Although buttercups, such as Ranunculus acris pictured here, abound in pastures, grazing cows avoid them. Ingesting the shiny,
double blossom irritates the mucous membranes of the digestive tract. Dried buttercup blossoms, however, are harmless
inclusions in hay. Because of their resemblance to their fossil ancestors, buttercups are thought to be among the oldest groups
of plants living today.
