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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. pusillus Poir.

Perennial 8–50 cm, emergent or terrestrial
Stem decumbent to erect, slender, glabrous; branches 0–few
Leaves: basal and lower cauline petioles 1–5 cm, blades 0.6–5 cm, narrowly lanceolate to ovate, entire; upper cauline leaves linear to oblong, entire
Flower: receptacle glabrous; sepals 1–2 mm; petals 1–3, 1–2 mm, < 1 mm, gland pocket-like
Fruits 18–many; cluster spheric to ovoid; body ± 1 mm, sides < 1 mm wide, rough to minutely papillate, back faintly keeled; beak minute
Ecology: Shallow water, wet meadows, ditches
Elevation: < 500 m.
Bioregional distribution: North Coast, Outer North Coast Ranges, n&c Sierra Nevada Foothills, San Francisco Bay Area
Distribution outside California: also e&s US

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