Notes on Ranunculus Ficaria L. in the Netherlands. I. Introduction. – Reductional trends as a possible interpretation of flower types

One of the most striking features in Ranunculus ficaria is its way of reproduction, which is mainly vegetative and which is usually achieved by means of the well-known tubercles born in the axils of the leaves. Though the production of good or apparently good fruits and seeds is rather rare, a number of swollen achenes may be observed yet. However, we do not find seedlings too often, notwithstanding their being easily recognizable by the one single fanshaped cotyledon they possess. These facts have led to many investigations in the field of general biology, anatomy (seeds, tubercles, cotyledon), physiology, morphogenesis etc. Flower structure and its variation and also diversity in vegetative parts (leaves) have been studied along taxonomic and phytogeographical lines; several botanists have conceived the lesser celandine as belonging to a separate genus, viz. Ficaria. i