Ranunculus lingua Greater Spearwort

A large, rhizomatous and stoloniferous, perennial buttercup which grows in the emergent zone at the edges of canals, ponds and reservoirs, but sometimes in deep water, as well as in marshes and fens. With its large yellow, buttercup flowers, it is a striking and attractive species when it grows en masse. Vegetative propagation is very effective via the detachment and dispersal in the water of propagules that develop at the base of the stem in autumn and also by division of the rhizome and by stoloniferous growth. It is sometimes introduced into ponds and once established can form large, stable populations. It is found throughout most of southern Britain but poulations have been lost from many areas as a result of drainage. It is largely a lowland species and is absent from much of Wales where it is most common in the south. In West Glamorgan it is most common in Neath Port Talbot where there are stable, native populations in Red Jacket Fen and on the Tennant and Neath canals. In other places, e.g. Glyncorrwg Ponds, Margam Park, there are introduced populations of unknown provenance. It is uncommon in Gower and the Swansea area,

Native