The Lesser Celandine

A couple of weeks ago, when we had a warm spell, I spotted a clump of Lesser Celandine (formerly Ranunculus ficaria  - i.e, within the buttercup family - but now apparently Ficaria verna) which looked radiant in the sunshine. Its is a woodland plant and in this instance was under a leafless hazel bush by our front gate, and the late afternoon sun rays were upon it. Unfortunately I did not have my phone with me to take a photograph and forgot to go back later. Being no Edith Holden, I had neither the skill nor the time (mainly the skill) to execute a water colour sketch for a diary entry.

The Lesser Celandine normally flowers in early Spring, typically during February, and because of this its beauty stands out particularly well. In addition to the flowers it has very attractive glossy, heart-shaped leaves. One of the characteristics of the Lesser Celandine is that the flowers close up again when the sun disappears and the temperatures are low. Since my initial sighting the weather has been dull and cold so I have not been able to make good the omission.

However, today (Sunday), although it was still on the chilly side, the sun shone and the Lesser Celandine was out and about again, even though we are now well into April.

Although Wordsworth will be  forever associated with daffodils, his favourite flower was in fact the Lesser Celandine and he wrote three poems in its honour. Here is a snippet, the first verse, of one of them:-

There is a Flower, the Lesser Celandine,

That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;

And, the first moment that the sun may shine,

Bright as the sun himself, 'tis out again!

According to nature writer Richard Mabey, in his magnificent Flora Britannica, it was felt to be fitting to adorn Wordsworth's tomb with a carving of the Lesser Celandine but due to foral confusion or inept carving the result appears to be the Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus) - a completely unrelated plant.

Lesser Celandine