Trollius
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Trollius | ||||||||||||
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Trollius europaeus
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About 30, including: |
Trollius is a genus of about 30 species of plants in the Ranunculaceae, closely related to Ranunculus. The common name is globeflower or globe flower. They are native to the cool temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, with the greatest diversity of species in Asia, and usually grow in heavy, wet clay soils.
They are mostly herbaceous perennials with bright yellow flowers, though some have orange to lilac coloured flowers. The name "globe flower" refers to the petals of T. europaeus which are curved over the top of the flower to appear like a spherical globe; however, many of the other species have more open, flatter flowers.
All Trollius species are poisonous when fresh to cattle and other livestock, but their acrid taste means they are usually left uneaten. They are, however, used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Silver-ground Carpet.
Some species are popular ornamental flowers in horticulture, with several cultivars selected for large and brightly coloured flowers.