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When April Eyes Are Smiling:
Lesser Celandine
(Ranunculus ficaria)

By Bethan Ifans

The Lesser Celandine is one of our earliest spring flowers and, despite its Welsh name of Llygad Ebrill (‘April’s Eye’), can appear as early as the latter part of February when the earth is still in the grip of winter. Look for its carpets of golden stars in wet areas of fields and on the banks of streams and rivers, or else in the more shaded areas under hedgerows..

Contrary to popular belief it was the Lesser Celandine rather than the Daffodil which is said to have been William Wordsworth’s favourite flower. He wrote three poems to the little flower with the “glittering countenance”, noting the plant’s habit of opening and shutting its petals according to the weather:

“There is a Flower, the Lesser Celandine,
That shrinks, like many more, from cold and rain;
And, at the first moment that the sun may shine,
Bright as the sun itself, ‘tis out again!”

Our Celtic cousins also noted the flower’s starry golden face for its Gaelic name is Grianne (‘Sun’). Despite its sunny disposition, however, the Lesser Celandine will fade at the first intimations of summer and, by the end of May, the lengthening days and warmer weather will have drained this little moisture-loving plant of its vitality.

The Lesser Celandine is a member of the genus Ranunculus, as is the Buttercup (Ranunculus repens), which it somewhat resembles in both appearance and habitat. It bears, however, no relation to the Greater Celandine (Chelidonium majus), although many of the older herbals, even the renowned Gerard, use the name ‘Celandine’ indiscriminately in reference to either plant. The exception, it seems, is Culpeper, who states somewhat exasperatedly: “I wonder what ailed the ancients to give this [the Lesser Celandine] the name Celandine, which resembles [the Greater Celandine] neither in nature nor form.”

Creeping Buttercup
(Ranunculus repens)

What most herbals do agree on, however, is the Lesser Celandine’s long-established use in the treatment of haemorrhoids – hence its alternative name of Pilewort. Unearth the flower – the best time to do this for medicinal use is in May or June – and you will find the bulbous tubers clustering at the root of the plant in imitation of this painful condition: this is one more piece of evidence, according to many, of the Doctrine of Signatures, whereby the plant or part of the plant resembles the symptoms of the disease which it is assigned to treat. Hoffmann recommends either a decoction of the roots of the Lesser Celandine to be taken internally, a hot poultice or compress made from the same roots to be placed directly on the affected area, or else a soothing ointment (most people’s choice, one would imagine), also from the roots and also applied topically.

Lesser Celandine’s astringent qualities contract the tissues, reducing secretions and discharges while at the same time toning the blood vessels, thus both reducing the symptoms and working towards prevention of further occurrence. Hoffmann suggests that, in the treatment of haemorrhoids, Lesser Celandine combines well with Greater Plantain (Plantago major), Marigold (Calendula officinalis) or Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria), while Witchhazel (Hamamelis virginiana) may be added to an infusion of the plant for internal use.

Bibliography

Allen, D. E. & Hatfield, G.: Medicinal Plants in Folk Tradition (Timber Press, 2004)
Culpeper’s Complete Herbal (Wordsworth, 1995)
Grieve, M. (ed. Leyel, C. F.): A Modern Herbal (Merchant, rev. 1973)
Hoffmann, D.: The New Holistic Herbal (Element, 1990)
Palaiseul, J.: Grandmother’s Secrets (Penguin, 1980)

Bethan Ifans is a member of the West Wales Herb Group and is a regular contributor to their newsletter.

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