Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 3033339

Creeping Buttercup

Ranunculus repens

Also known as Creeping Crowfoot, Sitfast

Creeping buttercup spreads aggressively across damp soils using low-growing leafy stolons that root at every node. Bright, glossy yellow flowers with five to ten petals rise above three-lobed leaves throughout late spring and summer. Its ability to thrive in compacted, nutrient-rich ground makes it a resilient inhabitant of pastures, lawns, and wet woodlands.

FloweringSpreadingPerennial
Creeping Buttercup reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Frank Vincentz, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Aphids
ThreatsHerbicides, soil cultivation
HabitatsLawns, damp pastures, riverbanks, wet woodlands, disturbed ground
Life spanPerennial
Classification
  1. OrderRanunculales
  2. FamilyRanunculaceae
  3. GenusRanunculus
  4. SpeciesRanunculus repens
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Contains protoanemonin, causing skin blistering and internal toxicity; do not touch with bare skin or ingest.
Why it is dangerous
Crushed tissues release ranunculin, which breaks down into toxic protoanemonin, causing skin blistering and severe gastrointestinal upset if eaten.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for glossy yellow flowers with five to ten petals and spreading stems running along moist soil.
What to do
Wear protective gloves when weeding, and keep livestock away from dense stands.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Look for three-parted stalked leaflets and long runners rooting at the nodes.
  • Weeding: Wear gardening gloves when handling to prevent skin rashes from crushed stems.
  • Garden Care: Dig out the central root system completely to keep stolons from regenerating.
Related species
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