The distribution of Ranunculus psilostachys Griseb. in Hungary and the question of its indigenousness

Abstract

Ranunculus psilostachys is native to the Balkan Peninsula and in Hungary it is currently known from the Villány Mountains and the Nyárád–Harkány Plain. Its origin in Hungary (native vs. introduced) has been debated since it was first discovered in the country. In this paper we provide an overview of the distribution of the species in Europe and Hungary, then we classify its Hungarian occurrences into six categories based on their naturalness level. We think that R. psilostachys may be native in its natural and seminatural habitats but because of its impressive appearance it is presumably planted in some secondary habitats, including sacred sites. We assume that these occurrences are not independent from one another, i.e., local people used native populations as a source of the species used as an ornamental plant.