Tetterwort / Rosopas

Description:

Greater celandine has an erect habit, and reaches 30 to 120 cm high. The leaves are lobed and wavy-edged (crenate), 30 cm long. When injured, the plant exudes a yellow to orange latex. The flowers consist of four yellow petals, each about 1 cm long, with two sepals. A double-flowered variety occurs naturally. The flowers appear from late spring to summer in umbelliform cymes of about 4 flowers. The seeds are small and black, borne in a long capsule. Each has an elaiosome, which attracts ants to disperse the seeds (myrmecochory).

Habitat:

It is native to Europe and western Asia and introduced widely in North America.

Notes:

The whole plant is toxic in moderate doses as it contains a range of isoquinoline alkaloids but there are numerous therapeutic uses when used at the correct dosage.