anemone. In specialized flowers of aconite, larkspur, columbine (Aquilegia) - the number of sepals is constant. The sepals usually fall off after flowering. They are preserved only in the genera of the hegemon (Hegemone), hellebore (Helleborus), oxygraphis (Oxygraphis), paroxygraphis (Paroxygraphis), as well as in some species of larkspur, aconite, buttercup, bathing suit. The petals of buttercups are interpreted as modified stamens. The staminate origin of ranunculus petals is proved by studying the conducting system of the flower. Unlike the sepals and like the stamens, the petals have only one leaf trace.

There are usually many stamens, their arrangement is spiral. Anthers open longitudinally, extrusive. Pollen grains in buttercups are quite diverse: they are the most common. three-furrowed, usually with reticulated exine, as well as multi-furrowed and multi-porous.

The gynoecium is apocarpous or more or less syncarpous (for example, in nigella - Nigella, hellebore - Helleborus vesicarius, etc.), sometimes monomeric (consolida, black cohosh, black cohosh - Actaea). The trend of evolution is towards a decrease in the number of carpels and its constancy. At the same time, a very large number of carpels (in some buttercups, mousetail) is also a secondary sign, it is associated with a decrease in the size of the carpels and an increase in the receptacle. The column is well developed. There are many or several ovules in each carpel, rarely 2 or 1. They are located in two rows along the ventral suture or single, attached at its base. Ovules are anatropic, sometimes hemitropic (buttercup), bitegmal or occasionally unitegmal.

Most members of the family are insect pollinated plants. The evolution of flowers went in the direction of adaptation to pollination by various insects. Some species do not have nectaries (clematis, cornflower, anemones, coppice), and pollen attracts insects. For example, pollen-eating beetles, flies, and bees visit chistyak flowers in sunny places (fruits do not form on it in the shade). Coppice pollen serves as food for bees, pollen of some species of anemones (alpine anemones - Anemone alpina, forest anemones - A. silvestris) - for flies and small bugs. However, the vast majority of insects are attracted by nectar, which is available in most of the buttercup genera.

Nectaries are quite diverse in form and origin. In the marigold, nectar is secreted in the depressions located at the base of the carpels. But usually nectar is secreted by petals or staminodes. The most common nectary is in the form of a hole at the base of the petal (buttercup, mousetail), sometimes covered with a scale (many types of buttercup). Nectar-bearing tissue, originating from the cells of the epidermis, lines the bottom of such a hole. Another way of development of the nectary is staminodes (for example, the Siberian prince - Atragene sibirica, Table 29). In the flower of the Siberian prince there are a number of transitional forms - from fertile stamens to stamens that have almost lost anthers, and to staminodes in the form of petals. Nectar is secreted mainly by staminodes. Sometimes fertile stamens produce it in small quantities. At the same time, the nectary is not morphologically formed - the nectar-bearing tissue is located just below the middle of the staminode. It has an epidermis with several convex cells. When the cuticle is ruptured, nectar is released through their membranes. The Siberian prince is a good honey plant.

Specialized nectaries, which originated from the rudiments (primordia) of the petals, have a very interesting shape. The number of such nectaries corresponds to the number of sepals (isocarp, hellebore, nigella) or two of them (types of aconite). Nectaries of this type are strictly specialized to perform the function of extracting and accumulating nectar.

In an equicarp, for example, such a nectary looks like a small leaflet, slightly tubular in shape, with a saccular bend at the base, like a rudiment of a spur. On the inside of the sac is a nectar-bearing tissue. In aconite species, the nectary is a complex formation with a curved spur, at the end of which nectar-bearing glands are placed, and with a petal-like expanded part - a lip. In hellebore, the nectary looks like a cone-shaped funnel, lined inside with nectar-bearing tissue. An extremely complex nectary in Nigella is a fleshy two-horned formation with a ventral scale covering the nectar-bearing tissue. Such nectaries are modified organs of a complicated shape and structure.

In the vast majority of buttercups, when the flower opens (at least actinomorphic), the stamens are bent inward and close the carpels. Anther maturation begins with the stamens of the outer circle and gradually reaches the stamens adjacent to the carpels. Due to the fact that the carpels are protected by immature stamens, in the first stages after the opening of the flower, self-pollination is impossible. Only when the stamens of the innermost circle ripen does it become possible for pollen to get on the stigmas, sometimes this happens with the help of insects (marigold, buttercup, clematis). Self-pollination is prevented by the common protandria (larkspur) or protogynia (small basilisk - Thalictrum minus, black hellebore - Helleborus niger).

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Insects visit the marigold mainly for pollen (honey bees, hoverflies - Syrphidae). Nectar in a small amount in warm weather is secreted by the walls of the carpels. Due to winter flowering, insects rarely visit hellebore flowers. Protogyny, as well as frequent freezing of stigmas, contribute to the fact that seeds are usually not formed. Early small insects that sometimes visit the flowers (bees, flies) can get the nectar without touching the stigmas, so cross-pollination does not occur. In the basilisk basilisk (Thalictrum aquilegifolinm), insects are attracted by purple stamens, which secrete pollen in large quantities. The small basilisk has fewer stamens and they are pale in color - in this plant, pollination is carried out by the wind. Wind pollination in general is quite rare in Ranunculaceae. Zygomorphic flowers (such as aconite, larkspur, columbine, tables 28, 29) are adapted for pollination by insects with a long proboscis, since nectar accumulates at the end of their spurs. A good pollinator is a female garden bumblebee (Bombus hortorum) with a proboscis 19-21 mm long, which allows you to get nectar from the bottom of the flower's long spurs. The entrance to the spurs is wide enough, for example, at the catchment area, so that the bumblebee can stick its head into the flower. Sometimes insects with a short proboscis (3-7 mm long) steal nectar by biting through spurs (Bombus terrestris, honey bee). The pollination of some buttercups by hummingbirds is extremely interesting. They, like insects, are attracted to nectar. As a result of conjugated evolution, the flowers of plants pollinated by hummingbirds have acquired special qualities: they have a denser tissue of flower parts and pedicels (mechanical reinforcement); the spatial arrangement of the anthers and stigmas on the one hand, and the spurs with nectar on the other, leads to pollen sticking to the head and front of the bird in large quantities, facilitating cross-pollination. In hummingbirds, there is a correspondence of the length of the beak and tongue to the length of the flower tube of plant species pollinated by birds. It is noticed that flowers pollinated by hummingbirds are predominantly red or red-yellow in color.

During the last two decades, intensive research has been carried out on the biology of plant pollination. An interesting object for this kind of work is the catchment area. There are two groups of watershed species in North America. One of them, which includes, for example, the beautiful catchment (Aquilegia formosa) and the Canadian catchment (A. canadense), is characterized by drooping red-yellow flowers, short spurs, no smell, and a large amount of nectar. The main pollinator of these species is the Selasphorus platycereus hummingbird. Species of another group (blue catchment - A. caerulea, pubescent catchment - A. pubescens, etc.) have erect flowers of blue, white or yellow color, with long spurs and with a pleasant smell. Less nectar is produced. The main pollinator is butterflies from the hawk family (Sphingidae).

The development of flower traits in each group of species occurred in connection with the pollination system. At the same time, a highly specialized relationship between a species and a single group of pollinators is extremely rare. As a rule, in addition to the main pollinators, both groups are visited by pollen-eating bumblebees. Of these, the most frequent visitor is the western bumblebee (Bombus occidentalis).

Differences in pollination systems are not an effective mechanism to prevent the hybridization of these species, but serve to reinforce the differences in habitat and flowering time between them.

In North America, there are also two species of larkspur pollinated by hummingbirds. In cardinal larkspur (Delphinium cardinale, Fig. 104), bright red flowers are arranged horizontally on thick pedicels. Stamens and carpels are located below the entrance to a single horizontal spur. In this species, the specialization of the flower, which promotes cross-pollination, is combined with protandry. The lower flowers in the inflorescence ripen faster than the upper ones.

Among Ranunculaceae, a spiral multileaf is quite widespread, which is characteristic of primitive flowering groups. This type of fruit is found, for example, in marigold and bathing. There are usually many seeds, and they are located along the inner edge of the carpel suture of each leaflet. In aconite and larkspur, the number of leaflets in the fruit is less - up to five and three (in ajax larkspur - Delphinium ajacis - up to one). A carpel with a large number of ovules usually becomes a leaflet, and with one ovule - a nutlet. However, there are also single-seeded leaflets (Xanthorhiza). Many buttercups are characterized by a multi-nutlet fruit, which originated from a multi-leaf due to the reduction in the number of ovules to one and the loss of the opening mechanism in connection with this. Numerous nuts are located on an elongated (mousetail) or convex (buttercup) receptacle. A rarer type of fruit in the buttercup family is juicy single-leaflets resembling a black or red berry (species of the genus Voronets, Knowltonia). Only a longitudinal, groove on the surface - the seam of a single carpel - gives out the origin of such a berry. The juicy tissue of the pericarp is poorly developed, the bulk of the fruit is seeds in two dense rows.

Within the leaflet group, the seeds are varied. They are mostly smooth or comb-shaped, but in some genera (Enemion - Enemion, semi-catchment - Semiaquilegia, species of the genus Dichocarpon - Dichocarpon) they are engraved and sometimes slightly lamellar. The embryo in many buttercups develops slowly and is often undifferentiated in mature seeds. In some members of the family, the growth and differentiation of the embryo occur during the summer season (oak anemone, buttercup anemone - Anemone ranunculoides, Table 29), in others faster (forest anemone, open sleep-grass - Pulsatilla patens), sometimes much longer and the seeds germinate only next spring (northern aconite - Aconite septentrionale, cornflower).

There are also species that sprout after two winter periods - this is the spring ranunculus and the spike-shaped raven (Actaea spicata). Their seedling appears in the first spring, develops adventitious sucking and storage tuberous roots. In July, the cotyledons die off, the plants remain in autumn and winter in the form of nodules, and only in the second spring they give the first leaf.

An interesting biological feature of the representatives of the buttercup family is the diverse ways of distributing fruits and the adaptations associated with them. Often there are polynuts with anemochoric adaptations - these are feathery columns in the species of sleep-grass, clematis, prince. The short pubescence of the fruitlets (anemone buttercup), long thick hairs (forest anemone), pterygoid outgrowths of the pericarp (anemone narcissus flower - Anemone narcissiflora, cornflower watershed) - all these are adaptations for carrying fruits by wind.

Along with anemochoric, there are fruits equipped with other adaptations. In some species of buttercups growing in conditions of high humidity - in swamps, in streams and the like, the seed is protected from getting wet by a dense endocarp or seed coat. Under the epidermis there are large air-bearing corky cells that form a swimming belt (long-leaved buttercup - Ranunculus lingua, poisonous buttercup - R. sceleratus). In the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris), the seeds swell and turn into a swimming organ. Sometimes water-borne fruits are adapted to be carried by the wind.

Many buttercups are zoochorous. The fruits of some species are adapted to epizoochory - their transfer by animals on the outer covers. Hooked stigma of caustic buttercup (Ranunculus acris), field buttercup (R. arvensis), soft needle buttercup (R. muricatus) is an organ of attachment to animal fur, bird feathers, people's clothes. Dwarf annual plants of the genus hornhead (Ceratocephalus) have a long hooked nose at the top of the carpel. When attached to the fur of an animal, often the entire plant is easily pulled out of the ground and carried in its entirety.

In the buttercup family, there is also synzoochory - the active distribution of rudiments by animals associated with eating their parts. In many forest species, the rudiments are spread by ants. Such rudiments have strong covers that protect them from damage, and in addition, special appendages - elaiosomes, which attract ants and are eaten by them. Elaiosomes are composed of parenchymal cells rich in oil. In the copse of the noble (Hepatica nobilis) elaiosomes, the basal sections of the tissues of the pericarp. Myrmecochora plants are characterized by a certain biology - early flowering and maturation. It is at this time (spring - early summer) that ants feed their larvae and actively collect food. Most myrmecochores (46% of grass species) are found in the lower layer of deciduous forests, including some anemone species. Myrmekohor, found in the steppes, is a well-known medicinal plant - spring adonis (Adonis venialis, Table 26).

Sometimes the fruits of buttercups are eaten by birds and distributed with excrement (endozoochory). It is known that the starling, which feeds mainly on insects and their larvae, also eats the fruits of plants, in particular some, buttercups, anemones. Buttercup creeping seeds were found in sparrow excrement. It has also been established that the reindeer in the Arctic regions eats the seeds of several species of buttercup (creeping buttercup - Ranunculus repens, Hyperborean buttercup - R. hyperboreus, glacial buttercup - R. glacialis, Lapland buttercup - R. lapponicus, etc.), as well as the European bathing suit and alpine basilisk and spreads them with excrement.

Buttercups are divided into 4 subfamilies: hydrastis (Hydrastidoideae), buttercups (Ranunculoideae), cornflowers (Thalictroideae) and kingdoniums (Kingdonioideae).

The Hydrastis subfamily includes the monotypic genus Hydrastis, two species of which are common in Japan and North America. These are rhizomatous herbs with palmately dissected leaves. The hydrastis flower has 3 sepals and is devoid of petals and nectaries. Gynoecium of numerous free carpels. There are 2 ovules in each carpel, but only 1 of them is fertile. The outer integument is longer than the inner one. The fruit of numerous juicy berry-like leaflets. The main number of chromosomes is 13. The rhizome of the Canadian hydrastis (H. canadense) contains substances with medicinal properties. They contain several alkaloids, one of which - berberine - is found in the rhizomes of representatives of the barberry family, which is one of the evidence of their relationship with buttercups. The genus hydrastis is in some respects a link between buttercups and barberries. This genus is also interesting in that, unlike other Ranunculaceae, which have vessel segments exclusively with simple perforations, it also has vessels with scalariform perforations.

The ranunculus subfamily includes both rhizomatous herbs and vines with a woody stem. The leaves are varied - from simple and whole to dissected, finely dissected and complex. Flowers of various structures, with a different number of parts. Petals and nectaries present or absent. There are several, many, 2 or 1 ovules in each carpel. The basic number of chromosomes is 6, 7 and 8; chromosomes are large. This subfamily is the largest in size. It unites about 30 genera, of which the genus Ranunculus is the most widespread and largest in terms of the number of species (about 600 species). Species: Buttercups are found in all areas from the Arctic to the desert and rise high into the mountains. There are water and marsh species. However, the vast majority of buttercups prefer mesophytic conditions. A large genus is clematis (about 400 species), widespread in the East Asian region, North and South America, Africa, and Australia. Representatives of other genera - larkspur (about 150 species) and aconite (300 species) - are found mainly in the northern hemisphere. This subfamily includes the already mentioned genera of anemone (120 species), sleep-grass (about 30 species), copse, adonis, swimsuit, marigold, hellebore, raven, etc. All of them are distributed mainly in temperate regions. The exception is the genus Poultonia, 10 species of which grow in South Africa, and the Malesian genus Naravelia.

Most of the subfamily are herbaceous perennials and annuals (some species of buttercups, mousetail). However, there are genera with a tree structure, lianas (clematis, Table 30). Tree vines are all types of the genus Naravelia, which is close to clematis and is included in it by some botanists. The subfamily of buttercups includes the monotypic genus Laccopetalum (Laccopetalum), the only species of which is the giant laccopetalum (L. giganteum) growing at an altitude of 4000-4200 m in the Andes, in Peru. This is a plant with long (up to 70 cm) basal leaves and very large flowers with an elongated receptacle.

Rhizome grasses predominate in the subfamily Basilisnikovae, usually with trifoliate or strongly dissected leaves. Petals are absent, but the perianth is usually petaloid. There are often nectaries. The fruit is a multi-nutlet or multi-leaflet. The basic number of chromosomes is 7, but in the genera Contis and Xanthoriza it is 9. The chromosomes are small. This subfamily is relatively small, this includes the genera cornflower, enemion, catchment, semi-catchment, false catchment (Paraquilegia, Table 29), equal-fruited, neoleptopyrum (Neoleptopyrum), anemonella (Anemonella).

The largest genus in the subfamily is cornflower (about 120 species), distributed mainly in the northern hemisphere. These are plants with a simple nondescript perianth of four (rarely 5) falling sepals, with long numerous stamens that attract insects. Nectaries are absent. Another genus, the catchment area (about 100 species), has a 5-membered calyx and a corolla of five petals. This genus is distributed in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. The small genus enemion (6 species) is represented in North America and Western Asia, the equal fruit (12 species) - in Western Asia and the Himalayas.

The subfamily Kingdoniaceae is monotypic. The monotypic genus Kingdonia belongs to it. Kingdonia single-flowered (K. uniflora) is a small rhizomatous herbaceous plant with simple palmately dissected leaves, single, actinomorphic, petalless flowers with 5 (6-7) sepals, 3-6 stamens. Pollen grains are three-furrow-pore, the fruit is a multi-nutlet. Kingdonia is found only in China.

In a number of characters (single-lacunous nodes, dichotomous branching of leaf veins, petalless reduced flowers, haploid number of chromosomes equal to 15), Kingdonia differs significantly from most buttercups. For this reason, some botanists tend to separate this genus into an independent family.

The vast majority of buttercups are poisonous plants that are not eaten by livestock. This is due to the fact that they contain a variety of alkaloids, which are poisons and are widely used in medicine. Some species have been known to people for a very long time and have been used as medicinal plants. From time immemorial, people have known about the poisonous properties of aconite. In ancient Greece and China, poison for arrows was obtained from it; in Nepal, they poisoned drinking water to protect against attacks by enemies, and the meat of goats and sheep, which served as bait for catching large predatory animals. In Tibet, aconite is still considered the "king of medicine." The whole aconite plant contains alkaloid aconitine - the strongest poison. Even honey containing aconite pollen is poisonous. The medicinal uses of this plant are extremely diverse. Of the other plants of this family containing valuable alkaloids, larkspur should be mentioned. Among the 40 alkaloids found in the tissues of species of this genus, there are alkaloids with a curare-like effect. Used in medicine and alkaloids found in the tissues of some types of cornflower.

Another group of medicinally valuable substances found in buttercups is the glycosides of the cardiac group, used to treat cardiovascular diseases. First of all, it is necessary to name spring adonis, which has a high content of active substances. Glycosides also contain hellebore and sleep-grass.

Probably promising is the use of extracts of some species of ranunculus to combat pathogenic fungi that cause powdery mildew and cancer of some fruit trees (quince, peach, pomegranate, figs). A study of several species of buttercup and clematis found their fungicidal properties.

Among the ranunculaceae, there are fat-oil plants, which have mainly semi-drying and drying liquid oils. The largest percentage of liquid oil was found in the seeds of clematis, ranunculus, and cornflower. Particularly valuable for practical use are the oils of black nigella (Nigella sativa), field nigella (N. arvensis) and catchment area, as well as aconite, larkspur, and cornflower. Oils of this type are used in many sectors of the automotive, paint and varnish, textile, food industries, medicine, etc.

Thanks to the brightly colored flowers of various colors, many buttercups are recognized ornamental plants. Among the wild plants of our flora, the bathing suit, various types of anemone, copse, sleep-grass, larkspur, etc. are very popular.

It is known that in ancient Rome, crown-shaped anemone flowers (Anemone coronaria) were used for wreaths. From the end of the 17th century Adonis becomes a favorite decorative pacrei-shem. According to legend, bright red flowers of autumn adonis (Adonis autumnalis) grew from the blood of Aphrodite's favorite - Adonis, who was killed by a boar while hunting. According to other sources, this plant is named after the Assyrian god Adon.

In the XVI - XVII centuries. in Central European gardens, in addition to the Mediterranean-Balkan and Alpine plants, plants of the local flora begin to be cultivated. It was then that the black hellebore was introduced into the culture, a very popular and currently “Christmas flower”, as well as a bathing suit, a cornflower with decorative foliage. At the end of the XVIII century. European gardens were replenished with plants from China and Japan, including the Japanese anemone (Anemone japonica).

To date, many buttercups have been introduced into culture. Interesting ornamental: the plant is clematis. This genus includes liana-like shrubs, often clinging to a support with twisting leaf petioles. Fruits - numerous nuts with long pubescent columns - are collected in a silky fluffy head. More than 2000 varieties and varieties of clematis are known, bred in Western Europe in a coastal climate. An excellent collection of clematis has been created in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, where there are over 150 hybrid forms that are resistant to drought and pests. This culture attracts attention with the duration of the growing season, abundant flowering. In large-flowered varieties, flowers reach a diameter of 22 cm and amaze with a variety of colors - from white to purple. Small-flowered clematis are very fragrant.

Forest herbaceous plants Biological encyclopedic dictionary

- (Ranunculaceae Juss.) a family of dicotyledonous free-leaved plants, embracing annual, biennial and perennial herbs, as well as subshrubs and climbing shrubs (clematis). In some species, the leaves are only basal, in others they also ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

uh; pl. Nerd. A family of plants that includes ranunculus, marigold, peony, etc. * * * Ranunculaceae is a family of dicotyledonous plants. About 2000 species (50 genera), mainly in the temperate and cold zones of the Northern Hemisphere. To the buttercups ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

This term has other meanings, see Wrestler (meanings). Wrestler ... Wikipedia

High (Delphinium elatum ... Wikipedia

The Ranunculaceae family occupies a significant place in the flora: according to various estimates, it includes 1200, 1500 or more than 2000 species.

Basically - these are herbaceous plants, there are ordinary and climbing shrubs. There are aquatic plants. The bulk are plants that prefer sufficient or even excessive moisture, or excess moisture at least at the beginning of the growing season.

Many plants in the Buttercup family are poisonous. They can harm humans and animals. Signs of poisoning are traditional: nausea, vomiting, loose stools, stomach discomfort, convulsions. If an animal consumes too many of these plants, a fatal outcome is possible. When dried, the toxicity is lost.

The benefits of ranunculus

Adonis spring - a medicinal plant used to treat heart disease.
Buttercup caustic covers meadows, forests, fields, but can be a real punishment as a weed.

Representatives of the buttercup family in landscape design

Perennial plants of the Ranunculaceae family can decorate home gardens, gardens, parks. They are resistant to diseases and pests, are unpretentious in care, and multiply easily.

• Ground covers of the Buttercup family: marsh, forest anemone.
• Plant aconite, bathing suit (Chinese, European, Asian), marsh marigold near water bodies.
• Curly are clematis, prince.
• Light-loving: aconite, delphinium, cimicifuga, cornflower, clematis.
• They grow well in partial shade:, bathing suit (European, Asian, Chinese), klapagon, cimicifuga, backache sleep-grass,.
• In room conditions and gardens, ranunculus is grown - a ranunculus, bred by selection. It is distinguished by a multi-petal bud, similar to a peony, a rose. You can learn more about this plant from the article on the site.

Ranunculus care

Loosen the soil regularly, weed the plants. Maintain optimum humidity. In the spring, feed with organic matter (compost, mullein, humus), this will not only nourish the plants, but also delay the growth of weeds. Apply nitrogen fertilizer at the beginning of the growing season. Feed with a potassium-phosphorus mixture in summer and early autumn. Plants are quite cold-resistant, but it is better to cover for the winter with dry leaves, spruce branches.
Transplantation is carried out after 4-6 years.

buttercup family

2019/03/17

Botanical description and homeland of the plant Nigella (Nigella) or Nigella is a herbaceous annual of the Ranunculaceae family. It grows in a neat bush 30-60 cm high. The structure of the stems and leaves resembles dill, only in nigella the leaf plates are more delicate, light green in color, ...

2018/01/06

Ranunculus (lat. Ranunculus), the middle name is Asian buttercup (garden). Ranunculus in Latin means "frog", this name was given by the ancient Greek scientist Pliny, apparently due to the fact that the plant prefers swampy areas. In Italy, the plant is called "golden ...

2017/08/11

Delphinium is one of the most beloved and desired garden plants. Slender, with bright emerald leaves, impressive flowering columns and pleasing to the eye. Differs in height, harmony and magnificence. Known to people since ancient times. According to one legend, the gods...

2017/07/13

Clematis (Clematis) - a large genus, part of the ranunculaceae family, also has the name lozinka or clematis. These are herbaceous or woody-colored plants that grow for many years and have a natural habitat in the subtropics of the Northern Hemisphere and in ...

2017/06/09

Among the perennial herbaceous plants, the hellebore flower Helleborus (or helleborus, helleborus, wintering) occupies a special place, because it belongs to the category of winter flowers. No wonder the second name of the flower is the Christmas rose. The Mediterranean is considered its homeland, and popularity ...

2017/05/19

Among the numerous variety of plants (about 2000 species) of the ranunculus family, the crow is distinguished by the structure and color of its fruit. And while bright berries are alluringly attractive, be careful: these shiny beads are very poisonous, so do not even try them, but ...

2017/04/28

On the eve of warm days, as soon as the first thawed patches look out, bright curtains of erantis appear under the leafless crowns of trees - in Greek, this name means “spring flower”. An early flowering plant of the buttercup family has 7 species. Distributed…

2017/03/29

Anemonella is a plant belonging to the Buttercup family. Distinctive features are a smooth straight stem, as well as leaves divided into three lobes. The root system is represented by small tuber formations. Among the color diversity of these plants, inflorescences of purple, ...

General information about ranunculus

Ranunculaceae (lat. Ranunculaceae), a family of dicotyledonous plants. About 2000 species (50 genera), mainly in the temperate and cold zones of the Northern Hemisphere. Representatives of the family are annual, biennial and perennial herbs; sometimes shrubs and climbing shrubs. Buttercups include aconite, ranunculus, larkspur, adonis, anemone, columbine, clematis, hellebore, etc. Many buttercups are poisonous.

Aconite (Aconitum) or Wrestler, a genus of perennial herbs of the ranunculus family. About 300 species, in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Plants are poisonous. Many aconites are bred as ornamentals. Tubers of some species are used in medicine as an antipyretic and analgesic. Buttercup (Ranunculus), a genus of herbs in the buttercup family. Over 600 species, widely distributed, but in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere; common mainly in wet meadows and forests. Plants are poisonous, some are decorative. Buttercup Sayan - protected.

Larkspur (Delphinium) (delphinium, spur), a genus of perennial herbs of the buttercup family. About 250 species, in the Northern Hemisphere and in the mountains of tropical Africa. Sowing larkspur (juice) is a melliferous and dyeing plant. Larkspur high - medicinal plant (curare-like action). Many types of larkspur are decorative. Adonis (Adonis), a genus of annual or perennial herbs of the ranunculus family. Over 20 species, in the temperate zone of Eurasia and North Africa; grow in dry open areas. Many species are poisonous. Anemone (Anemone) or Anemone, a genus of rhizomatous herbs (occasionally subshrubs) of the buttercup family. About 150 species, around the globe. Many of them are early spring plants, some are decorative. Catchment (Aquilegia) (eagle, aquilegia), a genus of perennial herbs of the buttercup family. About 100 species, in the temperate zone of Eurasia and America; including 27 species in Eastern Siberia, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Some are decorative.

Botanical description. In some species, the leaves are only basal, in others they are also stalk, in the majority they are alternate (only opposite in clematis) - without stipules, entire or palmately or pinnately dissected; the base of the petiole is mostly expanded in the form of a sheath. The flowers of some Ranunculaceae are correct, while others are irregular; most are bisexual and a few are unisexual. Flowers develop either singly at the top of the stem or in leaf axils, or in racemes or panicles. A typical flower is arranged like this: five sepals, five petals, many stamens and pistils; but there are numerous deviations from this type; so, there are three or a lot of sepals; sometimes they are petaloid, and then the corolla does not develop at all or remains rudimentary; sometimes the petals turn into tubular honey cakes; the number of pistils is sometimes reduced to one. The fruit is a composite, consisting of achenes or multi-seeded leaflets, occasionally a berry and a box. The seeds contain a large protein and a small embryo.
The most interesting genera of the buttercup family:
Adonis
Aconite (Aconite)
Anemone (Anemone)
Catchment (Aquilegia)
Voronets (Actaea)
Larkspur (Delphinium)
Swimsuit (Trollius)
Buttercup (Ranunculus)
Clematis (Clematis)
Hellebore (Helleborus)
Backache (Pulsatilla)

Healing properties and use in folk medicine. Adonis. It is used in galenical preparations (partly standardized) for heart disease and circulatory disorders under the supervision of a physician. The main areas of their application are disorders of the heart muscle from mild to moderate severity, weakening of cardiac activity, palpitations with hyperthyroidism, as well as heart ailments due to nerves.
Aconite. In pharmaceutical doses, aconite acts through the nervous system on the entire body as a whole. In the first place is the analgesic effect for neuralgia, sciatica and gout. It should also be noted the beneficial effect of aconite in high temperature and colds (especially in bronchitis). Doctors sometimes prescribe it internally as a tincture, and externally as a liquid rub or ointment to relieve pain.
Larkspur is quite popular in folk medicine: an infusion of herbs is used as an appetizing, gastric and antidiarrheal agent, sometimes fractures are treated. Grass is applied to the gums to relieve toothache, a decoction of the roots is drunk for hernias, syphilis, burns, jaundice. Roots and rhizomes have a curare-like effect. An infusion of the herb is also used as an anthelmintic, for epilepsy, syphilis, ascites, jaundice, and cancer. Seeds in Indian medicine are used as an emetic, diuretic, choleretic, laxative and anthelmintic.

Marsh marigold(Caltha palustris) is widespread throughout the USSR, occurring in places with excessive moisture: in lowland swamps, waterlogged meadows, along rivers and streams.

Consider a herbarium specimen and note the features of the plant. The root system consists of a large number of adventitious cord-like roots; the main root is not developed. The stem of the marigold is juicy, simple or branched; it can be upright, ascending or ascending. The leaves of the marigold are fleshy, basal and lower stem petiolate, the upper ones are sessile. The leaf blade is heart-shaped kidney-shaped or heart-shaped, rounded, smooth, shiny. Its edge is crenate or crenate-toothed, less often - solid.

Marigold flowers are solitary, apical. Perianth - simple, consists of five golden yellow, broadly ovate leaflets arranged in two circles. The stamens are numerous, arranged in a spiral, their filaments are long, flattened in the upper part, the anthers are short.

Moving the stamens aside, consider the gynoecium. It consists of several pistils (from 2 to 12), each of which is formed by one carpel. We will open the pistil, or the developing fetus, along the ventral suture. When unfolded, it looks like a heart-shaped pointed leaf. A vein runs along its midline, the lateral branches of which feed the ovules sitting along the ventral suture. The fruit of the marsh marigold is a multi-leaf. Mature seeds are black, shiny, dissipate gradually from opened leaflets.

Thus, like in magnolia, the marigold flower is hemicyclic, with a simple perianth, and has no adaptations for pollination by certain insects. flower formula:

The green parts of the plant are poisonous. Marsh marigold, like many other ranunculaceae, blooms in spring, in April - May; at this time, material for classes should be collected: herbarium, flowers and, later, fruits.

oak anemone(Anemone nemorosa, Fig. 66, 1) is an early flowering plant that lives in damp forests. In practical classes, it is desirable to have live material.

Consider a plant. Anemone has a horizontally prostrate rhizome, on top of which a bud of renewal of the next year is visible. Near the top, a vertical, non-branching above-ground shoot leaves, ending with a single flower. In the middle part of the stem there is a whorl of three trifoliate leaves sitting on short petioles. These leaves in bud formation form a protective cover of the flower. Occasionally, at the base of the stem there is one basal leaf, often touched by frost.

Flower-bearing above-ground shoots are fully formed in the autumn of the previous year. At that time, deploying a renewal bud, one can see a fully formed miniature flower with a white perianth. In early spring, there is only growth, stretching and exit to the day surface.

When examining the flower from the lower surface, it is quite clearly seen that the tepals are arranged in two circles. Separate one leaf. It is elongated-ovoid: shaped, with a pointed apex, there is no nectary on its surface.

Consider the inner parts of the flower. There are many stamens, they, like in the marigold flower, are attached in a spiral (Fig. 66, 2). At the beginning of the development of the flower, the stamens are located in a dome, later they unfold. Anthers of stamens are short, pollen is dry (cases of wind pollination are possible). The flowers are visited by various insects - there is no specialization of pollination.

Moving the stamens aside, we find a large number of pistils in the center of the flower. We select one of them with a dissecting needle and open it; one ovule is enclosed in the pistil; the fruit that develops from the pistil is the achene, and the combined fruit is the combined polyseed. A small number of ovules in a pistil is a sign of a more perfect structure.

Thus, the flower of the oak anemone has the formula:

Genus Buttercup(Ranunculus), after which the entire ranunculaceae family (Ranunculaceae) is named, has up to 160 species on the territory of the USSR, living from the tundra to deserts and alpine heights. However, most species of ranunculus are mesophilic plants that develop in habitats with sufficient and constant moisture.

buttercup caustic(Ranunculus acer) has a very short rhizome covered with a lobe of numerous roots. Stem erect, branched. Basal and lower leaves on petioles, upper - sessile. The leaf blade is deeply incised into linear or linear-lanceolate lobes.

Golden-yellow flowers sit on furrowed pedicels. The calyx consists of five ovate sepals covered with hairs. The sepals are not bent towards the pedicel (in some species of this genus, the sepals are bent). Petals broadly ovate, five in number. Select one petal and examine it from the top surface. At the base of the petal is a small nectary - a hole covered with a scale.

In some species of buttercup, for example ranunculus poisonous(R. sceleratus), the nectar pit is not covered by a scale.

Stamens in large, indefinite number. The pistils contain one ovule each. Number of pistils in an indefinite number. The fruits are one-seeded, dry, nut-shaped, collected in a dense head.

Let's write down the flower formula and draw its diagram.

Buttercup grows caustic in the meadows; blooms from May all summer.

Adonis spring, starodubka, Montenegrin(Adonis vernalis) (Fig. 67, 1), has single large flowers with double perianth and conical receptacle. Stamens and pistils are numerous. Having removed the perianth and stamens, following their traces on the receptacle, we note that they are all located along segments of the spiral. Numerous pistils are also located, occupying the upper part of the receptacle (Fig. 67, 2).

The spiral arrangement of all elements of the flower indicates that the adonis is more primitive in comparison with the ranunculus considered earlier (Fig. 67, 3). Adonis spring is widely distributed in the steppe and forest-steppe zones, meeting on dry open slopes, edges, and shrubs.

At European bathing suits(Trollius europaeus) note the structural features of underground organs, stems, leaves. The flowers of the swimsuit are solitary, large with petal-shaped sepals. Sepals (there are 10-20 of them) domed, yellow, rather dense, imbricately overlapping each other. Having moved them apart, we will find nectary petals resembling stamens and therefore not immediately noticeable. The petal-nectary, like a stamen, sits on a narrow stalk and is somewhat expanded above. At the base of the extended part is a pocket-shaped nectary.

The flowers of the swimsuit are pollinated by various small insects, but the more open flowers are visited by bees.

Nectaries swimwear asian(T. asiaticus), also called "lights" and common in Siberia, are petal-like expanded upwards, and we can also call it a petal-nectary.

Thus, the process of formation of the inner circle of the perianth in different species is at different stages of development. There are swimsuits in forests, meadows. They are grown for decorative purposes.

In the buttercup family there are a number of genera whose flowers are even more adapted to pollination by certain insects: nectaries are deep inside the flower, and nectar is available only to long-proboscis insects. Let's consider some of them.

Common catchment, or doves(Aquilegia vulgaris), is a large plant with a short rhizome and numerous roots. Stem erect, branched above.

The leaves near the watershed are long-petiolate, the leaf blades are double-trifoliate, rounded-wedge-shaped, lobed with a crenate margin. The leaves are pubescent, their upper surface is darker, the lower one is lighter, often bluish.

Let's take a single flower and consider its structure. Perianth double, corolla colored, mostly blue, lilac, rarely red, pink or white.

There are five leaflets of corolla-shaped colored calyx, ovate-nose-pointed or oval-ovate. Petals-nectaries are oblique funnel-shaped, drawn into spurs that pass between the calyx leaves. Spurs at the apex are wedge-shaped, often curved towards the pedicel; nectar accumulates in them.

Remove the perianth, and after it the stamens. We count the stamens - their number is usually a multiple of five. The inner stamens are transformed into staminodes.

There are five pistils in the center of the flower; their tops are elongated into a long straight column with a small stigma at the end.

With the receptacle exposed, examine it at 20X magnification. Make sure that all parts of the flower are arranged in circles - the catchment flower is cyclic.

The types of watershed are widespread in the European and Asian parts of the USSR. The catchment is usually cultivated in gardens and parks, sometimes it runs wild.

wrestler high(Aconitum excelsum) (Fig. 68) - a perennial herbaceous plant 35 - 100 cm high. The underground organs of aconite are tubers of root origin. The stem of the aconite is ribbed, pubescent. The leaves are alternate, pawled-three - (nine) separate, in general outline heart-shaped-rounded.

Dirty-lilac flowers are collected in the final sparse brush, branching at the base. On the pedicels are two subulate bracts.

Let's take two or three soaked flowers on the magnifying glass table and get acquainted with their structure.

Perianth sharply zygomorphic. It consists of five unequal leaflets; the upper one - domed - is called a helmet; two lateral and two lower leaflets are pairwise symmetrical.

Then, holding the flower with one needle, with the second we take out two nectaries from the helmet, which have a very peculiar shape. Let us lay out one nectary on the table of a magnifying glass and distinguish in it a more or less filiform part, called a marigold; the middle part, annularly curled, called the spur, and the petal-shaped and expanded part, called the lip. On a living flower, it is easy to see that the nectar is concentrated in the spur.

Having become acquainted with the structure of the nectary, let's turn to the internal parts of the flower. Carefully dissecting, we will find small, reduced leaflets around the stamens. These leaves and nectaries are the inner circle of the perianth - the corolla, while the calyx of the aconite is petal-shaped.

There are many stamens in the flower. In the center of the flower, three pistils are the aconite gynoecium. The fruit of aconite is a three-leaf.

The structure of the zygomorphic aconite flower is highly specialized for pollination by heavy long-proboscis insects. The main pollinator of aconite is the bumblebee. The mutual connection of aconite and bumblebee is illustrated by their almost completely coinciding ranges.

Aconite is a very poisonous plant, as it contains the poison aconitine, which is used as a medicine.

Inhabits forests, water meadows, along river banks. It has a large range in the European and Asian parts of the Soviet Union.

The wrestler is widely distributed as an ornamental plant.

Sowing larkspur - field juices, mosquito spouts, horned cornflowers(Delphinium consolida) (Fig. 69, 4, 8, 9) is an annual plant, as evidenced by an underdeveloped root system. Stem pubescent, splayed-branched; leaves alternate, repeatedly dissected into narrow-linear lobes.

Larkspur flowers are located in the axils of small awl-shaped bracts and are collected in sprawling racemes. Their coloration is purple-blue. The flower is clearly zygomorphic, which is also clearly seen in herbarium specimens. The upper tepal has a long spur. Two lateral and two lower leaflets are equal in pairs and have an oblong-obovate shape. Outside, they are covered with sparse adpressed hairs.

Remove the leaves of the outer circle of the perianth. Its inner circle is represented by a nectary hidden in the spur and repeating its shape: the part protruding from the spur is petal-like. Let's single out the nectary and, having opened it in the longitudinal direction, straighten the petal-shaped limb, consisting of three shallow lobes.

In larkspur, as well as in aconite and columbine, the calyx is petal-shaped.

There are many stamens, as in all buttercups; having removed them, we find one pistil in the center of the flower, which later gives the fruit a leaflet.

Larkspur blooms in June - August. It infests mainly spring crops, and is also found in forest belts, especially near their edges, as well as near roads.

In addition, you can take larkspur high(Delphinium elatior), widespread in ornamental gardening (Fig. 69, 1 2, 3, 5, 6, 7).

Basil waterbrush(Thalictrum aquilegifolium) (Fig. 70, 1) is a herbaceous plant up to 1 m high, as a result of which, for the most part, not the whole plant, but parts of it are placed on the herbarium leaf: underground organs, basal leaf and inflorescence with upper leaves.

Basil water-leaved - a perennial plant with an upright stem, regular leaves. The leaves are triangular in shape, double-, thrice-pinnate. Their plates are located horizontally and have an obovate shape, rounded towards the base, three-lobed at the top, crenate-toothed along the edge, green above, with a bluish bloom below.

The flowers are collected in a corymbose panicle, pale purple, rarely white. Perianth consists of four, rarely five oval leaves, falling early. There are many stamens, their threads are colored, flat (Fig. 70, 2, 3, 4); during flowering, the stamen filaments hang down. The pistils in the flower are from five to twenty, they are located on a long stem, the stigma is sessile.

We met some representatives of the buttercup family. Summing up, we can say that the evolution of the flower in this family went in different ways and in several directions, but all these ways lead to specialization of pollination.

The simplest representatives of buttercups have a simple perianth, consisting of an indefinite number of petal-like leaves. So, Anemone have an unstable number of tepals. In Ranunculus, the perianth is double, actinomorphic, consisting of a calyx and a corolla. The number of tepals varies from a large and indefinite number to a small, definite number. In the higher representatives of the family, due to the specialization of pollination, the perianth becomes sharply zygomorphic (Aconitum, Delphinium).

The simplest representatives of the family (for example, Anemone) do not have nectaries. Insects visiting such flowers feed on the dust produced in large quantities. Trollius europaeus has an indefinite number of petal-shaped calyx leaves that have the function of attracting insects. The corolla is formed by nectary petals, which are in a flower in a large and indefinite amount. They are small in size and therefore cannot attract insects. In T. asiaticus, the nectary petals are petal-shaped, while in the European swimsuit they are narrowly linear and narrowed towards the base from the honey hole. The honey hole in the representatives of the genus is open. lying at the base of a well-developed petal.In some representatives of the genus Ranunculus, the nectar pit is not yet covered with a scale, while others have a small scale that covers the nectary.In aquilegia, the petals are oblique-funnel-shaped and gradually narrowed into a spur-nectary passing between the leaves of the calyx.The petals are made here two functions: attracting insects and nectar-producing.In the higher representatives of the family, nectaries are immersed deep in the inner circle of the perianth (for example, delphinium, aconite).

Only a few buttercups, such as Adonis, have all the elements of the flower arranged in a spiral. For most plants of the family, hemicyclic flowers are characteristic - the perianth is arranged in circles, and the stamens and pistils are arranged in a spiral; examples are anemone, liverwort, mousetail, buttercup.

In the simplest cases, the fruit of Ranunculaceae is a combined leaflet, consisting of a large and indefinite number of leaflets (for example, marigold); in other buttercups, the number of leaflets in a flower is made small and often definite (for example, columbine, aconite). In many buttercups, one seed is formed in the fruitlets of the combined fruit (buttercup, anemone). In such fruits, one can sometimes find, in addition to one well-developed seed, one or more underdeveloped ovules. Therefore, we can assume that single-seeded fruitlets - nuts - originated from leaflets. Sometimes the fruit of Ranunculaceae is a berry, such as a crow.