Mt Cook lily (Ranunculus lyallii)
The Mount Cook buttercup is the world's largest buttercup and is also known as the giant buttercup or mountain buttercup. It used to be known as the Mount Cook lily.
Its flowering image has been used on postcards, stamps and even as a logo on the side of aircraft. It's particularly beautiful when seen growing in large numbers on a mountain hillside with its white flowers and large glossy leaves.
The Mount Cook buttercup (Ranunculus lyallii) is one of New Zealand’s most well known alpine plants.
It is the world’s largest buttercup. It can grow over a metre tall with leaves larger than the size of your hand. Some leaves have been recorded as big as 40cm across.
The cup-like leaves will often hold water after a rainfall and trampers sometimes stop to slurp a drink from them. Original public domain image from Flickr