All Floras      Advanced Search
FOC Vol. 6 Page 135 Login | eFloras Home | Help
FOC | Family List | FOC Vol. 6 | Ranunculaceae

1. Caltha Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 558. 1753; Gen. Pl. ed. 5, 244; 1754.

驴蹄草属 lu ti cao shu

Li Liangqian; Michio Tamura

Caltha palustris

Credit: Harvard University Herbaria

Herbs perennial, glabrous, with fibrous roots. Stems simple or several branched. Leaves basal, or both basal and cauline, sometimes distal cauline ones palmately lobed, orbicular, reniform, or ovate, base cordate, margin dentate or entire; petioles sheathed at base. Flower solitary, terminal, or 2 or more in a simple or complex monochasium opening nearly flat. Sepals 5 or more, petaloid, yellow, rarely white or red, obovate or elliptic, caducous. Petals absent. Stamens numerous; anthers elliptic to oblong; filaments linear. Follicles 5--40, sessile, sometimes stipitate, with branching transverse veins, styles distinct or nearly absent; ovules several to many. Seeds several in a follicle, ellipsoid-globose, smooth.

About 15 species: temperate and cold-temperate regions of N and S hemispheres; four species (one endemic) in China.


1 Stigmas nearly sessile; seeds less than 1 mm; sepals white or pinkish, ca. 3 mm; follicles (10--)20--30   4 C. natans
+ Styles distinct; seeds 1--2.5 mm; sepals yellow, rarely red, more than 7 mm; follicles 5--12.   (2)
       
2 (1) Follicles shortly stipitate   3 C. scaposa
+ Follicles sessile.   (3)
       
3 (2) Leaves both basal and cauline; flowers usually (2 or)3--5 or more in a complex monochasium   1 C. palustris
+ Leaves all basal; flower solitary, terminal   2 C. sinogracilis

Lower Taxa


 

Related Objects  
  • PDF File
  • PDF

    Flora of Chile  
  • PDF
  • PDF

    Flora of China @ efloras.org
    Browse by
    Volume
    Family
    Genera
    Advanced Search


    Flora of China Home


    Checklist

     

     

     |  eFlora Home |  People Search  |  Help  |  ActKey  |  Hu Cards  |  Glossary  |