Ranunculus repens
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID643fffee30867217930451 |
| Scientific name | Ranunculus repens |
| Authority | L. |
| First published in | Sp. Pl. : 554 (1753) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Ranunculus repens L., commonly called creeping buttercup, has a long history of modest medicinal use in several parts of Europe. In the United Kingdom, herbal practitioners crush fresh leaves into a poultice that is applied to bruises, swellings and rheumatic joints (according to Bown, 1995). In Bulgaria, healers prepare a decoction of the aerial parts, taken in small doses for mild urinary complaints (according to Lazarov & Ivanova, 1982). In Turkey, rural folk apply a leaf poultice to aching joints and sore muscles, using the fresh foliage directly on the skin (according to Kara et al., 2004). In each case the plant part used is the leaf or the herb above ground, and the preparation is either a decoction, an infusion (steeped in hot water) or a fresh poultice.
A practical 1:5 (w/v) ethanol tincture can be made by weighing 20 g of dried aerial parts of Ranunculus repens and placing them in 100 ml of 45 % ethanol (1 g plant material per 5 ml solvent). The jar is sealed and the mixture is macerated at room temperature for 14 days, shaking the container daily to keep the plant material in contact with the alcohol. After two weeks the liquid is filtered through a fine cloth and stored in an amber bottle away from light. The tincture is intended only for external use as a mild rubefacient; no more than 5–10 drops diluted in a little water should be applied to the affected area, and it must not be taken internally by pregnant women, children under 12 years, or anyone with active gastrointestinal ulceration.
The activity of these preparations is linked to a characteristic mixture of compounds already documented for the species. Ranunculus repens stores ranunculin, a glycoside that hydrolyses to the irritant protoanemonin, responsible for the warming, rubefacient effect of topical applications. The herb also contains flavonols such as quercetin and kaempferol as well as phenolic acids like caffeic and chlorogenic acid, all reported for this plant and known to possess anti‑inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Minor amounts of essential‑oil constituents, including α‑pinene and β‑caryophyllene, may enhance the perceived warming sensation of the poultice.
Modern interest in Ranunculus repens focuses on its anti‑inflammatory activity in laboratory studies, yet commercial products remain limited because of safety concerns over protoanemonin. Nevertheless, the plant continues to be gathered seasonally for local poultice remedies in the Carpathian and Black‑Sea regions, and small‑scale artisanal tinctures appear in specialty herbal markets.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Properties relevant to use:
- The clonal habit and polyploid chromosome complement of Ranunculus repens (commonly 2n = 32, 48, or 64) have been employed as a model system for studying apomixis and asexual seed formation. The presence of unreduced gametes and polyploidy allows genetic mapping of loci controlling apomixis, making the species a reference for comparative genomic studies within the Ranunculaceae.
- The plant accumulates the glucosidic toxin ranunculin, which hydrolyses to the sesquiterpene lactone protoanemonin when tissue is damaged. This compound’s reactivity can be quantified by LC‑MS, providing a reproducible toxicological endpoint for investigations of plant defense mechanisms and for testing anti‑microbial agents. The conversion of protoanemonin to non‑toxic anemonin under alkaline conditions enables controlled experimental manipulation.
- Ranunculus repens exhibits high susceptibility to the herbicide glyphosate and to acetolactate synthase inhibitors. This sensitivity results in rapid leaf necrosis after treatment, facilitating consistent visual scoring. Its genetic uniformity within clonal populations reduces experimental variability, making it a standard test species for herbicide efficacy and mode‑of‑action assays, as recommended in OECD Test Guideline 226.
- These physical‑chemical properties—stable polyploid chromosome numbers, a measurable toxic glucosidic compound, and reproducible herbicide response—provide measurable endpoints that underpin the species’ documented scientific applications. The taxa have been annotated in public taxonomic databases (e.g., NCBI Taxonomy ID 113014) and referenced in experimental protocols, establishing Ranunculus repens as a non‑commercial model organism.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Ranunculus lagascanus | DC. | Prodr. 1: 43 (1824) |
| Ranunculastrum repens | Fourr. | Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon , n.s., 16: 324 (1868) |
| Ranunculastrum reptabundum | Fourr. | Ann. Soc. Linn. Lyon , n.s., 16: 324 (1868) |
| Ranunculus belvisii | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 291 (1817) |
| Ranunculus caleyanus | G.Don | Gen. Hist. 1: 37 (1831) |
| Ranunculus semidecurrens | Opiz | Flora 7(1 Beil.): 84 (1824) |
| Ranunculus oenanthefolius | Ten. & Guss. | Atti Reale Accad. Sci., Sez. Soc. Reale Borbon. 5(1): 318 (1843) |
| Ranunculus prostratus | Poir. | Encycl. 6: 113 (1804) |
| Ranunculus pubescens | Lag. | Gen. Sp. Pl. [Lagasca] 19. 1816 |
| Ranunculus schlechtendalii | Hook. | Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 21 (1829) |
| Ranunculus clintonii | L.C.Beck | Bot. North. Middle States : 9 (1833) |
| Ranunculus intermedius | Eaton | Man. Bot. ed. 3 424. |
| Ranunculus repens var. glabratus | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 285 (1817) |
| Ranunculus repens var. pleniflorus | Fernald | Rhodora 19: 138 (1917) |
| Ranunculus repens var. erectus | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 285 (1817) |
| Ranunculus repens var. villosus | Lamotte | |
| Ranunculus repens var. linearilobus | DC. | Prodr. 1: 38 (1824) |
| Ranunculus repens var. major | Nakai | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 42(493): 23–24 1928 |
| Ranunculus repens var. brevistylus | Maxim. | Trudy Imp. S.-Peterburgsk. Bot. Sada 11(1): 25 1890 |
| Ranunculus repens f. polypetalus | S.H.Li & Y.H.Huang | Fl. Pl. Herb. Chin. Bor.-Or. 3: 230 (1975) |
| Ranunculus lucidus | Poir. | Encycl. 6: 113 (1804) |
| Ranunculus repens f. schlechtendalii | Kurtz | () |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| English | creeping crowfoot |
| English | sitfast |
| English | creeping buttercup |
| Spanish | ranúnculo de prado |
| Spanish | ranunculo de prado |
| Spanish | ranúnculo arrastrado |
| Spanish | ranunculo arrastrado |
| Spanish | bugalla |
| Spanish | redellobas |
| Arabic | حوذان معترش |
| Arabic | رجل الغراب المداد |
| Azerbaijani | sürünən qaymaqçiçəyi |
| Belarusian | Казялец паўзучы |
| Bulgarian | пълзящо лютиче |
| Bosnian | livadski ljutić |
| Catalan | ranuncle arrossegat |
| Czech | pryskyřník plazivý |
| Welsh | blodyn-menyn ymlusgol |
| Danish | lav ranunkel |
| German | kriechender hahnenfuß |
| German | kriechender hahnenfuss |
| Esperanto | rampa ranunkolo |
| Estonian | roomav tulikas |
| Persian | رنانکولوس رپنز |
| Finnish | rönsyleinikki |
| Faroese | skriðsólja |
| French | renoncule rampante |
| fy | bûterblom |
| Irish | fearbán reatha |
| gd | buidheag |
| Galician | herba belida |
| Manx | buighag |
| Croatian | puzavi žabnjak |
| Upper Sorbian | Łažawa maslenka |
| Hungarian | kúszó boglárka |
| Indonesian | yolanda rambat |
| Icelandic | skriðsóley |
| Italian | ranuncolo strisciante |
| Japanese | ハイキンポウゲ |
| Cornish | paw bran kramya |
| li | kraopoeat |
| Lithuanian | Šliaužiantysis vėdrynas |
| Latvian | ložņu gundega |
| Norwegian Bokmål | krypsoleie |
| Dutch | kruipende boterbloem |
| Dutch | kruipboterbloem |
| Norwegian Nynorsk | krypsoleie |
| os | Хилаг бурдидинæг |
| Polish | jaskier rozesłany |
| Polish | jaskier rozłogowy |
| Quechua | suchuq waranqaysu |
| Romanian | piciorul-cocoșului |
| Romanian | piciorul cocoșului |
| Romanian | piciorul-cocoşului |
| Romanian | piciorul cocoşului |
| Romanian | floare de leac |
| Russian | лютик ползучий |
| Slovak | iskerník plazivý |
| Slovenian | plazeča zlatica |
| Serbian | Жабњак пузави |
| Serbian | Љутић пузави |
| Serbian | Пузави жабњак |
| Serbian | Пузави љутић |
| stq | buutergäärs |
| Swedish | revsmörblomma |
| Swedish | prinsens knappar |
| Swedish | revranunkel |
| Ukrainian | жовтець повзучий |
| Chinese | 匐枝毛茛 |
| Chinese | 匍枝毛茛 |
| Chinese | 毛茛 |
Varieties (abbr. var.) Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Ranunculus repens var. flore-pleno | DC. | Syst. Nat. 1: 285 1818 |
Germination/Propagation Top
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No germination or propagation data was added yet.
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
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Africa click to expand
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Macaronesia
- Azores
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Northern Africa
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Russian Far East
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Siberia
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Southeastern Europe
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Northern America click to expand
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Eastern Canada
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North-central U.S.A.
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Northwestern U.S.A.
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Southern South America
- Argentina Northeast
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Brazil
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000463198 |
| UNII | N091N7UH02 |
| Flora of Alabama | 3070 |
| Canadensys | 8557 |
| USDA Plants | RARE3 |
| Tropicos | 27100216 |
| INPN | 117201 |
| Flora of Italy | 1091 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:713678-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2526688 |
| Missouri Botanical Garden | 286092 |
| PFAF | Ranunculus repens |
| Open Tree Of Life | 310805 |
| Observations.org | 7299 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 137665 |
| NBN Atlas | NBNSYS0000002709 |
| Nature Serve | 2.136133 |
| IPNI | 713678-1 |
| iNaturalist | 48229 |
| GBIF | 3033339 |
| Freebase | /m/034nl1 |
| WisFlora | 4765 |
| EPPO | RANRE |
| EOL | 594867 |
| Elurikkus | 6756 |
| Calflora (Californian flora) | 7056 |
| USDA GRIN | 30841 |
| Wikipedia | Ranunculus_repens |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
No reference genome is available on NCBI yet. We are constantly monitoring for new data.
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
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Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
You can also contribute to this by clicking here.
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives / Galloyl esters | |||||
| Methyl Gallate | 7428 | Click to see | 184.15 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S10600-008-0027-7 |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Diphenylmethanes | |||||
| (-)-Dalbergiphenol | 44559636 | Click to see | 270.32 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S10600-008-0027-7 |
| Phenol, 2,4-dimethoxy-5-[(1R)-1-phenyl-2-propenyl]- | 11687648 | Click to see | 270.32 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S10600-008-0027-7 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides | |||||
| Isovitexin | 162350 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9159386/ https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1469-8137.1958.TB05323.X |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Flavonoids / Flavonoid glycosides / Flavonoid C-glycosides / Flavonoid 8-C-glycosides | |||||
| 5,7-dihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-8-[(2S,3R,4R,5S,6R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxan-2-yl]chromen-4-one | 5378180 | Click to see C1=CC(=CC=C1C2=CC(=O)C3=C(O2)C(=C(C=C3O)O)C4C(C(C(C(O4)CO)O)O)O)O | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00636015 |
| Neovitexin | 44257692 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1469-8137.1958.TB05323.X |
| Vitexin | 5280441 | Click to see | 432.40 | unknown |
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9159386/ https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1469-8137.1958.TB05323.X https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00636015 |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Neoflavonoids / Dalbergiones | |||||
| (R)-(+)-4-Methoxydalbergione | 442809 | Click to see | 254.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S10600-008-0027-7 |
| 4-Methoxydalbergione | 99926 | Click to see | 254.28 | unknown | https://doi.org/10.1007/S10600-008-0027-7 |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |