Ficaria

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the buttercup family (Ranunculaceae)}} {{Automatic taxobox | image = (MHNT) Ficaria verna - flower.jpg | image_caption = Lesser celandine, ''Ficaria verna'' | display_parents = 2 | taxon = Ficaria | authority = Guett. | subdivision_ranks = Species | subdivision = * ''Ficaria fascicularis'' K.Koch * ''Ficaria ficarioides'' (Bory & Chaub.) Halácsy * ''Ficaria popovii'' A.P. Khokhr. * ''Ficaria verna'' Huds. }}

'''''Ficaria''''' is a small genus of several species of plants in the family Ranunculaceae, which were previously grouped with ''Ranunculus''.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary traits in Ranunculus s.l. (Ranunculaceae) inferred from ITS sequence analysis|url = https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7786358|journal = Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution|pages = 305–327|volume = 36|issue = 2|date = 2005|doi = 10.1016/j.ympev.2005.02.009|first1 = E.|last1 = Hörandl|first2 = O.|last2 = Paun|first3 = J.T.|last3 = Johansson|first4 = C.|last4 = Lehnebach|author-link4=Carlos Adolfo Lehnebach|first5 = T.|last5 = Armstrong|first6 = L.|last6 = Chen|first7 = P.|last7 = Lockhart|pmid=15955512| bibcode=2005MolPE..36..305H }}</ref> The genus includes ''Ficaria verna'', known as fig buttercup or lesser celandine, and related species. The name "''Ficaria''" is Classical Latin for fig.<ref>{{Cite web|title = ficarius - Wiktionary|url = https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ficarius#Latin|website = en.wiktionary.org|access-date = 2016-02-12}}</ref> Plants in the genus are closely related to true buttercups, but generally have only three sepals and swollen smooth achenes.

== Splitting of genus ''Ranunculus''== Molecular investigation of the genus ''Ranunculus'' revealed that it was not monophyletic with respect to a number of other recognized genera in the family – e.g. ''Ceratocephala'', ''Halerpestes'', ''Hamadryas'', ''Laccopetalum'', ''Myosurus'', ''Oxygraphis'', ''Paroxygraphis'' and ''Trautvetteria''. The work revealed the need to separate ''Ficaria'' from ''Ranunculus'', and both were added to the tribe Ranunculeae.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Emadzade | first1 = K. | last2 = Lehnebach | first2 = C. | last3 = Lockhart | first3 = P. | last4 = Hörandl | first4 = E. | year = 2010 | title = A molecular phylogeny, morphology and classification of genera of Ranunculeae (Ranunculaceae) | journal = Taxon | volume = 59 | issue = 3| pages = 809–828 | doi = 10.1002/tax.593011 }}</ref>

== Toxicity == All ''Ficaria'' and ''Ranunculus'' species are poisonous when eaten fresh by cattle, horses, and other livestock, but their acrid taste and the blistering of the mouth caused by their poison means they are usually left uneaten. Poisoning can occur where buttercups are abundant in overgrazed fields where little other edible plant growth is left, and the animals eat them out of desperation. Symptoms include bloody diarrhea, excessive salivation, colic, and severe blistering of the mouth, mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract. When ''Ranunculus'' plants are handled, naturally occurring ranunculin is broken down to form protoanemonin, which is known to cause contact dermatitis in humans; care should therefore be exercised in extensive handling of the plants.<ref name="BoDD">{{cite web|url=http://www.botanical-dermatology-database.info/BotDermFolder/RANU.html#Ranunculus |title=''Ranunculus''|publisher= Botanical Dermatology Database|access-date=October 18, 2013}}</ref> The toxins are degraded by drying, so hay containing dried buttercups is safe.

== Species list == * ''Ficaria fascicularis'' * ''Ficaria ficarioides'' * ''Ficaria popovii'' * ''Ficaria verna'' - Lesser celandine

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == {{Wikispecies|Ficaria}} {{Commons}} *{{GRIN}} *[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_JM_treatment.pl?6434,6527 Jepson Manual Treatment] *[https://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=RANUN USDA Plants Profile: North American Species] *[http://www.ranunculus.net All about the Ranunculus] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160216100429/http://www.ranunculus.net/ |date=2016-02-16 }} *[http://www.andrewspink.nl/ranunculus/ The Ranunculus home page] *[http://www.theflowerfields.com/ The Flower (Ranunculus) Fields of Carlsbad, CA]

Category:Ficaria Category:Ranunculaceae genera