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]

COPTIS

GOLDTHREAD

Perennial from slender rhizome or stolon, generally glabrous
Stem short, simple, stout, scaly
Leaves generally 1–2-ternate, basal, petioled
Inflorescence scapose, generally 1–3-flowered, umbel-like in fruit
Flower bisexual (or some staminate); radial; sepals 5–8, petal-like, early deciduous; petals 5–7, blade generally linear to elliptic, often with a gland at junction with claw; pistils 5–15, short-stalked
Fruit: follicles, stalked, glabrous to puberulent
Seed smooth to wrinkled
Species in genus: ± 10 species: temp North America, eastern Asia
Etymology: (Greek: cut, from leaves)
Petals sometimes considered to be modified staminodes.

Native

C. laciniata A. Gray

Plant 11–24 cm; rhizome or stolon yellow
Leaves 3–8, generally 1-ternate; leaflets ovate to triangular, terminal stalked or not, lobes generally 3, very deep, irregularly toothed to cut
Inflorescence: peduncle 8–19 cm, < leaves in flower, > leaves in fruit; pedicels 1.5–3 cm, in fruit elongated
Flower: sepals 5–9 mm, linear; petals 4–7 mm, claw ± thread-like, blade linear
Fruit: follicles 6–12; stalks 4–6 mm, bodies 7–12 mm, glabrous, walls papery, slightly translucent
Ecology: Wet sites, seeps, streambanks, coniferous forest
Elevation: < 1000 m.
Bioregional distribution: n North Coast, w Klamath Ranges
Distribution outside California: to Washington
Horticultural information: WET or IRR: 4, 5, 17 &SHD: 6, 7, 15, 16.