Buttercup is the most known common name of the entire Ranunculus genus in the Ranunculaceae family. The huge genus, which contains over 600 species, is native to the United States of America and Eurasia (1). Other common names of ranunculus include Coyote’s eyes, water crowfoots, and spearworts. Plants of the Buttercup Family The Buttercup family is like a window back in time. None of today's species were around 100 million years ago, but the Buttercups and other primitive groups like the Magnolias have retained the most ancestral characteristics over time. Rumple Buttercup could have benefitted from the attention of an experienced children’s book editor to address continuity, introduce more age-appropriate vocabulary, and improve on what is a somewhat unsatisfying conclusion. For example, a better sense of the isolation Rumple Buttercup feels at the beginning of the book would give the ending.
Buttercups are usually considered not edible. In fact, I think they were the first plant I learned not to eat when I was just a few years old. Of the 2,252 species in the family and some 600 buttercups in the genus perhaps a dozen and a half squeak into the edible realm. Potential famine food. I also learned at an early age they grow in wet places such as near quicksand.
Note the kidney-shaped lower leaves of the Ranuculus abortivus.
There is something of a debate whether true “quicksand” exists in North America. I don’t see why not. It’s liquefied soil, usually sand kept in suspension by water flowing up from underneath. Directly behind the first house I lived in there were buttercups and quicksand. Cows were known to drown there. In fact when I was four or five I fell head first into said. Was rescued by the family dog named “Sister” who wasn’t much more than a puppy herself. Thus exploring buttercups and I go way back along with falling into things. (By the way if you do find yourself in quicksand, float as you would in a pool.)
The only use for our buttercups was the childhood game of holding the yellow blossom under someone’s chin to see if they “liked” butter. The chin always lights up with a yellow glow. It took scientists a century to figure out why. You can read a web page about it here or you can read the entire article below.)
Buttercups, like horseradish, engage in chemical warfare. In horseradish the heat one tastes comes from crushing cells that hold two different chemicals apart which are only peppery when they combine. This is to discourage consumption by me, thee and the denizens of nature. The buttercup is similar in that the offending chemical, a glycoside called Ranunculin, is not a problem until the plant’s cells are crushed. Then an almost instant enzyme reaction turning Ranuculin into Protoanemonin, a bitter, irritating, yellow oil. The animals most bothered by buttercups are grazing cows then horses, sheep and pigs, the latter two sometimes suffering paralysis. Humans are rarely poisoned by buttercups because they taste so bad. It is not fatal in small amounts but a significant irritant that can make you ill with gastric distress.
Ranunculus ficaria, the Fig Buttercup
So, which part is toxic? The entire plant: Sap, flowers, seeds, and leaves but the greatest concentration is in the yellow flowers, next are the shoots which have one-sixth as much. However, dried the plant can be eaten by cows. Heat also destroys the toxin. According to the late poisonous plant expert John M.Kingsbury, “as far as has been determined they [Buttercups) all contain the same toxic principle, although in varying amounts, and produce an equivalent syndrome.” Thus our goal is to use species that have small amounts and/or which can be easily removed. R.sceleratus has 2.5% Protoanemonin (dry weight basis) and R. bulbosa 1.45%. R. repens has only 0.27%.
Ranunculus ficaria bulbils also grow in the leaf axils.
Which ones have been consumed? Ranunculus abortivus (leaves boiled) Ranunculus acris (leaves boiled) Ranunculus aquatilis (entire plant boiled) Ranunculus bulbosus (roots, much boiled or after drying, young flowers pickled, ) Ranunculus californicus (seeds parched and pulverized, there are about 30 per pod and are approximately 18% protein, 26% oil) Ranunculus cynbalaria (mature leaves boiled) Ranunculus edulis (tubers, young stems and leaves boiled) Ranunculus ficaria (young leaves eaten raw in salads, bleached stems cooked and eaten, bulbils — both leaf axils and roots — cooked with meat and eaten, flower buds substituted for capers) Ranunculus inamoenus (roots cooked) Ranunculus lapponicus (leaves and stems boiled) Ranunculus occidentalis var. eisenii (seeds parched) Ranunculus occidentalis var. rattanii (seeds parched) Ranunculus pallasii (shoots and young roots boiled) Ranunculus polyanthemos (leaves pickled first in salt water then added to cheese) Ranunculus reptans (roots cooked on hot rocks) Ranunculous repens (leaves boiled, flowers pickled after boiling) Ranunculus sativus (raw stems eaten as is) and Ranunculus sceleratus (leaves boiled and or fermented.) R. acris, R. bulbosa, R. edulis, R. ficaria, R. repens, and R. sceleratus were introduced from Europe.
Among the Native Americans who consumed buttercups in various ways were the: Cherokee, Gosiute, Miwok, Neeshenam, Iroquois, Acoma, Inuktitut (Eskimos) Keres, Laguna, Mendocino, Pomo, Hesquiat, Makah, Quileute, and Costanoan.
John Lightfoot, who wrote Flora Scotica in 1777 said “not withstanding this corrosive quality, the roots when boiled become so mild as to become eatable.” Merritt Fernald, the grand wild food man of Harvard yard, said the R. bulbosus bulbils if overwintered and dry become mild and sweet. Medicinally the buttercups have been used in a wide variety of ways. The Illinois-Miami used them to treat arrow and later gunshot wounds, the Cherokee as a poultice on abscesses, as a sedative and for sore throats. The Iroquois used a decoction for epilepsy, blood diseases, sore eyes, stomach issues, stiff muscles, snake bite, toothaches, as an emetic, to counter poisons and to dry up smallpox sores. The Meskwaki used them externally to stop nosebleeds. John Bartram, 1751, reported Buttercups were used for syphilis, asthma, rheumatism, pneumonia and other ailments. The juice has been used to remove warts. Extracts of R. sceleratus are good against plant fungus. The native Florida Buttercup. R. abortivus was also considered a remedy for syphilis. I don’t want to know about application methods.
Pliny the Elder
The genus name, Ranunculus, is Dead Latin for small frog. Pliny the Elder, 23-79 AD, used that name for the buttercup which should tell you man has been familiar with the plant family for a long time. Farmers long ago thought cows eating buttercups would improve the color of their butter. Some farmers even rubbed the yellow blossoms on the udders. Considering the flowers can be irritating that probably did not work out well. However, a tea made from buttercups and poured on the ground drives earthworms to the surface. The yellow flowers yield a light fawn dye if alum is used as a mordant, green with chrome as the mordant, and yellow with tin as the mordant. Mordants set the color on the fabric.
Why Buttercups Reflect Yellow
As reported in Phys.Org scientists have discovered why buttercups reflect yellow on chins – and it doesn’t have anything to do with whether you like butter. The new research sheds light on the children’s game and provides insight into pollination. Researchers found the distinctive glossiness of the buttercup flower (Ranunculus repens), which children like to shine under the chin to test whether their friends like butter, is related to its unique anatomical structure. Their findings were published 14 December, 2011, in the Royal Society journal Interface.
The researchers discovered that the buttercup petal’s unique bright and glossy appearance is the result of the interplay between its different layers. In particular, the strong yellow reflection responsible for the chin illumination is mainly due to the epidermal layer of the petal that reflects yellow light with an intensity that is comparable to glass. Scientists have been interested in how the buttercup flower works for over a century. They have previously shown that the reflected color is yellow due to the absorption of the colors in the blue-green region of the spectrum by the carotenoid pigment in the petals. As the blue-green light is absorbed, the light in the other spectral regions (in this case, primarily yellow) is reflected. It has also been known for many years that the epidermal layer of the petals is composed of very flat cells, providing strong reflection.
This new study shows how the buttercup’s exceptionally bright appearance is a result of a special feature of the petal structure. The epidermal layer of cells has not one but two extremely flat surfaces from which light is reflected. One is the top of the cells, the other exists because the epidermis is separated from the lower layers of the petal by an air gap. Reflection of light by the smooth surface of the cells and by the air layer effectively doubles the gloss of the petal, explaining why buttercups are so much better at reflecting light under your chin than any other flower.
Buttercup are toxic to dogs and cats if eaten.
The researchers also found that the buttercup reflects a significant amount of UV light. As many pollinators, including bees, have eyes sensitive in the UV region, this provides insight into how the buttercup uses its unique appearance to attract insects. Dr. Silvia Vignolini, lower left, from the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physics (Cavendish Laboratory), explained the importance of the buttercup’s unique appearance: “Although many different factors, such as scent and temperature, influence the relationships between pollinators and flowers, the visual appearance of flowers is one of the most important factors in this communication. Flowers develop brilliant color, or additional cues, such as glossiness – in the case of the buttercup – that contribute to make the optical response of the flower unique. Moreover, the glossiness might also mimic the presence of nectar droplets on the petals, making them that much more attractive.”
Dr. Beverley Glover, Department of Plant Sciences, said: “This phenomenon has intrigued scientists and laymen alike for centuries. Our research provides exciting insight into not only a children’s game but also into the lengths to which flowers will go to attract pollinators.” Professor Ulli Steiner, from the Nanophotonics Center at the Cavendish Laboratory, the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physics, said: “It is fun to revisit a problem that is more than one century old and, using modern methods, discover something new. The strong collaboration between Physics and the Plant Sciences has enabled this.”
Next topic to be researched: Quicksand… For you historical buff there once was a Buttercup, Texas. And for 11 weeks in 1968 the song on the top of the charts was “Build Me Up Buttercup” by the Foundation.
Although the name sounds tasty, a buttercup flower is not edible. Still, it is yellow, but for another reason.
Buttercup yellow flowers are the way they are from the pigments in their petals’ surface layer.
The shiny gloss they possess comes from layers of air right beneath the surface.
Thatphenomenon is almost similar to the wings of birds and butterflies. Curious tofind out more about this charming flower? Here we go:
Table of Contents
- 5. Buttercup Meaning
- 7. Colours of Buttercup Flowers
1. Buttercup Flower Facts
To make buttercup flowers sparkle brightly, that can only happen when the sun is high up in the sky.
That means these flowers look their best in the afternoon and during summer.
This works especially in April and May if you live in a four-seasoned country, like Canada for example.
However, this does not mean that buttercup flowers are not useful during winter. Their petals have the ability to turn into satellite-dish-like cups.
These cups collect solar energy from the sunshine. Because of this, the flowers can stay warm and invite insects.
The solar energy they capture is later directed to their reproductive organs in the center.
The energy boosts the ripening pollen, which works wonders for their fertilisation.
Once the flowers are pollinated, the solar energy also helps with their seed development.
2. Physical Attributes of A Yellow Buttercup Flower
A yellow buttercup flower belongs to the family of ranunculus. This plant family has about 400 flower species.
These include: spearwords, lesser celandines, water crowfoots, and many more. However, buttercups are the most famous ones.
As mentioned earlier, the shiny, waxy petals are these flowers’ most obvious physical description.
Their petal’s base also has a cup that looks like a scale. Between that scale and the petal, there are sweet nectar insects may find.
3. Are Buttercups Poisonous?
There is a common, popular myth about placing a buttercup flower against your chin. If your chin turns yellow too, that means you like the flower.
This is actually a skin allergic reaction to the flower. This can only mean one thing: yes, buttercup flowers are poisonous.
All plants from the ranunculus family are poisonous, especially buttercups. They have acrid taste, so even animals cannot eat them fresh. The blistering mouth is a sign of irritation to the flowers.
Other symptoms include: bloody diarrhea, serious blisters on mucous membranes and gastrointestinal tract, and colic.
How do we degrade the toxins inside buttercup flowers and other plants from the ranunculus family?
Once they are dried, they are safe to be part of the hay for farm animal foods.
4. How To Grow Buttercup Flowers
You can use the seeds, bulbs, or roots to grow buttercup flowers. Have the flat nursery trays to sow the seeds during spring.
Then the seeds need to be covered by a thin layer of soil once they are sown.
After that, cover them in plastic and put them in a refrigerator for three weeks. Your next step after this would be to take the seedlings out.
Place them in the shaded part of your garden while removing the plastic. Change the plastic covering with a glass cover. Then wait them out.
Onceyou notice that the seedlings appear after a few weeks, plant them in the spotyou have chosen for them.
Sincebuttercup flowers can cause skin irritation, handle them with care. Wear yourgloves, just to be safe.
5. Buttercup Meaning
When it comes to the buttercup meaning, there are four (4) things that represent this cute, yellow flower:
Neatness
Withits fine lines and well-organised petals, it is no surprise that buttercupflowers are associated with neatness.
Childlikeness
Thesize and the bright colour of the flower are the reasons why buttercups areassociated with childlikeness and immaturity.
Humility
Withtheir simplicity and beauty, buttercup flowers still attract people. It is truethat you do not need to be extravagant to gain attention.
Charm
If red flower roses symbolise deep, romantic love and passion, then buttercup flowers are more subtle.
Build Me A Buttercup Song
You can send these to someone you really fancy, but you are probably not up for a serious relationship just yet.
6. The Etymology: More on The Buttercup Flower Meaning
The etymology of the buttercup flower meaning is interesting, because there are three legends about it.
The first was of a man named Ranunculus well-known for his beautiful singing voice.
The second was about cows that used to munch on buttercup flowers. From there, they produced the sweetest milk ever.
In the US, buttercup flowers are also called ‘coyote’s eyes’. This is based on a creepy legend when a coyote tossed his eyes into the sky.
Caught by the eagle, the coyote could no longer see, so he made new eyes from the buttercups. This is the third legend about buttercup flowers.
Some buttercup symbolism, eh?
7. Colours of Buttercup Flowers
Yellow is the most famous colour for buttercup flowers. However, buttercups also come in other shades.
Besides yellow, you can also have green, red, pink, and orange buttercups.
Yellow buttercup flowers
With its brightness, yellow buttercup flowers symbolise joy, happiness, a new beginning, and friendship.
Cheer someone up with these vibrant flowers. They will ignite more positive energy.
Green buttercup flowers
Green is often associated with nature and growth. By sending someone these green flowers, you will share more optimism, renewal, youth, health, and good fortunes.
Often found in the wild, but you can still grow these green buttercup flowers at home.
Red, pink, and orange buttercup flowers
These three colours are artificially made by humans. A red buttercup flower represents love and passion, just like a red rose does.
An orange buttercup flower also represents passion and strong emotions.
Then, how about a pink buttercup flower? As a softer shade of red, pink represents love, romance, and gentleness in nature.
These three colours of buttercup flowers are perfect for Valentine’s Day gifts. This way, you can have other options besides roses.
Not only that, you can also give them to your special someone to show your affection.
Read more :
A Buttercup Song
Although famous for the bright yellow colour, there are other shades for a buttercup flower. Remember, handle with care to avoid skin irritation.