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. macounii Britton

Perennial (sometimes flowering first year) 20–65 cm; roots thick, fleshy
Stem prostrate to erect, branched, generally rough-hairy
Leaves: hairs on blades 0–sparse, on petioles dense; basal and lower cauline petioles (5)8–16 cm, blades 5–8(12) cm, ovate to deltate, generally 1-ternate, leaflets stalked, deeply lobed, toothed; upper cauline leaves generally deeply 3-lobed, toothed
Flower: receptacle puberulent; sepals 3–6 mm; petals 4–8 mm, 3–6 mm wide
Fruits 20–many; cluster spheric; body 2–3 mm, sides 1.5–2 mm wide, smooth, back keeled; beak 1–1.5 mm, ± straight or slightly curved
Chromosomes: 2n=42
Ecology: Marshes, wet meadows, scrub
Elevation: 1400–1800 m.
Bioregional distribution: Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to Alaska, MI, Arizona
Horticultural information: TRY.