This aquatic buttercup is an entity whose distribution in Italy is still little known, because it is often confused with other species; it is reported with certainty for Friuli Venezia Giulia, Puglia, Sardinia and Sicily. It grows in pools and ponds, also in brackish waters, from sea level to about 400 m. The species is common in the central and intermediate belts of Sardinian temporary ponds, giving rise to abundant blooms in early spring. The whole plant, when fresh, is toxic for the presence of an alkaloid (protoanemonine). The genus name, the Latin for 'little frog', was used since ancient times only for the aquatic species of the subgenus Batrachion, also a diminutive of the Greek 'batràchos' (frog); the species name comes from the Latin 'pelta' (shield) for the shape of the upper leaves. Flowering period: April to June. |
