3. Introduction
Ranunculaceae is a family of flowering plants also know as the “buttercup family” or “crowfoot” family.
Genera: 51-88
Species: 2500
Ranunculaceae are mostly annual or perennial herbaceous plants, but with some woody climbers
(such as Clematis) and subshrubs.
Leaves are very often more or less palmately compound.
The flowers of are generally showy and medium to large in size in order to attract pollinators.
The flowers are actinomorphic or zygomorphic in Aconitum and Delphinium.
The Perianth is made of one or more commonly two whorls, often not clearly differentiated into a
true calyx and corolla, the sepals may be joined and the petals may be evolved into spurred
nectaries or otherwise modified.
4. The flowers have many free stamens (polyandrous) arranged in spiral and usually many
free pistils.
Flowers are most often grouped in terminal, racemes, panicles, or cymes.
The fruit is most commonly a follicle (e.g., Helleborus, Nigella) or an achene (e.g.,
Ranunculus, Clematis).
Roots: Tuberous root
Calyx: 5 sepals, polysepalous
Corolla: 5 petals, polypetalous
Gynoecium: Numerous pistils (Polycarpillary), one carpel in Delphinium
Seed: Endospermic seed
