After a particularly cool and persistent start to Spring it was great to see the blossoms and flowers finally coming out. On the way to the Ossining waterfront we passed a large mass of these bright yellow flowers. I’m by no means an expert, but a little research on the internet leads me to think that they are Lesser Celandines (Ficaria verna), described by Wikipedia as follows:

Ficaria verna, (formerly Ranunculus ficaria L.) commonly known as lesser celandine or pilewort, is a low-growing, hairless perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae native to Europe and west Asia. It has fleshy dark green, heart-shaped leaves and distinctive flowers with bright yellow, glossy petals. It is now introduced in North America, where it is known by the common name fig buttercup and considered an invasive species. The plant is poisonous if ingested raw and potentially fatal to grazing animals and livestock such as horses, cattle, and sheep.For these reasons, several US states have banned the plant or listed it as a noxious weed. It prefers bare, damp ground and is considered by horticulturalists in the United Kingdom as a persistent garden weed. Emerging in late winter with flowers appearing March through May in the UK, its appearance across the landscape is regarded by many as a harbinger of spring.

I was at first shocked to read that it’s considered to be an invasive species in the US, but having reading about its toxic nature I’m no longer surprised.

Taken with a Sony RS-100 M3.