361204 Ranunculus sceleratus L.
- L., Sp. Pl.: 551 (1753). Lectotype (BM-000628891): Europe. Herb. Clifford: 230, Ranunculus 12 (Benson 1954: 361).
2n=
56 (7x). - Far East (N). - Probatova and Sokolovskaya (1983a).
Geography: Circumboreal.
Notes: Three races are often recognized within Ranunculus sceleratus: the Eurasian and broadly amphi-Atlantic subsp. sceleratus, the northern Eurasian subsp. reptabundus (R. reptabundus), and the western North American subsp. multifidus. Many Russian authors treat R. reptabundus and R. sceleratus as two species due to several morphological differences (see Uotila 2001c for descriptions). They are probably at the same ploidy level, partially sympatric, similar in ecology, and fertile transitional forms are frequent in the zone of contact. Uotila (2001c) accepted two species but suspected that the entire Nordic (Finnish) population of R. reptabundus might be influenced by hybridization from R. sceleratus. Tutin and Akeroyd (1993b) treated them as subspecies. Sekretareva (1999, 2004) included R. reptabundus in R. sceleratus and considered the plant to be adventive in the Arctic in European Russia and Siberia. North Americans usually assign "multifidus" as a race of R. sceleratus. We enter three subspecies. The alternative is as three species due to morphological evidence (especially "reptabundus") or ploidy differences and distribution (especially "multifidus"). For some ploidy complications, see below.
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Fig. from book
Source: Ayacop at Wikispecies
Higher Taxa
- Ranunculus [3612,genus]