Corn Buttercup
CR

Corn Buttercup

Ranunculus arvensis

Unknown

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranunculus_arvensis

Overview

Ranunculus arvensis, the corn buttercup or field buttercup, is a plant species in the family Ranunculaceae. Native to Europe, it can be found on other continents as an introduced species and sometimes a weed, including in North America and Australia. It was formerly a common annual arable weed in Britain, but is now rare there. It is most often found in moist places, such as spring puddles in meadows.

Corn Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis) has declined dramatically due to agricultural intensification and modern farming practices that have eliminated its traditional arable habitat. The species was historically associated with cereal crops but has been virtually eliminated by herbicide use, improved seed cleaning, and changes in cultivation methods that favor more competitive crop varieties.

Threat summary

Habitat

TERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· majorTERRESTRIAL· major

Other threatened species in Ranunculaceae

Tiny MousetailVU

Tiny Mousetail

Myosurus minimus

Unknown
Lesser Meadow-rueVU

Lesser Meadow-rue

Thalictrum minus

Unknown
Yellow Woodland ThimbleweedEN

Yellow Woodland Thimbleweed

Anemone ranunculoides

Unknown
Spring Pasque FlowerEN

Spring Pasque Flower

Pulsatilla vernalis

Unknown

Frequently asked questions

Why is Corn Buttercup classified as Critically Endangered?
Corn Buttercup is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Corn Buttercup (Ranunculus arvensis) has declined dramatically due to agricultural intensification and modern farming practices that have eliminated its traditional arable habitat. The species was historically associated with cereal crops but has been virtually eliminated by herbicide use, improved seed cleaning, and changes in cultivation methods that favor more competitive crop varieties.
Where does Corn Buttercup live?
Corn Buttercup occurs in across multiple regions. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Corn Buttercup?
The main threats to Corn Buttercup are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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