RANUNCULACEAE - BUTTERCUP FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Herbs, rarely woody climbers. Leaves usually alternate and exstipulate, sometimes all basal, rarely opposite or stipulate. Flowers hermaphrodite, hypogynous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. Perianth uniseriate or biseriate, the segments usually free, those of the inner whorl often nectariferous. Stamens usually numerous, spirally arranged, centripetal anthers extrorse. Gynoecium apocarpous, rarely syncarpous or of 1 carpel. Fruit a head of achenes or follicles, rarely 1 follicle, or baccate.
Reference:
Davis PH (1965). Ranunculaceae, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 1: 95.
Public Description:
The “buttercup family”, are mostly herbaceous annuals or perennials, but some woody climbers or shrubs, which are widely distributed in all temperate and subtropical regions. Many genera are well known as cultivated flowers, such as Aconitum L. (monkshood), Anemone L. (anemone), Clematis L. (clematis), Consolida (DC.) Gray (larkspur), Delphinium L. (larkspur), Helleborus L. (Christmas rose), Trollius L. (globeflower). The seeds of Nigella sativa L. (black-caraway) are used as a spice in Türkiye, Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. In this family, especially Aconitum and Delphinium genera include concentrations of toxic terpenoid alkaloids which depress the central nervous system. They are often used for nervous disorders, antispasmodics and sedatives. Some of these plants can be cautiously used internally (by professionals only!) as heart and respiratory sedatives.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculaceae/, Accessed date: 30.04.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016). http://global.britannica.com/plant/Ranunculaceae/ Accessed date: 30.04.2016.
Anonymous 3 (2016). http://www.wildflowers-and-weeds.com/Plant_Families/Ranunculaceae.htm /,Accessed date: 30.04.2016.
Anonymous 4 (2016). https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=ranunculaceae/,Accessed date: 30.04.2016.
