Buttercup v avens?

Argh, not only do we have avens in the lawn, we've also got buttercups! Spent 15mins today clearing the lot out as I wasn't sure which is which. We've got both sprouting in the raised bed so nothing's lost ;P

Now, one's got hairy/hoary, roundy leaves, and one's got smooth but not quite shiny, pointy leaves. Any ideas which is which? Googling pictures just gives me pictures of flowers! :evil: Both have had small-petalled flowers but one had a good robust flower so I suspect that's the buttercup.

FYI, bunnies haven't touched either :lol:

Crikey, I'd never considered that they were similar, but looking at photos online you're right they are

There are different types of Buttercup and the leaves vary. I would say that Buttercup flowers are shinier than Avens. This photo is fairly typical of what Avens leaves look like http://www.jnecology.com/debsweb/dicots/geum-urbanum-6.html

It's easy to identify Avens once the flowers have died, because they develop into hard fruits with burrs.

I wouldn't have described either as having pointy leaves :?

On a slightly related topic - I almost destroyed all my silverweed that I'm growing for the buns. It's among some lamium, and it was flowering. Looks just like buttercup flowers!

I pulled it up without realising it was still the silverweed. Odd that those little yellow flowers should be so ubiquitous :lol:

Omi said:

It's easy to identify Avens once the flowers have died, because they develop into hard fruits with burrs.

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Small-flowered buttercup seed head:



Which has these flowers:



ARGH!!!!! :lol:

I wouldn't have described either as having pointy leaves :?

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Looks like it might be creeping buttercup:



My 'Avens' leaves:



So less pointy, more roundy than the above. Flowers almost identical to small-flowered buttercup, which has the almost-identical burrs:



ARGH!!!! :lol::lol:

MightyMax said:

Odd that those little yellow flowers should be so ubiquitous :lol:

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Convergent evolution :thumb: