Ficaria verna

1 Lesser Celandine at Hackett, ACT

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Identification history

Ficaria verna	26 Mar 2023	MichaelMulvaney
Ficaria verna	26 Mar 2023	natureguy
Ranunculus sp.	19 Sep 2022	NedJohnston

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Significant sighting

MichaelMulvaney noted:

26 Mar 2023

Ist record of this high risk invasive species being naturalised in the ACT

User's notes

I was thinking possibly caltha palustris but the petals don’t look right.

10 comments

natureguy wrote:

25 Mar 2023

@MichaelMulvaney @Tapirlord I would appreciate an opinion here too, my first thought is perhaps Caltha but doesn't look quite right, but it also really doesn't match any Ranunculus species I know

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

26 Mar 2023

I think it may be Ficaria verna

https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/204321-Ficaria-verna

A known environmental weed in Victoria and elsewhere in teh world and perhaps one we should be concerned about - what do you think?

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

26 Mar 2023

I not that if my ID is right it is considered a high risk species in the ACT

natureguy wrote:

26 Mar 2023

Thanks Michael I am pretty sure you are right - I was not very familiar with this one, so it didn't spring to mind, but looks very good for Ficaria - I think the large number of petals is a pretty good ID point since both Caltha and Ranunculus almost always have 5 petals. I also do recall now there were a couple of reports on iNaturalist from Canberra previously that I came across, so definitely plausible to be spreading. Seems to prefer damper areas but given how it has become rather invasive in Victoria would definitely be worth eradicating before it is well established. Just a shame it sat in the unidentified category for so long.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

26 Mar 2023

Yeah thanks for going through the old records

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

26 Mar 2023

@HarleyB @Steve818 is your team able to handle this one? or should I go out with my backpack

NedJohnston wrote:

26 Mar 2023

Thanks for getting to this one - one more weed to look out for. It was a while ago but looking at the location now I'm pretty sure it was actually on the other side of Phillip Avenue near the firetrail that runs along the side of the houses. I'll return to the site in the next couple days and comfirm the location

HarleyB wrote:

27 Mar 2023

Hi Michael,

I will get onto treating this site sometime this week if the rain holds off! We treated this species in 2021 at Narrabundah also. Good spotting Ned.

MichaelMulvaney wrote:

27 Mar 2023

Thanks Harley - very much appreciated - yeah teh rain is keeping me from spraying Lovegrass on Red hill

HarleyB wrote:

31 Mar 2023

@Ned_Johnston @MichaelMulvaney
I walked around this area but I could not find the location. Are you able to give a more accurate location update? then I will treat it. Thanks

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