Seasonal Wild Flowers

Lesser Spearwort

Ranunculus flammula

Ranunculaceae

June to October

It is found throughout the country.

See the BSBI distribution map for Lesser Spearwort

Lesser Spearwort grows in clean freshwater where

water levels fluctuate, such as the edges of ponds,

lakes and streams, and in marshes, water meadows

and bogs.

It is a native, stoloniferous, perennial herb growing

upright, up to 50cm, or low and spreading.

The flowers are a shiny, pale yellow, reaching up to

2cm (less than half the width of Greater Spearwort).

It looks like a buttercup, complete with loose sepals.

Leaves are lanceolate / linear and slightly toothed.

It spreads by runners (stolons) that root at the leaf nodes.

Previous page: Lesser Knotweed
Next page: Lime

Lesser Spearwort, Powerstock

Common, Dorset

Flower - from above

Flower - from below

Fruits

Leaves: ovate-lanceolate

Close-up of toothed leaves