Allen's buttercup facts for kids

Allen's buttercup (scientific name: Ranunculus allenii) is a pretty yellow flowering plant. It belongs to the buttercup family, called Ranunculaceae. You can usually find this plant growing in wet places, like marshes, in cooler northern parts of the world. Its bright yellow flowers bloom in the summer and are pollinated by insects.

About Allen's Buttercup

How Allen's Buttercup Got Its Name

The plant Ranunculus allenii was first officially described in 1905. An American plant expert named Benjamin Lincoln Robinson gave it its name. He found samples of the plant in Quebec and Labrador.

The very first sample was collected by a person named John Alpheus Allen. This happened on July 23, 1881, on Mount Albert in Quebec. Robinson decided to name the plant "allenii" to honor John Alpheus Allen, who first found it.

What Does Allen's Buttercup Look Like?

Allen's buttercup is a small plant, growing about 9 to 20 centimeters (3.5 to 8 inches) tall. It's a perennial herb, meaning it lives for more than two years. It often grows in thick clumps.

Its roots are very thin, like threads. The plant grows from a short, thick stem right at ground level. It has tiny hairs that lie flat or spread out.

Leaves of the Plant

The leaves at the bottom of the plant are usually shaped like a kidney. They also stay on the plant even after they dry out. The leaves on the stem are long and thin, and they grow in an alternating pattern.

The stems that connect the leaf blade to the main stem are about 50 to 80 millimeters (2 to 3 inches) long. The leaf blades themselves are flat. They are about 14 to 21 millimeters (0.5 to 0.8 inches) long and 17 to 28 millimeters (0.7 to 1.1 inches) wide. The top surface of the leaves is smooth, but the bottom has tiny hairs. The veins in the leaves spread out like fingers from one point.

Flowers of Allen's Buttercup

The flowers can grow alone or in small groups of 2 to 4. Each flower has 5 sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. These sepals are about 2 to 3 millimeters long. The outer part of the flower (calyx) is covered with tiny white hairs.

There are 5 bright yellow petals, each shaped like an egg. They are about 4 to 5 millimeters long. Each flower has about 20 to 30 stamens, which produce pollen. It also has many separate carpels, which are the parts that develop into fruit. Each ovary has one ovule and one stigma. The fruit stalk is dry and about 4 to 7 millimeters long.

Where Allen's Buttercup Lives

Where It Grows

Allen's buttercup is found in North America, mostly in cold, northern areas. In Canada, you can find it in Labrador, Nunavut, Quebec, and the Arctic islands. Sadly, the areas where it grows are getting smaller.

Its Favorite Places

This plant loves wet places. It often grows in wet meadows, marshes, and near streams. Sometimes, it can also be found in gravelly or sandy spots that don't have much rich soil.

Why Allen's Buttercup Is Important

Use by Humans

There isn't much information about people using Allen's buttercup. This might be because many plants in the Ranunculus family are poisonous. They can even cause skin irritation if you touch them. Other plants in the Ranunculaceae family are known to cause chemical burns.

However, some buttercup plants might have been used as traditional medicine. For example, some Indigenous peoples in British Columbia used buttercup leaves and juice. They used them to treat boils, skin sores, muscle pain, colds, and breathing problems. The leaves and juice of Bulbous buttercup, another plant in the same family, were also used for medicine. Its root can even be eaten after it's boiled.

Role in Nature

Buttercup flowers are often pollinated by insects. Their petals have special lines that guide insects to the nectar. As the insects collect nectar, they also pick up sticky pollen grains. The time of year they bloom also affects which insects visit them. Other plants in the Ranunculaceae family often flower in mid-July.

These plants can also make seeds without needing pollen from another plant. This is called agamospermy. This helps them quickly spread and fill new habitats if just one parent plant starts growing there.

Protecting Allen's Buttercup

Conservation Status

Allen's buttercup is listed as "vulnerable" on the Natureserve Global Conservation Status. This means it's at a moderate risk of disappearing. This is because it grows in a limited area, has fewer than 80 known groups, and its numbers have been decreasing. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) also considers Allen's Buttercup a candidate for protection.

Protected Areas

Luckily, this plant mostly grows in protected areas. Allen's Buttercup is found in lands categorized as GAP 1 and GAP 2. These lands are specifically protected to keep different kinds of plants and animals safe. This protection will help Allen's buttercup survive in the future.