Ranunculus ficaria
lesser celandine, pilewort
Up to 10 cm tall with some roots forming bulbils. The leaves are dark green, heart shaped about 30mm diameter on long stalks. Flowers yellow, buttercup like.
Other members of the buttercup family. The most similar to celandine is lobe leaved buttercup, which is an alpine plant that stock are unlikely to come across.
Damp, shaded places. Garden escape on both islands.
Ranunculin has been reported in celandine.
Grazing animals in New Zealand have been poisoned.
In most domestic animals (cattle in particular), poisoning produces an excessive flow of saliva, soreness (sometimes with ulceration) of the mouth, and abdominal pain. In severe cases, this is followed by diarrhoea, with the passage of black faeces, and blood stained urine. Animals will become weak and stagger and show impaired hearing and sight. Some animals will die and death is preceded by severe convulsions.
Acute inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Mouth and throat lesions. Rumen contents may contain a large amount of buttercup. Renal damage is sometimes evident.
Presence of plant in the ingesta. Presence of severe gasteroenteritis. Exclusion of other causes.
Other plant poisonings especially those containing ranunculin, eg Old Mans Beard and other species of Clematis, or those containing protoanemonin, eg Anemone species. Malignant Catarrhal Fever.
Mild purgatives, demulcents. Potassium permanganate protects the skin from irritant action of protoanemonin.
Usually good, especially in mild cases.
Use chemical or other control methods to remove celandine or avoid overstocking pastures with livestock.
Connor, HE, The Poisonous plants in New Zealand, 2nd ed.,1977, Government Publications Ltd., Wellington
Cooper M R, Johnson A W. Poisonous Plants and Fungi in Britan: Animals and Human Poisoning. Her Majesty’s Stationary Office. London. 1998
Parton K, Bruere A.N. and Chambers J.P. Veterinary Clinical Toxicology, 3rd ed. 2006. Veterinary Continuing Education Publication No. 249
