Rough-Seed Buttercup, Spinyfruit buttercup

Ranunculus muricatus

Physical Characteristics

Ranunculus muricatus is a ANNUAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft). The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Flies. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.

Distribution

Mediterranean. Widely naturalized in Britain.

Habitats

Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal Uses

Antiasthmatic Antirheumatic Febrifuge The plant is used is used in the treatment of intermittent fevers, gout and asthma[240].

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous when fresh, the toxins are destroyed by heat or by drying[4, 10, 19, 21, 65]. The plant also has a strongly acrid juice that can cause blistering to the skin[65, 183].