Ranunculus parviflorus L. (Medit., W-Eur., Macaronesia) – A rare and usually ephemeral alien. Probably first record from the surroundings of Tournai (prior to 1868) without further details. Also collected in Jambes in 1894 and claimed from Flobecq (Lawalrée 1955). Exceptionally seen as a grain alien, for instance in the port of Gent in 1999 (along with Ranunculus marginatus and R. muricatus). In the same year also discovered in a moist pasture in Meilegem (Zwalm). However, by far best known from De Panne (Westhoek) where Ranunculus parviflorus was initially discovered in 1950. It was said to be abundant and apparently native. In the intervening decades it was no longer seen (or perhaps rather merely neglected?) until it was rediscovered in abundance in this area in 2011 as a weed in the local cemetery (lawns, flower beds, etc.). It is obviously naturalized and probably has always been present since the 1950’s (or even longer, given its abundance at that time). Since 2008 it has also been increasingly recorded as a weed in the National Botanic Garden in Meise (Ronse 2011). Since 2016 Ranunculus parviflorus was also discovered in disturbed lawns in several different camping sites, especially (but not exclusively) in coastal areas.
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Selected literature:
Benson L.D. (1948) A treatise on the North American Ranunculi. Amer. Midl. Naturalist 40: 1-261.
Bock C. (1979) Ranunculus parviflorus L. dans le bois de Beynes (Yvelines). Cah. Nat. 34 (2): 79-81.
Bomble F.W. & Joussen N. (2019) Erstnachweis von Ranunculus parviflorus in Nordrhein-Westfalen. Veröffentlichungen des Bochumer Botanischen Vereins 11(8): 80-85. [available online at: https://www.botanik-bochum.de/publ/OVBBV11_8_Bomble_Joussen_Ranunculus_p...
Depasse S. (1989) Un site à Ranunculus parviflorus L., Rumex pulcher L. et Catapodium rigidum (L.) C.E. Hubbard dans l’Aisne (France). Dumortiera 44: 12-15.
Hernández H. (1993) Ranunculus parviflorus L. (Ranunculaceae), especie adventicia en la Argentina. Lilloa 38(1): 117-119.
Lawalrée A (1955) Ranunculaceae. In: Robyns W. (ed.), Flore Générale de Belgique, vol. 2, fasc. 1. Jardin Botanique de l’Etat, Bruxelles: 13-114.
Ronse A. (2011) Expansion of the alien Ranunculus parviflorus in the Botanic Garden. In: Hoste I. (ed.), The spontaneous flora of the National Botanic Garden of Belgium (Domein van Bouchout, Meise). Scripta Botanica 47: 127-129.
Salisbury E.J. (1931) On the Morphology and Ecology of Ranunculus parviflorus L. Annals of Botany 45: 539-578.
Singhurst J.R., Mink J.N. & Holmes W.C. (2018) Ranunculus parviflorus (Ranunculaceae) naturalized in Kansas. Phytoneuron 2018-22: 1–3. [available online at: http://www.phytoneuron.net/2018Phytoneuron/22PhytoN-Ranunculusparvifloru...