Lesser Celandine - Ficaria verna
Low to short, tuberous rooted, hairless plant. Leaves heart shaped, rather fleshy, dark green. Flowers bright glistening yellow, turning whiter with age 20 to 30 mm, with 8 to 12 narrow elliptical petals.
Deciduous woodland, roadside verges, meadows and ditches.
March to May.
Perennial.
Very common throughout Britain.
Very common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 586 of the 617 tetrads.
Look out for the associated fungi that grow on the leaves of Lesser Celandine:
Celandine Clustercup Rust (Uromyces dactylidis))
Bitter Chocolate Rust (Uromyces ficariae)
stepgray4
Cloud Wood
02 April 2021 All Saints Churchyard. Sapcote SP 4890 9320 (taken 15.3.2006).JPG)
Graham Calow
All Saints Chuch, Sapcote
15 March 2006
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
31 March 2009
Rob Sayer
Leicester, Fosse Recreation Ground
26 March 2022
granniejo
Billesdon Woodland Pool
21 March 2023
Ken Charity
Anstey. Summerfield Rd. Recreation Ground
31 March 2021
 All Saints Churchyard. Sapcote SP 4890 9320 (taken 15.3.2006).JPG)
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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Species profile
- Species group:
- Wildflowers
- Kingdom:
- Plantae
- Order:
- Ranunculales
- Family:
- Ranunculaceae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 877
- First record:
- 27/05/2000 (MBNHS;Steve Woodward)
- Last record:
- 02/02/2026 (Ramsell, Jean)
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
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
31 March 2009
Graham Calow
Sapcote
07 March 2014
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
31 March 2009
David Nicholls
Aylestone Meadows
31 March 2009
JamesCalow
Broughton Astley
20 April 2013
Ron.stevens
Ullesthorpe Stewardship Farm
03 April 2012 Old Fosse Sapcote SP 4994 9233 (taken 22.4.2006).JPG)
Graham Calow
Sapcote
22 April 2006
David Nicholls
Crown Lane Mountsorrel
19 May 2018
subsp bulbilifer (bulbils)
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
29 March 2012
HAPeacock
Leicester Garden
29 March 2012
David Nicholls
Jubilee Walk, Leire
29 March 2011
Alan Semper
Harby footpath
09 March 2012
Barbara Cooper
Holwell Nature Reserve
15 April 2013
Graham Calow
Croft
02 May 2013
 Old Fosse Sapcote SP 4994 9233 (taken 22.4.2006).JPG)
Celandine Clustercup Rust
Celandine Clustercup Rust (Uromyces dactylidis) is most easily seen when the bright orange aecia appear on the leaves (underside) and petioles of Lesser Celandine, the alternate host-plant, causing galls.
Bitter Chocolate Rust
Bitter Chocolate Rust (Uromyces ficaria) is a rust fungus affecting Lesser Celandine. There is no host plant alternation and only the chocolate-brown telia are present on raised swollen areas of leaves and petioles, causing galls.
Phytomyza ranunculi
The larva of the Agromyzid fly Phytomyza ranunculi mines the leaves of various members of the Buttercup family including Lesser Celandine. In this species the grains of frass are closely adjoining or grouped. Identification is more difficult when the mine is in the stem.