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Ranunculus triternatus

Dalles Mountain buttercup, obscure buttercup

ivy buttercup

Roots

cylindric, 2-3 mm thick.

Stems

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

glabrous.

Leaves

blade reniform, 0.4-1 × 0.6-1.7 cm, margins shallowly crenate-lobulate, segments rounded.

Basal leaves

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

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.

receptacle glabrous;

sepals recurved, 1.5-2 × 1-1.5 mm, glabrous;

petals 5, 2-4 × 1-1.5 mm;

style 0.1 mm.

Fruiting pedicels

recurved.

Heads of achenes

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.

globose or depressed-globose, 3-4 × 3-4 mm;

achenes 1.2-1.6 × 1-1.2 mm, glabrous;

beak deciduous, sometimes leaving stub to 0.1 mm.

2n

= 16 (Europe).

Ranunculus triternatus

Ranunculus hederaceus

Phenology Flowering spring (Apr–May). Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Aug).
Habitat Grassland or sagebrush Edges of lakes and ponds on the coastal plain
Elevation 900-1700 m (3000-5600 ft) 0-150 m (0-500 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
ID; NV; OR; WA
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
MD; NC; PA; SC; VA; Nfld; Europe
[BONAP county map]
Discussion

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. Ranunculus > sect. Epirotes Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Batrachium
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. 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
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. 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
Synonyms R. glaberrimus var. reconditus
Name authority A. Gray: Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts 21: 370. (1886) Linnaeus: Sp. Pl. 1: 556. (1753)
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