Ranunculus aquatilis, Common Water Crowfoot

Common Name: Common Water Crowfoot

Ranunculus aquatilis, otherwise known as Common Water Crowfoot, is the commonest species in a large group of water-plants that can be seen covering ponds, ditches and streams with mats of white flowers in spring and summer. It can be an annual or short-lived perennial plant, and has floating, lobed leaves and solitary white flowers, about 2cm across.

Water-crowfoots are a difficult group to tell apart. Common Water-crowfoot has white flowers, buttercup-like, five-petalled flowers that have a yellow centre. Its floating leaves are circular and lobed (with three to seven lobes); its submerged leaves comprise many segments.

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