Ranunculus glacialis explained

Ranunculus glacialis, the glacier buttercup or glacier crowfoot, is a plant of the family Ranunculaceae. It is a 5-10(-20) cm high perennial herb. Often with a single relatively large (1.8 - 3.8 cm) flower, with 5 petals first white later pink or reddish. The underside of the 5 sepals are densely brown-hairy. The leaves are fleshy, shiny, and deeply loped, forming 3 leaflets.^{[1] [2]} Ranunculus glacialis is reported (from Greenland material) to have a diploid chromosome number of 2n = 16.

Distribution and habitat

Ranunculus glacialis is an Arctic–alpine species, found in the high mountains of southern Europe (Alps, Pyrenees, Carpathians, Sierra Nevada) as well as on the Scandinavian peninsula, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Jan Mayen, Svalbard, eastern Greenland^{[3] [4]} and Finland, where it is endangered and protected.^[5]

It has been described as being one of the highest-ascending plants in the Alps, flowering at over 4,000 m.^[6]

It is found in fell-field and snow-bed sites, on edges of meltwater streams.^[5]

Subspecies

Several subspecies are described.^[7]

One subspecies, Ranunculus glacialis subsp. chamissonis, is found on either side of the Bering Strait in Siberia, Russia and Alaska.

Further reading

• Totland, Ø., & Alatalo, J. M. (2002). Effects of temperature and date of snowmelt on growth, reproduction, and flowering phenology in the arctic/alpine herb, Ranunculus glacialis. Oecologia, 133(2), 168–175. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-002-1028-z
• Wagner, J., Steinacher, G., & Ladinig, U. (2010). Ranunculus glacialis L.: successful reproduction at the altitudinal limits of higher plant life. Protoplasma, 243(1-4), 117–128. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-009-0104-1

Notes and References

1. Book: Grønlands flora. 1978. P. Haase & Sons. Tyge Wittrock Böcher. 87-559-0385-1. 3. reviderede udgave. København. 183098604.
2. Book: Nordens flora. 2020. Gyldendal. Bo Mossberg, Lennart Stenberg, Jon Feilberg, Anna Torsteinsrud, Victoria Widmark. 978-87-02-28916-9. Nye, udvidede og omarbejdede udgave. Kbh.. 1158895781.
3. Web site: Pan-arctic flora: Home. 2021-07-28. panarcticflora.org.
4. Web site: Ranunculus glacialis L.. 2021-07-28. www.gbif.org. en.
5. Web site: Glacier Buttercup, Ranunculus glacialis - Flowers - NatureGate. 2021-07-28. luontoportti.com.
6. Wagner. Johanna. Steinacher. Gerlinde. Ladinig. Ursula. July 2010. Ranunculus glacialis L.: successful reproduction at the altitudinal limits of higher plant life. Protoplasma. en. 243. 1–4. 117–128. 10.1007/s00709-009-0104-1. 20140466. 2460684. 0033-183X.
7. Web site: International Plant Names Index. 2021-07-28. www.ipni.org.