Ranunculus testiculatus
Ranunculus subg. Ceratocephala
bur buttercup, hornseed buttercup, tubercled crowfoot
basal, never tuberous.
erect or ascending, not rooting nodally, villous, not bulbous-based.
erect, not bulbous-based, without bulbils.
all basal, petiolate;
blade 1-2x-dissected.
blades broadly spatulate in outline, 1-2x-dissected, 0.9-3.8 × 0.5-1.5 cm, segments linear, margins entire, apex obtuse to acuminate.
terminal, solitary flowers.
receptacle glabrous;
sepals spreading, 3-6 × 1-2 mm, villous;
petals yellow, 3-5 × 1-3 mm.
sepals persistent in fruit, 5, 3-6 × 1-2 mm;
petals 5, yellow;
nectary scale attached basally, forming flap over nectary, glabrous, free margin entire;
style present.
achenes, 3-locular, lateral locules empty;
achene body ellipsoid, about as wide as thick, not prolonged beyond seed;
wall firm, smooth;
margin low narrow ridge;
beak much longer than achene body.
cylindric, 9-16(-27) × 8-10 mm;
achenes 1.6-2 × 1.8-2 mm, tomentose;
beak persistent, lanceolate, 3.5-4.5 mm.
roots absent.
Ranunculus testiculatus
Ranunculus subg. Ceratocephala
In North America, Ranunculus testiculatus seems to be expanding its range rapidly in arid and semiarid areas. A second species of this subgenus, R. falcatus Linnaeus [Ceratocephala falcata (Linnaeus) Persoon], has been reported from North America, but all reports seem to be based on misidentified material of R. testiculatus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Species 10 (1 in the flora).
Ranunculus subg. Ceratocephalus is very different in aspect and fruit structure from other species of the genus; it is often treated as a distinct genus.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
CA
OR
Flora NW
KS Wildflowers
MN Wildflowers
MO Plants
PNW Herbaria
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
