The green links below add additional plants to the comparison table. Blue links lead to other Web sites.
enable glossary links

hook fruit buttercup, little buttercup, woodland buttercup

Blue Mountain buttercup

Roots

never tuberous.

not thickened basally, canescent.

Stems

erect, never rooting nodally, hispid or glabrous, base not bulbous.

erect or ascending, not rooting nodally, glabrous.

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.

Proximal cauline leaf blades

narrowly elliptic to linear, 2.5-4.8 × 0.2-0.9 cm, base narrowly acuminate, margins entire, apex acute to acuminate.

Inflorescences

bracts lanceolate to linear.

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, 3-5 × 1-2 mm, glabrous;

petals 5, 4-6 × 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, 2-4 × 3-5 mm;

achenes 1-1.4 × 0.8 mm, glabrous;

beak subulate, straight, 0.2-0.4 mm.

2n

= 28.

Ranunculus uncinatus

Ranunculus oresterus

Phenology Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Aug). Flowering spring (May).
Habitat Moist meadows or woods, often along streams In moist meadows
Elevation 0-3400 m (0-11200 ft) 1200-1700 m (3900-5600 ft)
Distribution
from FNA
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
[WildflowerSearch map]
[BONAP county map]
from FNA
ID; OR
[BONAP county map]
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.)

Source FNA vol. 3. FNA vol. 3.
Parent taxa Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Ranunculus Ranunculaceae > Ranunculus > subg. Ranunculus > sect. Flammula
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. triternatus, R. turneri
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. 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. bongardii, R. bongardii var. tenellus, R. uncinatus var. earlei, R. uncinatus var. parviflorus
Name authority D. Don: in G. Don, Gen. Hist. 1: 35. (1831) L. D. Benson: Amer. J. Bot. 26: 555. (1939)
Web links