TREATMENT FROM THE JEPSON MANUAL (1993)	previous taxon | next taxon Jepson Interchange (more information)
	©Copyright 1993 by the Regents of the University of California

RANUNCULACEAE

BUTTERCUP FAMILY

Dieter H. Wilken, except as specified

Annual, perennial herb, sometimes aquatic
Leaves generally basal and cauline, generally alternate, simple or compound; petioles at base generally flat, sometimes sheathing or stipule-like
Inflorescence: cyme, raceme, panicle, or flowers solitary
Flower generally bisexual, radial; sepals generally 5, free, early deciduous or withering in fruit, generally green; petals 0–many, free; stamens generally 10–many; pistils 1–many, ovary superior, chamber 1, style 1, generally ± persistent in fruit as beak, ovules 1–many
Fruit: achene, follicle, berry, or utricle-like, 1–many-seeded
Genera in family: ± 60 genera, 1700 species: worldwide, especially n temp, tropical mtns; many ornamental (Adonis, Aquilegia, Clematis, Consolida, Delphinium, Erianthis, Helleborus ), some highly TOXIC (Aconitum, Actaea, Delphinium, Ranunculus )
Reference: [Duncan & Keener 1991 Phytologia 70:24–27]

RANUNCULUS

BUTTERCUP

Annual, perennial herb, sometimes from stolons or caudices, terrestrial or aquatic; roots generally fibrous
Stem prostrate to erect
Leaves basal and generally cauline, generally reduced upwards, generally glabrous; petiole base flat, stipule-like or not; basal and lower cauline petioles generally long; blades simple to dissected or compound, entire to toothed
Inflorescence: cyme, axillary or terminal, 1–few-flowered
Flower radial; sepals generally 5, generally early deciduous, generally glabrous, generally green to yellowish; petals generally 5, generally > sepals, generally white to yellow, shiny; nectar gland near petal base, pocket-like or with flap-like scale; anthers yellow; pistils generally many
Fruit: achene, generally compressed, beaked, generally glabrous; walls thick
Species in genus: ± 250 species: temp worldwide, tropical mtns; some ornamental
Etymology: (Latin: (Pliny) little frog, from generally wet habitats)

Native

R. californicus Benth.

Perennial (11)18–70 cm
Stem ± prostrate to erect, branched to not, ± glabrous to hairy
Leaves glabrous to hairy; basal and lower cauline petioles 3–20 cm, blades 1.5–8 cm, ovate, cordate, or round, generally 1-ternate (terminal leaflet deeply 3-lobed) to -pinnate, leaflets 3 or 5, generally wedge-shaped, toothed to deeply cut; upper cauline leaves very deeply lobed, lobes linear to oblong, toothed
Flower: receptacle generally glabrous; sepals 3.5–7 mm, hairs short, stiff; petals generally 7–22, 5–13 mm, 2–6 mm wide
Fruits 5+, cluster spheric to wide-ovoid; body generally 2–3 mm, sides 1.5–2.5 mm wide, ± smooth, glabrous or puberulent, back not keeled; beak generally 0.5–1 mm, generally curved
Ecology: Grassland, oak woodland, mixed-evergreen or coniferous forest
Elevation: < 2400 m.
Bioregional distribution: California Floristic Province
Distribution outside California: s Oregon, Baja California
Synonyms: vars. austromontanus L.D. Benson, cuneatus Greene, gratus Jeps. and rugulosus (Greene) L.D. Benson
Intergrades complexly with R. canus , R. occidentalis
Horticultural information: DRN: 4, 5, 6, 17 &part SHD: 7, 22, 23, 24 &IRR: 2, 3, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21; dry in summer.