Greasy, shiny, golden yellow and glittering with their delicate stamens - these are the flowers of the buttercup, which every child probably already knows. What family do these flowers belong to and what characteristic properties do they have based on their family?
What family does the buttercup belong to?
The buttercup belongs to the buttercup plant family, which is characterized by its chicken foot-like leaves, poisonous properties and showy flowers. The family includes around 2500 species and is distributed worldwide.
A representative of the buttercup family
The buttercup, which is widely known and borders many meadows in spring, belongs to the buttercup plant family. These plants belong to the order Ranunculales and represent part of the angiosperm plants. It includes around 2,500 species that can be found all over the world.
Leaves like buttercups
One of the most prominent features that can help you classify the buttercup into the buttercup family are the leaves. These look like the feet of roosters. They are cut in three to five parts. Leaves form at the base and such shaped leaves also appear on the stems that shoot up during flowering.
Poisonous, like other members of her family
Another characteristic that all buttercup plants and therefore also the buttercup have is their toxicity. The buttercup, like its family members, contains the toxin called protoanemonin. This is poisonous to both humans and animals and, if consumed in excess, can lead to paralysis and shortness of breath, for example.
Striking flowers
Last but not least, all buttercup plants have the characteristic that they have eye-catching flowers, which make them many friends in the hungry insect world. The buttercup flowers appear in May and can be seen until June. They literally glow with their rich yellow color and are embedded in a meadow and are unmissable.
Other typical characteristics for this plant family
Here are further characteristics of the buttercup, which are also characteristics of the entire plant family:
- safe when dried
- not edible
- Distribution in temperate zones, mainly in the northern hemisphere
- perennial, herbaceous
- no stipules present
- hermaphrodite flowers
- many stamens and carpels
- like wet locations
- used as ornamental and medicinal plants
Tip
Don't confuse the buttercup with the dandelion, which is also sometimes called the buttercup. Dandelion and this buttercup differ greatly from each other in terms of their toxicity.