![]() As a result, Goldilocks Buttercups are clones of the mother plant. without cell division (meiosis) and fertilisation. Apomixis is the botanical term used to describe plants that produce seeds asexually, i.e. It will be interesting to find out if the extra attention will lead to the discovery of previously unnoticed colonies. ![]() My local botany group is including the flower in its spring target species for recording. ![]() The Goldilocks Buttercup can be inconspicuous sprawling through other plants at ground level. The BSBI states that populations are remarkably stable in the UK and that improved recording led to new discoveries in Scotland. Latterly, it is not found in any great quantity. The Flora of Berkshire notes that Goldilocks Buttercup was once locally common and widely distributed in shady places. They boast a fascinatingly unique and complex, interdependent range of plants, fungi and insects as a result. Their soils have remained relatively undisturbed by human hands down the centuries. Only about 2.5% of such ancient woodland sites survive today. Its presence is an indicator of a continuously wooded site since 1600. It is is appreciated as an ancient woodland indicator. The Goldilocks Buttercup may put on a shabby appearance, but it is regarded as the mark of a superior woodland. The name highlights the shiny, bright yellow flowerhead rather than a fairy tale connection. Thus, the Latin name returns us to Goldilocks again. The epithet auricomus is formed from a compound of aurum meaning gold and coma meaning hair of the head. The genus name means little frog, perhaps denoting its preference for wetter habitats. The Goldilocks Buttercup’s Latin name is Ranunculus auricomus. Yet again, I am drawn to write about a member of the Ranunculaceae or Buttercup family. It has also been verified as a name for the Buttercup from the 1570s. Goldilocks was the name for a person with bright yellow or golden hair from the mid-15th century. Goldilocks did not feature in the tale until around 1875. The central character underwent an evolution from an old woman to a young girl down the ages. Is there a connection between the Goldilocks Buttercup and the well-known children’s fairy tale Goldilocks and the Three Bears? A version of the story was first printed in 1837. The Goldilocks Buttercup is considered fairly common in calcareous, deciduous woodland. Although imperfect to the eye, it is nonetheless an interesting flower to botanists due to its asexual reproduction, multiple microspecies and status as an ancient woodland indicator. It is often found in a somewhat bedraggled and tatty state, minus some or all of its petals. Goldilocks Buttercup, Ranunculus auricomus, is unlikely to be the best-dressed flower in spring woodland. A surprisingly pristine Goldilocks Buttercup, Ranunculus auricomus in woodland spring sunshine.
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