Ranunculus baudotii Brackish Water-crowfoot

A small, annual or more often a short-lived perennial water-crowfoot which grows in pools and ditches, often in brackish water. It is sometimes found growing in a dwarf form on wet mud. It is almost exclusively coastal in its British and Irish distribution and it is widespread, but often rather local in Wales. The flowers are relatively small, their petals usually 5-10mm long with a moon-shaped nectar pit at their base. Floating leaves have 3-5 lobes but may be absent and the submerged, thread-like capillary leaves can be up to 20cm long, but are usually shorter. Well-grown plants can be confused with Pond Water-crowfoot (Ranunculus peltatus) which has larger flowers and pear-shaped nectar pits. It is uncommon overall in West Glamorgan where there are some local populations in brackish pools in north Gower and in the Morfa area of Neath Port Talbot.

Native