The Golden Star of Alpine Grasslands

Habit: A graceful perennial herb 10-40 cm tall. Stem: Generally one-flowered, bearing a single terminal flower. Leaves: Basal leaves circular in outline, borne on a long petiole 3-10 cm long; the blade is deeply divided to the base into five segments. The surface is covered with appressed hairs. The stem leaf is usually single and reduced to three lanceolate lobes. Flowers: Bright yellow. Calyx composed of brown, villous sepals, spreading at anthesis but falling early after opening. Corolla formed by oblanceolate petals 10-18 mm long. Stamens and pistils numerous and arranged spirally in the center of the flower, as typical of the Ranunculaceae. Fruits: An aggregate of achenes, each with a beak formed by the persistent style, about one-fifth the total length of the achene. Flowering: April-July.

Chorological type: Italian endemic. Distribution: Present in much of the Italian peninsula. Habitat: Typical of high-altitude pastures and alpine to subalpine grasslands, between 1800 and 2500 m above sea level.

Generic name (Ranunculus): Diminutive of the Latin rana, “frog”. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder to indicate that many species of this genus inhabit damp and marshy places, habitats also frequented by frogs. Specific name (apenninus): A Latin adjective identifying the Apennines as the principal geographical area of this species, where it was originally identified and described.

Like many other members of the Ranunculaceae, the Apennine buttercup contains anemonin, a toxic and irritating substance that acts as a defence against herbivores. For this reason, the plant is usually avoided by grazing livestock.

Come molti altri membri della famiglia delle Ranunculaceae, il ranuncolo degli Appennini contiene l'anemonina, una sostanza tossica e irritante che funge da difesa contro gli erbivori. Per questo motivo, la pianta viene solitamente evitata dal bestiame al pascolo.