Lesser Celandines form showy extensive patches of yellow in hedgerows and woods in early spring. They grow underneath trees, tolerating shade by flowering before the tree foliage grows. The flowers turn to follow the sun during the day, closing in cloudy or cold weather. Flowers usually have 9 petals, but often have 8 or 10, and may have purple streaks on the underside. The leaves are heart-shaped and may be variegated.
The word "celandine" derives from the Greek word for swallow (chelidon), as early botanists associated its flowering time with the arrival of the swallows.

Single flower (10 petals)		Underside of petals, showing purple streaks		Variegated leaves		Seeds (achenes)