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alkali buttercup, renoncule cymbalaire, seaside buttercup, seaside crowfoot, shore buttercup

Ranunculus triternatus

Dalles Mountain buttercup, obscure buttercup

Roots

cylindric, 2-3 mm thick.

Stems

dimorphic, flowering stems erect or ascending, stolons prostrate, rooting nodally, glabrous or sparsely hirsute, not bulbous-based.

prostrate or ascending, 5-20 cm, glabrous, each with 1-6 flowers.

Basal leaves

simple and undivided, blades oblong to cordate or circular, 0.7-3.8 × 0.8-3.2 cm, base rounded to cordate, margins crenate or crenate-serrate, apex rounded.

persistent, blades rhombic to deltate or reniform in outline, 3-4x-dissected, 1.1-3.4 × 2-3.1 cm, segments linear, base obtuse, margins crenate, apices of segments narrowly rounded.

Flowers

receptacle hispid or glabrous;

sepals spreading, 2.5-6 × 1.5-3 mm, glabrous;

petals 5, yellow, 2-7 × 1-3 mm.

pedicels glabrous;

receptacle short-pubescent;

sepals 4-8 × 2-5 mm, abaxially glabrous or nearly so;

petals 5, 6-15 × 4-10 mm;

nectary scale glabrous.

Heads of achenes

long-ovoid or cylindric, 6-12 × 4-5(-9) mm;

achenes 1-1.4(-2.2) × 0.8-1.2 mm, glabrous;

beak persistent, conic, straight, 0.1-0.2 mm.

depressed-globose, 4-6 × 5-8 mm;

achenes 1.8-2.2 × 1.2-1.8 mm, finely pubescent;

beak subulate, straight, 0.8-1.5 mm.

Tuberous

roots absent.

2n

= 16.

Ranunculus cymbalaria

Ranunculus triternatus

Phenology Flowering late spring–summer (May–Sep). Flowering spring (Apr–May).
Habitat Grassland or sagebrush
Elevation 900-1700 m (3000-5600 ft)
Distribution
from USDA
Bogs; marshes; ditches; stream banks; often saline
[WildflowerSearch map]
from FNA
ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Various Navaho groups used Ranunculus cymbalaria as a venereal aid, an emetic, and a ceremonial medicine. The Kawaiisu used it as a dermatological aid (D. E. Moerman 1986).

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Of conservation concern.

C. L. Hitchcock et al. (1955-1969, vol. 2) considered the name Ranunculus triternatus A. Gray to be an illegitemate homonym and used the illegitimate (superfluous) name R. reconditus A. Nelson & J. F. Macbride for this species. The name Ranunculus triternatus Poiret was not validly published (not accepted by Poiret) and does not invalidate R. triternatus A. Gray.

(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Cyrtorhyncha > sect. Halodes Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Epirotes
Sibling taxa
R. abortivus, R. acriformis, R. acris, R. adoneus, R. alismifolius, R. allegheniensis, R. allenii, R. ambigens, R. andersonii, R. aquatilis, R. arizonicus, R. arvensis, R. auricomus, R. austro-oreganus, R. bonariensis, R. bulbosus, R. californicus, R. canus, R. cardiophyllus, R. cooleyae, R. eschscholtzii, R. fascicularis, R. fasciculatus, R. ficaria, R. flabellaris, R. flammula, R. gelidus, R. glaberrimus, R. glacialis, R. gmelinii, R. gormanii, R. harveyi, R. hebecarpus, R. hederaceus, R. hispidus, R. hydrocharoides, R. hyperboreus, R. hystriculus, R. inamoenus, R. jovis, R. kamtschaticus, R. lapponicus, R. laxicaulis, R. lobbii, R. macauleyi, R. macounii, R. macranthus, R. marginatus, R. micranthus, R. muricatus, R. nivalis, R. occidentalis, R. oresterus, R. orthorhynchus, R. pacificus, R. pallasii, R. parviflorus, R. pedatifidus, R. pensylvanicus, R. platensis, R. populago, R. pusillus, R. pygmaeus, R. ranunculinus, R. recurvatus, R. repens, R. rhomboideus, R. sabinei, R. sardous, R. sceleratus, R. sulphureus, R. testiculatus, R. trilobus, R. triternatus, R. turneri, R. uncinatus
R. abortivus, R. acriformis, R. acris, R. adoneus, R. alismifolius, R. allegheniensis, R. allenii, R. ambigens, R. andersonii, R. aquatilis, R. arizonicus, R. arvensis, R. auricomus, R. austro-oreganus, R. bonariensis, R. bulbosus, R. californicus, R. canus, R. cardiophyllus, R. cooleyae, R. cymbalaria, R. eschscholtzii, R. fascicularis, R. fasciculatus, R. ficaria, R. flabellaris, R. flammula, R. gelidus, R. glaberrimus, R. glacialis, R. gmelinii, R. gormanii, R. harveyi, R. hebecarpus, R. hederaceus, R. hispidus, R. hydrocharoides, R. hyperboreus, R. hystriculus, R. inamoenus, R. jovis, R. kamtschaticus, R. lapponicus, R. laxicaulis, R. lobbii, R. macauleyi, R. macounii, R. macranthus, R. marginatus, R. micranthus, R. muricatus, R. nivalis, R. occidentalis, R. oresterus, R. orthorhynchus, R. pacificus, R. pallasii, R. parviflorus, R. pedatifidus, R. pensylvanicus, R. platensis, R. populago, R. pusillus, R. pygmaeus, R. ranunculinus, R. recurvatus, R. repens, R. rhomboideus, R. sabinei, R. sardous, R. sceleratus, R. sulphureus, R. testiculatus, R. trilobus, R. turneri, R. uncinatus
Synonyms Halerpestes cymbalaria, R. cymbalaria var. alpinus, R. cymbalaria var. saximontanus R. glaberrimus var. reconditus
Name authority Pursh: Fl. Amer. Sept. 2: 392. (1814) A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 21: 370. (1886)
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