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Synonyms: Aconitaceae Bercht. & J. Presl; Actaeaceae Bercht. & J. Presl; Anemonaceae Vest; Aquilegiaceae Lilja; Cimicifugaceae Bromhead; Coptaceae Á. Löve & D. Löve, nom. inval.; Helleboraceae Vest; Hydrastidaceae Martinov; Nigellaceae J. Agardh; Thalictraceae Raf.
Common name: Buttercup Family.
Number of genera 31. Number of species 1750.
Angiosperm. Magnoliopsida.
Disseminule a dehisced fruit, or an intact or entire fruit, or a seed.
Fruits
Pistil(s) simple, or compound; 1 to more than 21; 1-many; with carpels nearly separate to base, or carpels united. Fruit pericarpium; simple, or multiple; capsule; achenetum (Spjut Fig. 4C), or baccetum (Actaea, Hydrastis), or follicetum; loculicidal capsule (Nigella but not Spjut); capsule not inflated; capsule without operculum; without persistent central column; with styles(s); at apex, or at margin; not within accessory organ(s); 1-seeded to many-seeded; 1-seeded (to many); 1-carpellate (to several to many); with carpels Nigella united, or separate; with carpels remaining united at maturity; with carpels not radiating at maturity, or radiating at maturity; with carpels remaining connected at style; without sterile carpels; not sulcate; apex beaked, or not beaked; apex short beaked; dehiscent, or indehiscent. Dehiscent unit seed(s). Dehiscent passively; at apex; and shedding seeds; without replum. Epicarp blue; dull, or shiny; durable; glabrous (without hairs), or not glabrous (with hairs); hairs short, or medium length; hairs white; hairs not glandular; with armature, or without armature; with spines; without armature glochidiate; smooth, or not smooth; verrucose, or warted; without wing(s); without apical respiratory hole. Mesocarp absent, or present. Endocarp present, or absent; not separating from exocarp; thin; not splitting into 1-seeded pyrenes; smooth; without wing; without operculum; without secretory cavities; without mechanism for seedling escape; without grooves; without longitudinal ridges. Funiculus short; short without seed bearing hooks (retinacula); not persisting in fruit after seed shed.
Seeds
Aril absent, or present; an arillike structure. Arillike structure falling with seed a caruncle (Catha), or an elaisome (Helleborus). Seed larger than minute, or minute; less than 1 mm long to 5 to less than 10 mm long; 1–5.5 mm long; angular, or circular, or elliptic, or obovate; in transection compressed, or terete; not bowl shaped; not nutlike; without winglike beak; without caudate appendage(s); at maturity with food reserves, or without apparent food reserves; with endosperm; without canavanine. Sarcotesta absent. Testa present; without markedly different marginal tissue; without fleshy or leathery layer over hard layer; loose; surface smooth, or unsmooth; surface with depressed features, or merged raised features; surface punctate; surface reticulate, or ribbed, or wrinkled; without crease or line separating cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle; without notch along margin where cotyledons from hypocotyl-radicle tip approach each other; without glands; without bristles; glabrous; without wings; without collar; without operculum; colored; monochrome; brown (all shades), or black, or yellow; coriaceous, or crustaceous, or thin; not becoming mucilaginous when wetted. Hilum punctate. Raphe as a ridge to depressed or a distinct furrow conspicuous, or inconspicuous; texture as testa; as long as seed; included in dehisced fruit. Endosperm development nuclear; copious; horny hard, or fleshy-watery; smooth; with starch, or without starch; with oils and proteins; without fatty acid containing cyclopropene; without apical lobes; without chlorophyll; without isodiametric faceted surface; without odor.
Embryo differentiated from food reserve; rudimentary, or well developed; 1 per seed; partially filling testa (with food reserve); 0.1–0.5 times the length of food reserve; at one end of seed not extending into a depression or cup; axile and centric (depending on length); linear, or miniature; straight; parallel to seed length; embedded in endosperm; with cotyledons gradually connected to hypocotyl-radicle; without coleorhiza; without simmondsin; without stomata; not green; with 2 or more cotyledons, or acotyledonous, or with 1 cotyledon. Cotyledons 2 (or by suppression of 1); scarcely differentiated to moderately developed; divaricate, or not divaricate; 0–0.7 times length of embryo; as wide as hypocotyl-radicle (excewpt when divaricate); 1 times wider than hypocotyl-radicle; not concealing hypocotyl-radicle; not foliaceous; thin; flat; smooth; with apices entire; with margins separate, or connate; basally cordate; equal in size; not punctate dotted; one developed and the other vestigal. Hypocotyl-radicle small to well developed; straight; not thickened.
Distribution
Pantemperate and circumboreal. New World, Old World. North America, Europe, Asia Major.
Notes
Embryos may not be fully developed when seeds appear ripe.
Weed information
1 or more USA state noxious weeds.
USA states and territories with listed noxious weeds: Colorado (CO), Connecticut (CT), Massachusetts (MA), Montana (MT), Oregon (OR).
USA state and territory noxious weeds: -- Clematis orientalis L.: USA state noxious weed: CO●°. -- Clematis vitalba L.: USA state noxious weed: OR●. -- Ranunculus acris L.: USA state noxious weed: MT●°. -- Ranunculus ficaria L.: USA state noxious weed: CT●, MA●. -- Ranunculus repens L.: USA state noxious weed: MA●. -- Symbols: ªaquatic weed; ●terrestrial weed; °weed in seed. -- Last updated September 2008.
Listed seeds
ASOA listed seeds, ISTA listed seeds.
ASOA listed seeds: -- Aconitum delphiniifolium DC. -- Aconitum napellus L. -- Anemone canadensis L. -- Anemone pulsatilla L. -- Aquilegia alpina L. -- Aquilegia canadensis L. -- Aquilegia chrysantha A. Gray -- Aquilegia coerulea E. James -- Aquilegia flavescens S. Watson -- Aquilegia formosa Fisch. ex DC. -- Aquilegia longissima A. Gray ex S. Watson -- Aquilegia L. spp. -- Aquilegia vulgaris L. -- Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur -- Consolida ambigua auct. = Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur -- Consolida regalis Gray -- Delphinium ajacis L. = Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur -- Delphinium bicolor Nutt. -- Delphinium californicum Torr. & A. Gray -- Delphinium cardinale Hook. -- Delphinium consolida L. = Consolida regalis Gray -- Delphinium elatum L. -- Delphinium glaucum S. Watson -- Delphinium menziesii DC. -- Delphinium L. spp. -- Nigella damascena L. -- Nigella sativa L. -- Nigella L. spp. -- Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. = Anemone pulsatilla L. -- Ranunculus abortivus L. -- Ranunculus acris L. -- Ranunculus arvensis L. -- Ranunculus bulbosus L. -- Ranunculus muricatus L. -- Ranunculus parviflorus L. -- Ranunculus repens L. -- Ranunculus sceleratus L. -- Ranunculus L. spp. -- Thalictrum L. spp. -- Last updated September 2008.
ISTA listed seeds: -- Aconitum lycoctonum subsp. vulparia (Rchb.) Nyman = Aconitum vulparia Rchb. -- Aconitum lycoctonum auct., non L. = Aconitum vulparia Rchb. -- Aconitum napellus L. -- Aconitum vulparia Rchb. -- Adonis aestivalis L.w -- Adonis annua L.w -- Adonis vernalis L.f -- Anemone coronaria L.f -- Anemone hupehensis Lemoine -- Anemone pulsatilla L.f-- Anemone sylvestris L.f -- Aquilegia alpina L.f -- Aquilegia canadensis L.f -- Aquilegia chrysantha A. Grayf -- Aquilegia × cultorum Bergmansf -- Aquilegia × hybrida hort. = Aquilegia × cultorum Bergmans -- Aquilegia vulgaris L.f -- Clematis patens C. Morren & Decne. -- Consolida ajacis (L.) Schurf -- Consolida ambigua auct., non P. Ball & Heyw. = Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur -- Consolida regalis Grayf -- Delphinium ajacis L. = Consolida ajacis (L.) Schur -- Delphinium × belladonna hort. ex Bergmansf -- Delphinium cardinale Hook.f -- Delphinium consolida L. = Consolida regalis Gray -- Delphinium × cultorum Vossf -- Delphinium formosum Boiss. & A. Huetf -- Delphinium grandiflorum L.f -- Eranthis hyemalis (L.) Salisb. -- Helleborus niger L. -- Hydrastis canadensis L. -- Nigella damascena L.f -- Nigella hispanica L.f -- Nigella sativa L.f -- Pulsatilla vulgaris Mill. = Anemone pulsatilla L. -- Ranunculus arvensis L.w -- Ranunculus asiaticus L.f -- Ranunculus bulbosus L. -- Ranunculus repens L.w -- Thalictrum aquilegiifolium L. -- Trollius chinensis Bunge -- Symbols: aagricultural and vegetable seeds (Table 2A Part 1); ttree and shrub species (Table 2A Part 2); fflower, spice, herb, and medicinal seeds (Table 2A Part 3); wweed seeds. -- Last updated September 2008.
Accepted genera
Aconitum L., nom. cons. prop. -- Actaea L. -- Adonis L., nom. cons. prop. -- Anemone L., nom. cons. prop. -- Anemonopsis Siebold & Zucc. -- Aphanostemma A. St.-Hil. -- Aquilegia L. -- Archiclematis (Tamura) Tamura -- Arcteranthis Greene -- Asteropyrum J. R. Drumm. & Hutch. -- Barneoudia Gay -- Beesia Balf. f. & W. W. Sm. -- Calathodes Hook. f. & Thomson -- Callianthemoides Tamura -- Callianthemum C. A. Mey. -- Caltha L. -- Ceratocephala Moench -- Clematis L. -- Consolida Gray -- Coptis Salisb. -- Delphinium L., nom. cons. prop. -- Dichocarpum W. T. Wang & P. K. Hsiao -- Enemion Raf. -- Eranthis Salisb., nom. cons. -- Garidella L. -- Hamadryas Comm. ex Juss. -- Helleborus L. -- Hydrastis L. -- Isopyrum L., nom. cons. -- Komaroffia Kuntze -- Krapfia DC. -- Kumlienia Greene -- Laccopetalum Ulbr. -- Leptopyrum Rchb. -- Megaleranthis Ohwi -- Metanemone W. T. Wang -- Myosurus L. -- Naravelia Adans., nom. cons. -- Nigella L. -- Oreithales Schltdl. -- Paraquilegia J. R. Drumm. & Hutch. -- Paroxygraphis W. W. Sm. -- Peltocalathos Tamura -- Ranunculus L. -- Semiaquilegia Makino -- Thalictrum L., nom. cons. prop. -- Trautvetteria Fisch. & C. A. Mey. -- Trollius L. -- Urophysa Ulbr. -- Xanthorhiza Marshall
References specific to this family
Cronquist page 124 (also see Glaucidiaceae). Wiegand, K.M. 1895. The structure of the fruit in the order Ranunculaceae. Proc. Amer. Microscop. Soc. 16:69–107.
General references
Baillon, H.E. 1866–95. Histoire des plantes, 13 vols. Hachette and Co., Paris, Corner, E.J.H. 1976. The seeds of Dicots, esp. vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, New York, Cronquist, A. 1981. An integrated system of classification of flowering plants, 1,262 p. Columbia University Press, New York, Engler, A. and K. Prantl. 1924 and onward. Die Natürlichen Pflanzenfamilimien. W. Engelman, Leipzig, Gaertner, J. 1788–1805. De fructibus et seminibus plantarum. The Author, Stuttgart, Goldberg, A. 1986 (dicots) and 1989 (monocots). Classification, evolution, and phylogeny of the familes of Dicotyledons. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 58 for dicots (314 pp.) and 71 for monocots (74 pp.). [Goldberg's illustrations are reproduced from older publications and these should be consulted], Gray, A. 1848. Genera florae Americae boreali-orientalis illustrata, 2 vols. James Munroe and Co., Boston., Gunn, C.R., J.H. Wiersema, C.A. Ritchie, and J.H. Kirkbride, Jr. 1992 and amendments. Families and genera of Spermatophytes recognized by the Agricultural Research Service. Techn. Bull. U.S.D.A. 1796:1–500, LeMaout, E. and J. Decaisne. 1876. A general system of botany, 1,065 p. Longmans, Green, and Co., London, Mabberley, D.J. 1987. The plant-book, 706 p. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, Martin, A.C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 36:513–660, Schopmeyer, C.S. 1974. Seeds of Woody plants in the United States. Agric. Handb. 450:1–883, Spjut, R.W. 1994. A systematic treatment of fruit types. Mem. New York Bot. Gard. 70:1–182, Wood, C.E., Jr. 1974. A student's atlas of flowering plants: Some dicotyledons of eastern North America, 120 pp. Harper and Row, New York.
Illustrations
Acceptable fruit and some S illustrations. Disseminule illustration(s): fruit, or seed, or embryo. Fruit illustration(s): Wood, Jr., Cronquist, Engler & Prantl, Baillon, Gray, Schopmeyer, LeMaout & Decaisne. Seed illustration(s): Wood, Jr., Baillon, Gray, LeMaout & Decaisne. Embryo illustration(s): Wood, Jr., Martin, Engler & Prantl, Baillon, Gray, Schopmeyer, LeMaout & Decaisne, Wiegand (1895).
• Fruits. 1 of 13. Adonis chrysocyathus Hook. f. & Thomson: fruits. • Seed. 2 of 13. Adonis chrysocyathus Hook. f. & Thomson: seeds. • Seed. 3 of 13. Clematis flabellata Nakai: fruit. • Fruit. 4 of 13. Delphinium carolinianum Walter subsp. virescens (Nutt.) R. E. Brooks: dehisced fruit. • Seed. 5 of 13. Delphinium carolinianum Walter subsp. virescens (Nutt.) R. E. Brooks: seeds. • Fruit. 6 of 13. Myosurus minimus L. subsp. minimus: fruiting head. • Fruit. 7 of 13. Myosurus minimus L. subsp. minimus: fruits. • Seed. 8 of 13. Myosurus minimus L. subsp. minimus: seeds. • Fruit. 9 of 13. Nigella integrifolia Regel: dehisced fruit. • Seed. 10 of 13. Nigella integrifolia Regel: seeds. • Fruit. 11 of 13. Ranunculus arvensis L.: fruits. • Seed. 12 of 13. Ranunculus arvensis L.: seed. • Embryo. 13 of 13. Aquilegia vulgaris L.: embryo.
We advise against extracting comparative information from the descriptions. This is much more easily achieved using the DELTA data files or the interactive key, which allows access to the character list, illustrations, full and partial descriptions, diagnostic descriptions, differences and similarities between taxa, lists of taxa exhibiting or lacking specified attributes, and distributions of character states within any set of taxa. See also Guidelines for using data taken from Web publications.
Cite this publication as: ‘J.H. Kirkbride, Jr., C.R. Gunn, and M.J. Dallwitz. 2000 onwards. Family guide for fruits and seeds: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 12th April 2021. delta-intkey.com’.
