Lesser Celandine

Lesser celandine is a low, hairless perennial of the buttercup family, seldom taller than about 25 centimetres, with fleshy, heart-shaped leaves that are dark green with a mottled pattern, and glossy, bright yellow flowers. It is native to central Europe, North Africa and the Caucasus and likes ground that is wet for part of the year. Brought to North America, where it goes by fig buttercup, it has become an invasive weed that crowds out native spring wildflowers. It starts growing in late winter, flowers from late February into May in Britain, where many take it as the first sign of spring, and has died back by the end of May, spreading mostly from the small tubers on its roots. Herbalists long called it pilewort and used it against piles. William Wordsworth was fond enough of the flower to write three poems to it. Lady Rosalind Northcote was given a Cornish eye cure of celandines pounded with salt and laid on the inside of the wrist; she felt nearly certain this plant was meant, though she suspected the cure had wandered over from the greater celandine. In magic it shares the correspondences Kynes gives to celandine as a whole, among them release: a handful of dried leaves is crumbled and strewn outside as one turns slowly round.