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Ranunculus
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<p><i>Ranunculus</i> /ræˈnʌŋkjʊləs/ is a <a href="/facts/List_of_the_largest_genera_of_flowering_plants/5zBrA0hq">large genus</a> of about 1750 <a href="/facts/Species/oDg6b96r">species</a> of <a href="/facts/Flowering_plant/E5eGYIvY">flowering plants</a> in the family <a href="/facts/Ranunculaceae/pHbdAjKD">Ranunculaceae</a>. Members of the genus are known as buttercups, spearworts and water crowfoots. </p><p>The genus is distributed worldwide, primarily in temperate and montane regions. The familiar and widespread buttercup of gardens throughout <a href="/facts/Northern_Europe/u77t0yJI">Northern Europe</a> (and introduced elsewhere) is the creeping buttercup <i><a href="/facts/Ranunculus_repens/13g369og">Ranunculus repens</a></i>, which has extremely tough and tenacious roots. Two other species are also widespread, the bulbous buttercup <i><a href="/facts/Ranunculus_bulbosus/wspY4hwE">Ranunculus bulbosus</a></i> and the much taller meadow buttercup <i><a href="/facts/Ranunculus_acris/pS32crsu">Ranunculus acris</a></i>. In ornamental gardens, all three are often regarded as <a href="/facts/Weed/Dog4Ifol">weeds</a>. </p><p>Buttercups usually flower in the spring, but flowers may be found throughout the summer, especially where the plants are growing as opportunistic colonizers, as in the case of garden weeds. </p><p>The water crowfoots (<i>Ranunculus</i> subgenus <i>Batrachium</i>), which grow in still or running water, are sometimes treated in a separate genus <i>Batrachium</i> (from <a href="/facts/Ancient_Greek/LIK7NlUh">Greek</a> βάτραχος <i>bátrakhos</i>, "frog"). They have two different leaf types, thread-like leaves underwater and broader floating leaves. In some species, such as <i><a href="/facts/Ranunculus_aquatilis/uTCmSywJ">R. aquatilis</a></i>, a third, intermediate leaf type occurs. </p><p><i>Ranunculus</i> species are used as food by the <a href="/facts/Larva/GKo2FIew">larvae</a> of some <a href="/facts/Lepidoptera/yPFPsQmL">Lepidoptera</a> species including the <a href="/facts/Hebrew_character/apEwtuAA">Hebrew character</a> and <a href="/facts/Small_angle_shades/UNbDvMgF">small angle shades</a>. Some species are popular ornamental flowers in <a href="/facts/Horticulture/m8qBLuT3">horticulture</a>, with many <a href="/facts/Cultivar/nfaLJJM3">cultivars</a> selected for large and brightly coloured flowers. </p>