LESSER CELANDINE 



The funi^Lis J\)itoloma iiiicros/yoniiii forms round or spindle-shaped 

 s\velh'ni;s on tlie stem and leaves, and Piicciiiia pcrplcxans infests it, 

 as does Pscudopcziza ranunculi. The beetles Prasocuris iiiarQind/a, 

 A hymenopterous insect, Monophobius albipcs, and a fly, Pliyloiiiyza 

 fiaia, live on it. 



The Latin acrii relers to its liitter i)ropcTlies. It is also called 

 Bachelor's Buttons, or Honton dor in Irciich. The I'.iii^lish names 

 are Baffiners, Bassinet, Blister- plant. Bolt, Butter Creeses, Carlock- 

 cups, Clovewort, Crawfoot, Crazy, Crowtlower, Crowfoot, E<Ttj;'s-and- 

 Butter, Ciilcup, ("loKl Cr.ip, ("mKl Cup. Cmld Knolxs, ^'(■llov. (jowan. 

 Guilt) -cup. llorse Gold, Kiiv^-cup, Kind's Knob, I'ai^le, \ ellow 

 Caul, Wllow Cups. 



It is called bliitcr-p/aiit. because used in Lincolnshire l)y tlu; 

 ■• herb - women " for blisters. The common names butlcnup and 

 hultcrjloii.'tr are said to be due to the supposed yellow colom^ oi 

 butter from cows eatino- them, l)ut more probably because oi the 

 richness of the meadows where l)uitercu[)s also grow. In reference 

 to the name Crazy, it is called an insane herb by country folk from 

 an absurd idea that its smell produced madness. 



Pliny, in his day, noticed that this plant and other buttercups caused 

 blisters like those caused by burnini^'. It was thus used for removini;' 

 leprous sores. Caustic preparations are made from them, l)ut the 

 bitterne-ss is lost in drying; hence hay is eaten without blisterinL; 

 being caused. In the tresh state cattle refuse it. It is cxen said 

 to cause blisters from merely pulling it up. 



Essential Spkcii-ic Char.acters: — 



8.' Ranunculus acris. L. --.Stem tall, erect, no bull), radical leaves 

 much dissected, upper entire, calyx erecto - patent, carpels smooth, 

 glands of nectary with scale, receptacle glabrous. 



Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus hicaria, L.) 



Owing to its soft carpels, perhaps, this plant has not lieen found fossil. 

 It is confined to the Arctic and Warm TemiJcrate Zone, occurring in 

 Arctic Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. It is found in every 

 part of England and Wales as well as Scotland, from the Shedand 

 Isles southwards. In Wales it grows at a height of 2400 ft. It is 

 found in Ireland and the Channel Islands. 



The lowly Pilewort, to give it its other name, so unlike the usual 



' The number in front of ihe specific description of a plant indicates il.s place in the Analytic Suminary 

 at the Ijeginning of Vol. I. 



