Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Ranunculus sceleratus L. subsp. sceleratus

Synonyms

Ranunculus sceleratus L.

Family

Ranunculaceae

Common Names

blister buttercup, celery buttercup, celery leaved crowfoot, celery ranunculus, celery-leaf buttercup, celeryleaf buttercup, celery-leaf crowfoot, celery-leaf crowsfoot, celery-leaved buttercup, cursed buttercup, cursed crowfoot, cursed crowsfoot, marsh crowfoot, poison buttercup

Origin

The exact range of this species is obcure, but it is thought to be native to northern Africa (i.e. northern Algeria, northern Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia), Europe, western and northern Asia (i.e. Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq,  Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China and Japan), the Indian Sub-continent (i.e. Bhutan, northern India, Nepal and Pakistan) and North America (i.e. most of the USA).

Naturalised Distribution

Widely naturalised in southern and eastern Australia (i.e. in south-eastern Queensland, many parts of southern and eastern New South Wales, the ACT, many parts of Victoria and south-eastern South Australia). Was also sparingly naturalised in Tasmania, but has not been recorded there for more than 100 years.

Notes

Celery-leaved buttercup (Ranunculus sceleratus subsp. sceleratus) generally grows in moist or muddy sites (e.g. along drainage lines, on riverbanks, in swamps and marshes, in moist low-lying areas and in poorly drianed pastures) and can displace native species from such areas. It is listed as an environmental weed in the Goulburn Broken Catchment in Victoria and has been recorded in conservation areas in this state (e.g. Barkindji Biosphere Reserve and Finns Reserve).