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Common Water-crowfoot

©Philip Precey

Common water-crowfoot

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Scientific name: Ranunculus aquatilis
A member of the buttercup family, Common water-crowfoot displays white, buttercup-like flowers with yellow centres. It can form mats in ponds, ditches and streams during spring and summer.

Top facts

Category

Stats

Height: 10-50cm
Spread: up to 0.5m

Conservation status

Common.

When to see

May to September

About

Common water-crowfoot is the commonest species in a large group of water-plants that can be seen covering ponds, ditches and streams with mats of white flowers in spring and summer. It can be an annual or short-lived perennial plant, and has floating, lobed leaves and solitary white flowers, about 2cm across.

What to look for

Water-crowfoots are a difficult group to tell apart. Common Water-crowfoot has white flowers, buttercup-like, five-petalled flowers that have a yellow centre. Its floating leaves are circular and lobed (with three to seven lobes); its submerged leaves comprise many segments.

Where to find

Widespread.

Habitats

Did you know?

Common water-crowfoot is a member of the buttercup family.