RANUNCULACEAE The Buttercup or Crowsfoot Family

 
 

The Ranunculaceae are characterized by:

 

  • an herbaceous habit
  • crowsfoot leaves, palmately veined and dissected

  • 5-merous flowers

  • many whorled stamens

  • separate carpels that develop into aggregates of achenes or follicles

                                                                                       CLICK for a more detailed character description.

The Ranunculaceae is a very diverse family, making it a difficult one to recognize.  It is made up of 50-52 genera and 2000 species.  Many members of this family are popular flower garden plants.  These include columbine (Aquilegia); Clematis; delphinium and larkspur (Delphinium sp.); Anemone; and monkshood (Aconitum). 
  CLICK for some exceptions to the pattern of variation.

 

 

Up to Subclass Index

Up to Alphabetical Family Index

Up to BioPl 243 Home Page

Glossary

 

 Site created and maintained by Matthew Willmann and Melissa Luckow Cornell University, Ithaca, New York September 1998