Effect of temperature on the lesser celandine's invasiveness

The buttercup family includes the perennial herbaceous plant known as lesser celandine (ranuculaceae). It consists of a basal rosette of kidney-shaped, glossy, dark green leaves on stalks. It is borne singly on slender stems that rise above the foliage, and it likewise has butter yellow petals (Angela 12). Along the stems of the plant's above-ground part, pale bubbliest are developed. When the plant is in bloom, a vast infestation of the plant covers the forest floor in a carpet of green with yellow spots.
The Greek word khelidon, which means swallow, is where the common name for the celandine comes from. The genus name ranunculus comes from a Latin word Rana meaning frog, while suffix-culus indicate the diminutive form hence Ranunculus meaning frog. The plant is called so because the frogs and lesser celandine are usually found in damp places. In the United States of America, the plant is often referred to as fig buttercup, a reference to the plant whose specific epithet ficaria means a ‘fig.'

It is known to be an invasive pant. A plant considered as invasive species are sub set of those species considered as a weed. A weed is simply any plant that is growing in a place is not wanted. In scientific terminology, a weed is defined as plant species that has a potential to interfere with agriculture production or cause damage to natural ecosystem.

Origin of Lesser celandine and its effects on native plants and animals

Lesser celandine originated from Europe, Asia, and northern Africa; it was introduced as a momenta plant. Lesser celandine has been reported throughout the northern United States and west to Missouri as well as the Pacific Northwest. The plant is short lived, and appearance is caused by increased light in the early spring season, its shoots emerge between late marches and mid-May (Buerger,, et al 41). Production occurs in late spring, and when it gets to summer the above ground vegetation dies back and the plant becomes dormant, the seed require an after-ripening period to fully mature. Hence the seeds do not mature on the plant. It grows in moist corners of fields near waterslides, but can also be found in the drier ground is shady, being one of the plants that thrives beneath shades of trees, where its glossy foliage forms a dense carpet frequently.

Lesser celandine is a perennial invasive plant that has tuberous roots. It is a weed that has an effect on the crops that are grown on land. In Iraq, lesser celandine grows in places of crops and thus inhibiting their growth. Due to its characteristic of spreading and dividing too fast lesser celandine, has a developmental advantage which allows it to establish and overtake areas rapidly, it is often referred as a monoculture, which means that there is only one species growing in a given area. This means that there is no room for other native species or diversity of native species that can grow in that area

Lesser celandine was most likely introduced into the Northern America for horticultural purposes and as ornamental for its showy flower by 1867 from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Currently, the plant has spread over to Fort Worth, Texas and its now in 19 states, it is still available commercially in the US, though It is considered to be an invasive plant. It was also used for ornamental purposes in North America since it was beautiful and since it was beautiful and can survive in any light condition (Cipollini and Wesley 37). Among the species that are threatened by lesser celandine are Marsh-marigold Virginia Bluebells, Toothwort, Dutchman’s Breeches, Trout Lily, Trilliums, Bloodroot and many, many others. Lesser celandine provides critical nectar for native pollinator, and fruits and seeds for other wildlife and native insects

History of human use

Historically the plant has been used by some herbalist as a remedy pile or hemorrhoids and ulcers, though it is not recommended for internal use because of its toxic components. The whole plant including the roots is acidulous .it is widely used as a remedy for piles and is considered almost specificity can be made into an ointment and used externally or can be taken in the form of an Infusion (Cipollini, Titus and Wagner 67). Lesser celandine can also be applied externally to perennial damage after birth bleeding wounds and gums, swollen joints, warts scratches, though some caution is advised because it can cause irritation to sensitive skin. The young leaves, the substance which is soft and mucilaginous in spring can be eaten raw or cooked as a potherb. The first leaves during spring make an excellent salad. The stalks buds and leaves can be used like spinach, while the balanced stems are also eaten. The leaves turn poisonous as the fruit matures. The flower petals also are effective tooth cleaner.

Lesser celandine grows vigorously and forms enormous dense patches in forests and thus displaces the native plants especially those plants with same life cycle as it. It will simply kill the native plants as it takes over the garden. Its impact on animals is that it replaces their pastures and thus can leave them with n o food. It can, therefore, lead to starvation of these animals. Native animals will not eat it because it is something new to them and it is also considered poisonous. Also, Lesser celandine has spread so fast in North America eliminating host plants of native insects and competing for native plant pollinators; it has spread so rapidly that they muscle out most other plants, changing a forest, meadow, or wetland into a landscape dominated by one species. These have negatively impacted the ecological value and greatly reduce the natural biological diversity of that area (Hartshorne 14). Lesser celandine primary reproductive method is the formation of turions which are produced on the roots of vast numbers; they are moved by contaminated dirt, environmental disturbance, animals or by water. Lesser celandine prefers partially shaded sites though it can thrive in full sun with adequate soil moisture.

How to combat invasiveness of Lesser celandine

Lesser celandine is difficult to eradicate, but some methods are recommended to control the plant. The plant requires temperatures that range from 40 C to 80 C for small tubers and 8 to 140 C for large tubers(NESOM, 11). The germination of the plant cannot occur at a freezing temperature or very higher temperatures. Some of the ways to combat it includes;

Hand pulling control method

Hand pulling can be effective means of controlling the smaller infestation when shooting it is made sure that that the plant is removed from the underground tubers. Even a mile piece of the tuber can develop or grow into a new plant (Sohrabi et al 577). Since lesser celandine is only above the ground for a short period, it is necessary to mark infestation if the pulling is going to be done after the top of the plant has died.

Chemical treatment or Spraying control method.

For larger infestation, herbicide treatment is a more practical approach. This helps prevent excessive soil disturbance from digging which may lead to colonization of other invasive plants

Spraying timing is very crucial since lesser celandine has short period above the grounds, it is best sprayed as soon as it appears on the grounds. This also helps limit the effect on the native wildflowers since most native species will not have emerged. Examples of chemicals that can be used to control lesser celandine are glyphosate, round for uplands and rodeo for wetlands.A0.5% mixture of glyphosate should be sufficient enough to kill lesser celandine(Mabbett 12). The chemical can be applied during winter as long as the temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The chemical should be kept from touching other native plants or sensitive trees.

Effects of temperature on the lesser celandine plant

Lesser celandine grows its full growing potential when the there is moisture in the soil Lesser celandine has a broad ecological amplitude and may only limited with very low humidity and excessive summer dryness. Also, very low temperatures at a freezing level would not support germination of its seeds and thus may kill it. Moreover, very higher temperatures above 500 C would not support it. Therefore, temperatures are one of the techniques that can be used to combat lesser celandine.







Work Cited

Angela, R. "Lesser Celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) flowering phenology shifts since introduction to the United States."

Buerger, Amanda, et al. "Risk Assessments for Invasive Plants: A Midwestern US Comparison." Invasive Plant Science and Management 9.1 (2016): 41-54.

Cipollini, Kendra A., and Wesley N. Flint. "Comparing allelopathic effects of root and leaf extracts of invasive Alliaria petiolata, Lonicera maackii and Ranunculus ficaria on germination of three native woodland plants." The Ohio Journal of Science 112.2 (2013): 37.

Cipollini, Kendra, K. Y. L. E. Titus, and Crystal Wagner. "Allelopathic effects of invasive species (Alliaria petiolata, Lonicera maackii, Ranunculus ficaria) in the Midwestern United States." Allelopathy J 29.1 (2012): 63-76.

Hartshorne, Nathan. "Invasive Plant Species Management at Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve, Ambler, PA." (2014).

Mabbett, Terry. "The makings of a turf weed." International Pest Control 58.3 (2016): 146.

NESOM, GUYL. "RANUNCULUS FICARIA (RANUNCULACEAE) NATURALIZED IN TEXAS: UPDATE."

Sohrabi Kertabad, S., et al. "Some biological aspects of the weed Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria)." Planta Daninha 31.3 (2013): 577-585.