Προβατάρης, Ρανούνκουλος ο κυθηραίος
Etymology of Ranunculus cytheraeus: "Ranunculus" in Latin means "little frog" and it is called as such by Pliny either because many Ranunculus species are aquatic or found near water, just like frogs or because many grow where frogs abound. "Cytheraeus" is the Latin male form, for the Ancient Greek word, "Κυθήρη" [Kytheri], in Modern Greek "Κυθηραία" [Kythirea or Cytheraea], which is a surname of the goddess Aphrodite, a goddess born in Cyprus, meaning "Cypriot". The species was named as such because it relates to Cyprus, the place where it was initially recorded, and it was named in honour of Aphrodite (Venus).
The Ranunculus genus in Cyprus is rich, with at least 22 kinds (species or subspecies), a little hard to distinguish one from the other. Three of these kinds are exclusively encountered in occupied northern Cyprus.
Ranunculus cytheraeus grows at low altitudes, in this case at a maximum of 600 metres (it is said that in Cyprus it does not grow at an elevation over 300 metres but I have recorded it in Pentalia village territory, Pafos district). Thus, Ranunculus cytheraeus will not be found in the Troodos mountains range, and additionally, not in the Karpasia peninsula. Its flowering period starts in October and normally ends in February.
How to identify Ranunculus cytheraeus:
Acknowledged as cytheraeus from its unique leaves (they somehow resemble a duck's foot) that differentiate it from the other local Ranunculus species.
Also, it is the only kind that blooms between October and January, with Ranunculus isthmicus the only exception, of which its flowering period begins in January when cytheraeus's period ends.
