Ranunculus uncinatus |
Ranunculus hydrocharoides |
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hook fruit buttercup, little buttercup, woodland buttercup |
frog's-bit buttercup, frogbit buttercup |
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Roots | never tuberous. |
not thickened basally, glabrous. |
Stems | erect, never rooting nodally, hispid or glabrous, base not bulbous. |
erect to prostrate, usually rooting nodally, glabrous or strigose. |
Basal leaf blades | cordate to reniform in outline, 3-parted or sometimes 3-foliolate, 1.8-5.6 × 2.8-8.3 cm, segments again lobed, ultimate segments elliptic to lanceolate, margins toothed or crenate-toothed, apex acute to rounded-obtuse. |
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Proximal cauline leaf blades | ovate to broadly ovate, 0.8-2.7 × 0.8-1.9 cm, base rounded to weakly cordate, margins entire or dentate, apex rounded or obtuse. |
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Inflorescences | bracts lanceolate to oblanceolate or sometimes ovate. |
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Flowers | receptacle glabrous; sepals reflexed or sometimes spreading, 2-3.5 × 1-2 mm, pubescent; petals 5, yellow, 2-4(-6) × 1-2(-3) mm. |
receptacle glabrous; sepals 5, spreading or reflexed from base, 1.5-3 × 1-2 mm, glabrous; petals 5-6, 3-5 × 1-2 mm; nectary scales glabrous. |
Heads of achenes | globose or hemispheric, 4-7 × 4-7 mm; achenes 2-2.8 × 1.6-2 mm, glabrous or sparsely hispid, margin forming narrow rib 0.1-0.2 mm wide; beak persistent, lanceolate, curved, hooked, 1.2-2.5 mm. |
hemispheric or globose, 2-4 × 3-4 mm; achenes 1.2-1.4 × 1-1.2 mm, glabrous; beak lanceolate to lance-filiform, straight or curved, 0.4-1 mm. |
2n | = 28. |
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Ranunculus uncinatus |
Ranunculus hydrocharoides |
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Phenology | Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Aug). | Flowering late spring–summer (Jun–Aug). |
Habitat | Moist meadows or woods, often along streams | Wet soil or shallow water, in marshes and edges of streams and lakes |
Elevation | 0-3400 m (0-11200 ft) | 2000-2900 m (6600-9500 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
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AZ; CA; NM; Mexico; Central America (in Guatemala)
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Discussion | Plants with hispid stems and achenes are often separated as Ranunculus uncinatus var. parviflorus; these two characters are poorly correlated, however, and sometimes vary between plants in a single collection. Ranunculus uncinatus was reported from northeastern Alberta and adjacent Northwest Territories by H. J. Scoggan (1978-1979, part 3). The specimens have hairy receptacles and straight, broad achene beaks; they apparently represent small individuals of R. macounii. Some Native Americans used Ranunculus uncinatus as an antrirheumatic, a diaphoretic, a disinfectant, and an orthopedic aid, as well as in herbal steam baths intended to soothe sore muscles and rheumatism (D. E. Moerman 1986). (Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.) |
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Source | FNA vol. 3. | FNA vol. 3. |
Parent taxa | Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Ranunculus | Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Flammula |
Sibling taxa | ||
Synonyms | R. bongardii, R. bongardii var. tenellus, R. uncinatus var. earlei, R. uncinatus var. parviflorus | R. hydrocharoides var. stolonifer |
Name authority | D. Don: in G. Don, Gen. Hist. 1: 35. (1831) | A. Gray: Mem. Amer. Acad. Arts, ser. 2, 5: 306. (1855) |
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