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. alismifolius Benth.

Perennial 4–50 cm; roots ± thick, fleshy
Stems decumbent to erect, generally 3–5 from base, generally branched from base, glabrous
Leaves: basal and lower cauline petioles 2–7 cm, blades 2–12 cm, ± oblong to ovate, entire, base generally tapered; upper cauline leaves linear to narrowly lanceolate, entire
Flower: receptacle glabrous; sepals 3–5 mm, ± reflexed, glabrous to puberulent; petals 5–7 in CA, 5–15 mm, 2–5.5 mm wide
Fruits 12–many; cluster spheric; body 1.5–2.5 mm, sides 1–2 mm wide, smooth to sparsely puberulent, back rounded; beak 0.5–1 mm, ± straight
Ecology: Wet places, streambanks, meadows, coniferous forest
Elevation: 1300–3600 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, High North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, High Sierra Nevada, San Bernardino Mountains, San Jacinto Mountains, Modoc Plateau, n White and Inyo Mountains
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, Wyoming, Nevada
Varieties intergrade, difficult.

Native

var. alismifolius

Plant 15–50 cm
Leaf: basal blade 4–12 cm, oblong to lanceolate
Flower: petals 6–10(15) mm
Chromosomes: 2n=16
Ecology: Habitats of sp.
Elevation: 1300–2300 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, High North Coast Ranges, High Cascade Range, n&c High Sierra Nevada, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, Wyoming
Synonyms: vars. hartwegii (Greene) Jeps. and lemmonii (A. Gray) L.D. Benson
Horticultural information: TRY; DFCLT.