Spring: What to look out for #1

Lesser Celandine (Ficaria verna)

Look out for the dark green and glossy heart-shaped (cordate) leaves of Lesser Celandine, a member of the Buttercup or Ranunculaceae family.  The species name Ficaria refers to the Latin name for fig and the genus name verna refers to the Latin for spring.  There are 8-12 glossy yellow petals which look freshly polished in the spring sunshine.

Lesser celandine (Ficaria verna)

There are four sub-species of Lesser Celandine but the two most common are Ficaria verna ssp verna and Ficaria verna ssp fertilis. Ficaria verna ssp verna can be identified by the bulbils within its leaf axils after flowering.  

Bulbils displayed in the leaf axil