Celery-leaved Buttercup - Ranunculus sceleratus

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Description

Medium, rather stout mostly hairless plant, it can be quite variable in appearance. Flowers yellow 5 to 10 mm numerous in branched clusters. Petals equalling the downturned sepals.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Wet meadows, shallow pools, the margins of slow moving streams, wet ditches and pond margins.

When to see it

May to September.

Life History

Annual.

UK Status

Common in central, southern and eastern England, less so elsewhere in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 346 of the 617 tetrads.

  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    25 May 2015
  • David Nicholls
    Grange Fields, Broughton Astley
    05 June 2015
  • Graham Calow
    Witherley
    23 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Wykin Canal Towpath
    26 June 2015
    seed head
  • David Nicholls
    Broughton Astley
    04 July 2013
  • Peter Smith
    Loughborough Big Meadow
    26 May 2012

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species data profile ?

Species profile

Common names
Celery-leaved Buttercup
Species group:
Wildflowers
Kingdom:
Plantae
Order:
Ranunculales
Family:
Ranunculaceae
Records on NatureSpot:
105
First record:
01/01/1979 (Patricia Evans)
Last record:
18/04/2025 (Smith, Peter)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

The latest images and records displayed below include those awaiting verification checks so we cannot guarantee that every identification is correct. Once accepted, the record displays a green tick.

In the Latest Records section, click on the header to sort A-Z, and again to sort Z-A. Use the header boxes to filter the list.

Latest images

Latest records

  • Graham Calow
    Near Bramble Walk disused railway, Cosby
    20 May 2016
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    24 May 2006
  • Graham Calow
    Sapcote
    21 May 2007
  • David Nicholls
    Barrow Upon Soar
    15 July 2011
  • Graham Calow
    Fosse Meadows, Sharnford
    06 June 2011
  • Barbara Cooper
    Grantham canal, Hose
    27 May 2013
  • Graham Calow
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • Ron.stevens
    Broughton Astley
    24 June 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Cossington
    11 October 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Cossington
    11 October 2011
  • David Nicholls
    Ashby Canal, Shackerstone
    15 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ashby Canal, Shackerstone
    15 September 2012
  • David Nicholls
    Ashby Canal, Shackerstone
    15 September 2012
  • Barbara Cooper
    Long Clawson
    20 June 2013
    in new pond