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Photo is of parent taxon

western buttercup

Photo is of parent taxon

Nelson's buttercup

Stems

erect to reclining, 1-3 mm thick, hirsute or sometimes glabrous.

erect or spreading, 4-8 mm thick, hirsute.

Basal leaf blades

3-parted, ultimate segments narrowly elliptic, margins entire or dentate.

3-parted, rarely 3-foliolate, ultimate segments elliptic, margins dentate.

Flowers

sepals 5, 4-6 mm;

petals 5-6, 6-10 × 3-5 mm.

sepals 5, 4-9 mm;

petals 5-6, 7-15 × 4-11 mm.

Achenes

3.4-4.8 × 2.6-3.2 mm, glabrous;

beak lanceolate, straight, 1.6-2.2 mm.

3-4 × 2.2-2.8 mm, glabrous;

beak lanceolate, curved, 1.8-2.4 mm.

Ranunculus occidentalis var. howellii

Ranunculus occidentalis var. nelsonii

Phenology Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Jul). Flowering spring (May–Jun).
Habitat Meadows Moist places near coast
Elevation 900-1400 m (3000-4600 ft) 0 m (0 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
CA; OR
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
AK
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

Ranunculus occidentalis var. howellii, R. occidentalis var. dissectus, and R. austro-oreganus form a distinctive group distinguishable in the R. occidentalis complex by the straight achene beak. They may be difficult to separate, however; further study of their relationships is needed.

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

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Ranunculus > Ranunculus occidentalis Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Ranunculus > Ranunculus occidentalis
Sibling taxa
R. occidentalis var. brevistylis, R. occidentalis var. dissectus, R. occidentalis var. hexasepalus, R. occidentalis var. nelsonii, R. occidentalis var. occidentalis, R. occidentalis var. ultramontanus
R. occidentalis var. brevistylis, R. occidentalis var. dissectus, R. occidentalis var. hexasepalus, R. occidentalis var. howellii, R. occidentalis var. occidentalis, R. occidentalis var. ultramontanus
Synonyms R. recurvatus var. (ß), R. occidentalis subsp. nelsonii
Name authority Greene: Pittonia 3: 14. (1896) (de Candolle) L. D. Benson: Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 68: 166. (1941)
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