View source for Ranunculaceae

{{Taxobox
| name = Ranunculaceae
| image = Sumpfdotterblume Porträt Ausschnitt.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| image_caption = ''[[Caltha palustris]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = [[Flowering plant|Magnoliophyta]]
| classis = [[Magnoliopsida]]
| ordo = [[Ranunculales]]
| familia = '''Ranunculaceae'''
| familia_authority = [[Antoine Laurent de Jussieu|Juss.]]
| subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies
| subdivision = 
*[[Hydrastis|Hydrastidoideae]]
*[[Glaucidium (plant)|Glaucidioideae]]
*[[Coptoideae]]
*[[Thalictroideae]]
*[[Ranunculoideae]]
}}
{{SI}}
{{EH}}

'''Ranunculaceae''' is a [[family (biology)|family]] of [[flowering plants]] also known as the "buttercup family" or "crowfoot family". The family name is derived from the genus ''Ranunculus''. Members include ''[[Anemone]]'' (anemones), ''[[Ranunculus]]'' (buttercups), ''[[Aconitum]]'' (aconite), and ''[[Clematis]]''.  ''Ranuncula'' is Late Latin for "little frog," the diminutive of ''rana''.

According to the database of the [[Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew]], the family consists of 51 to 88 genera, totalling about 2500 species. Numerically the most important genera are ''[[Ranunculus]]'' (600 species), ''[[Delphinium]]'' (365 species), ''[[Thalictrum]]'' (330 species), ''[[Clematis]]'' (325 species), and ''[[Aconitum]]'' (300 species).

Ranunculaceae can be found worldwide, but are most common in the temperate and cold areas of the northern hemisphere. The family contains many ornamental flowering plants common to the Himalaya, some of which are of medicinal value.

==Taxonomy==

This family has been universally recognized by taxonomists, and the [[APG II system]], of 2003 (unchanged from the [[APG system]], of 1998), places it in the order [[Ranunculales]], in the clade [[eudicots]].

The cladogram below has been proposed in APG II system according to recent molecular phylogeny.

<center>
{{clade|style=font-size:80%;line-height:75%|1={{clade|1={{clade|1='''Glaucidoideae'''|2='''Hydrastidoideae'''}}|2={{clade|1='''Coptoideae'''|2={{clade|1='''Ranunculoideae'''|2='''Thalictroideae'''}}}}}}}}
</center>

The genus ''[[Glaucidium (plant)|Glaucidium]]'' was once put in its own family (Glaucidiaceae), but has been recently recognised as a primitive member of Ranunculaceae. Tamura (1993) recognised five subfamilies, mainly based on chromosomic and floral characteristics (Hydrastidoideae, Thalictroideae, Isopyroideae, Ranunculoideae, Helleboroideae).

Hydrastidoideae and Glaucidioideae have only one species, ''[[Hydrastis|Hydrastis canadense]]'' and ''[[Glaucidium (plant)|Glaucidium palmatum]]'' respectively. [[Coptoideae]] has 17 species and Thalictroideae has 450, including ''[[Thalictrum]]'' and ''[[Aquilegia]]''. The other genera (2025 species, 81% of the family) belong to Ranunculoideae.

Some older classifications included ''[[Paeonia]]'' (peony) in Ranunculaceae but this genus is now placed in its own family, [[Paeoniaceae]] in order [[Saxifragales]]. ''[[Circaeaster]]'' and ''[[Kingdonia]]'' are now placed in [[Circaeasteraceae]].

==Description==

[[Image:Adonis autumnalis flowerdiagram.png|thumb|Flower diagram of ''[[Adonis]] autumnalis'' from Strasburger et al. 1900 |left|200px]]

Ranunculaceae are mostly herbaceous plants, but with some woody climbers (such as ''[[Clematis]]'') and subshrubs (e.g. ''[[Xanthorhiza]]'').

'''[[Leaves]]''' are very often more or less palmately compound.

The '''[[flower]]s''' of the ''Ranunculaceae'' show what are considered in some systems of plant taxonomy to be typically primitive characteristics, although the classification scheme of the [[APG II system|Angiosperm Phylogeny Group]] considers this family to be among the most basal of the derived [[Eudicots]] clade. They are generally showy and medium to large in size in order to attract [[pollination syndrome|pollinators]] and are [[floral symmetry|actinomorphic]] or radially symmetrical, although in some genera (e. g. ''[[Aconitum]]'', ''[[Consolida]]'') they are [[floral symmetry|zygomorphic]] or bilaterally symmetrical. The [[perianth]] is made of one or, more commonly, two whorls, often not clearly differentiated into a true [[sepals|calyx]] and [[Corolla (flower)|corolla]], the [[sepals]] may be joined  and the [[petals]] are often evolved into spurred [[nectaries]] or otherwise modified. The flowers have many free [[stamen]]s arranged in spirals and usually many free [[pistil]]s. Flowers are most often grouped in terminal [[raceme]]s, [[panicle]]s or [[cyme]]s.

The '''[[fruit]]''' is most commonly a [[Follicle (fruit)|follicle]] (e. g. ''[[Helleborus]]'', ''[[Nigella]]'') or an [[achene]] (e. g. ''[[Ranunculus]]'', ''[[Clematis]]'').

''Ranunculaceae'' contain [[protoanemonin]], which is toxic to humans and animals. Other poisonous or toxic compounds, [[alkaloid]]s and [[glycoside]]s, are also very common.

== Uses ==
Some Ranunculaceae are used as [[herbal medicines]] because of their alkaloids and glycosides, such as ''[[Hydrastis canadensis]]'' (goldenseal), whose root is used as a tonic. 

Many genera are well known as cultivated flowers, such as ''[[Aconitum]]'' (monkshood), ''[[Consolida]]'' (larkspur), ''[[Delphinium]]'', ''[[Helleborus]]'' (Christmas rose), ''[[Trollius]]'' (globeflower).

The seeds of '' [[Nigella sativa]]'', are used as a spice in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

== Selected genera == 

{|
|- valign=top
|
*''[[Aconitum]]'' - monkshood, wolfsbane
*''[[Actaea]]'' - baneberry 
*''[[Adonis (plant)|Adonis]]'' - pheasant's-eye
*''[[Anemone]]'' - anemone
*''[[Anemonella]]'' - rue-anemone, windflower
*''[[Anemonopsis]]''
*''[[Aquilegia]]'' - columbine
*''[[Archiclematis]]''
*''[[Asteropyrum]]''
*''[[Barneoudia]]''
*''[[Beesia]]''
*''[[Calathodes]]''
*''[[Callianthemum]]''
*''[[Caltha]]'' - marsh marigold
*''[[Ceratocephala]]''
*''[[Cimicifuga]]'' - bugbane, cohosh
*''[[Clematis]]'' - clematis
*''[[Clematopsis]]''
|
*''[[Consolida]]'' - larkspur
*''[[Coptis]]'' - goldthread
*''[[Delphinium]]'' - larkspur
*''[[Dichocarpum]]''
*''[[Enemion]]'' - false rue anemone
*''[[Eranthis]]'' - winter aconite
*''[[Glaucidium (plant)|Glaucidium]]'' - Japanese Wood Poppy
*''[[Hamadryas (plant)|Hamadryas]]''
*''[[Helleborus]]'' - hellebore
*''[[Hepatica]]'' - hepatica
*''[[Hydrastis]]'' - goldenseal
*''[[Isopyrum]]'' - rue anemone
*''[[Knowltonia]]''
*''[[Komaroffia]]''
*''[[Krapfia]]''
*''[[Kumlienia]]''
*''[[Laccopetalum]]''
*''[[Leptopyrum]]''
|
*''[[Megaleranthis]]''
*''[[Metanomone]]''
*''[[Miyakea]]''
*''[[Myosurus]]'' - mouse-tail
*''[[Naravelia]]''
*''[[Nigella]]'' - love-in-a-mist
*''[[Oreithales]]''
*''[[Paraquilegia]]''
*''[[Paroxygraphis]]''
*''[[Pulsatilla]]'' - pasque flower
*''[[Ranunculus]]'' - buttercup
*''[[Semiaquilegia]]''
*''[[Souliea]]''
*''[[Thalictrum]]'' - meadow-rue
*''[[Trautvetteria]]'' - tassel-rue
*''[[Trollius]]'' - globeflower
*''[[Urophysa]]''
*''[[Xanthorhiza]]'' - yellowroot
|}

== Image gallery ==
<gallery>
Image:Aconitum_napellus_flowerdiagram.png|Flower diagram of ''Aconitum napellus''
Image:Aconitum napellus flower.jpg|''Aconitum napellus''
Image:Adonis aestivalis var citrinus eF.jpg|''Adonis aestivalis''
Image:Lenteroos frekkels.jpg|''Helleborus orientalis'' (green nectaries)
Image:Hydrastis_canadensis_-_goldenseal_-_desc-flower_front_view.jpg|''Hydrastis canadensis''
Image:Helleborus-niger(Fruechte).jpg|Follicles of ''Helleborus niger''
Image:Ranunculus acris0.jpg|Achenes of ''Ranunculus acris''
Image:Creeping butercup close 800.jpg|Ranunculus repens
Image:Hakusanitige.JPG|''Anemone narcissiflora''
Image:Consolida regalis 030705.jpg|''Consolida regalis''
Image:Ranunculus trychophyllum NRM.jpg|''Ranunculus trichophyllus''
</gallery>

== References and external links ==
{{Commonscat|Ranunculaceae}}
{{wikispecies|Ranunculaceae}}
*[http://www.topwalks.net/plants/generos/ranunculaceae_01.htm Ranunculaceae in Topwalks]
*[http://www.indianmedicinalplants.info/d2/index.htm  Ranunculaceae ]
*[http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/ranuncul.htm Ranunculaceae] in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ ''The families of flowering plants''].
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=10757 ''Flora of North America'': Ranunculaceae]
*[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=10757 ''Flora of China'': Ranunculaceae]
*[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Tree&id=3440&lvl=3&p=mapview&p=has_linkout&p=blast_url&p=genome_blast&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock NCBI Taxonomy Browser] 
*[http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/cgi/gateway_family?fam=Ranunculaceae  links at CSDL, Texas]
*[http://www.alpine-plants-jp.com/art/index_kinpougeka.htm Japanese Ranunculaceae] - Flavon's art gallery
*[http://flowersinisrael.com/FamRanunculaceae.html Family Ranunculaceae] Flowers in Israel

*Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 7, May 2006 [and more or less continuously updated since]. [http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/research/APweb/]
*{{it}} Sandro Pignatti, Flora d'Italia, Edagricole, Bologna 1982. ISBN 8850624492
*Tamura, M.: "Ranunculaceae.", en Kubitzki, K., Rohwer, J.G. & Bittrich, V. (Editores). The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants. II. Flowering Plants - Dicotyledons..- Springer-Verlag: Berlín, 1993.- ISBN 3-540-55509-9
* Strasburger, Noll, Schenck, Schimper: Lehrbuch der Botanik für Hochschulen. 4. Auflage, Gustav Fischer, Jena 1900, p. 459 (flower diagrams)

[[Category:Eudicot families]]
[[Category:Ranunculaceae| ]]
{{SIB}}
[[bg:Лютикови]]
[[ca:Ranunculàcia]]
[[cs:Pryskyřníkovité]]
[[da:Ranunkel-familien]]
[[de:Hahnenfußgewächse]]
[[et:Tulikalised]]
[[es:Ranunculaceae]]
[[eo:Ranunkolacoj]]
[[fa:آلالگان]]
[[fr:Ranunculaceae]]
[[ko:미나리아재비과]]
[[hsb:Maslenkowe rostliny]]
[[id:Ranunculaceae]]
[[it:Ranunculaceae]]
[[he:נוריתיים]]
[[ka:ბაიასებრნი]]
[[lv:Gundegu dzimta]]
[[lt:Vėdryniniai]]
[[hu:Boglárkafélék]]
[[mk:Лутичиња]]
[[nl:Ranonkelfamilie]]
[[ja:キンポウゲ科]]
[[no:Soleiefamilien]]
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[[pl:Jaskrowate]]
[[pt:Ranunculaceae]]
[[ro:Ranunculaceae]]
[[ru:Лютиковые]]
[[se:Fiskesrássišattut]]
[[sl:Zlatičevke]]
[[sr:Љутићи]]
[[fi:Leinikkikasvit]]
[[sv:Ranunkelväxter]]
[[vi:Họ Mao lương]]
[[tr:Düğün çiçeğigiller]]
[[uk:Жовтецеві]]
[[zh:毛茛科]]
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