What is "ranunculus asiaticus"

Ranunculus \Ra*nun"cu*lus\ (r[.a]*n[u^][ng]"k[-u]*l[u^]s), n.; pl. E. Ranunculuses (r[.a]*n[u^][ng]"k[-u]*l[u^]s*[e^]z), L. Ranunculi (-l[imac]). [L., a little frog, a medicinal plant, perhaps crowfoot, dim. of rana a frog; cf. raccare to roar.] (Bot.) A genus of herbs, mostly with yellow flowers, including crowfoot, buttercups, and the cultivated ranunculi ( Ranunculus Asiaticus, Ranunculus aconitifolius, etc.) in which the flowers are double and of various colors.

Ranunculus asiaticus (Persian buttercup) is a species of buttercup ( Ranunculus) native to the eastern Mediterranean region in southwestern Asia, southeastern Europe ( Crete, Karpathos and Rhodes), and northeastern Africa.

It is a herbaceous perennial plant growing to 45 cm tall, with simple or branched stems. The basal leaves are three-lobed, with leaves higher on the stems more deeply divided; like the stems, they are downy or hairy. The flowers are 3–5 cm diameter, variably red to pink, yellow, or white, with one to several flowers on each stem.

It is a protected plant in some jurisdictions, including Israel.