Ranunculus uncinatus |
Ranunculus platensis |
|
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hook fruit buttercup, little buttercup, woodland buttercup |
prairie buttercup |
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Roots | never tuberous. |
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Stems | erect, never rooting nodally, hispid or glabrous, base not bulbous. |
decumbent, sparsely pilose. |
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. |
|
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. |
sessile; receptacle glabrous or pilose; sepals 3, spreading, 1-2 × 0.5-1 mm, hirsute; petals 3, 1-2 × 0.5-0.8 mm. |
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, 2-2.5 × 3-3.5 mm; achenes 10-15 per head, 1.3-1.7 × 1-1.3 mm, faces and proximal margin finely papillate, each papilla crowned with hooked bristle, otherwise glabrous; beak semicircular to deltate, curved, 0.2-0.5 mm. |
Basal | and lower cauline leaf blades reniform, 3-parted, 0.8-1.7 × 1.2-2 cm, segment base cordate, margins dentate or lobulate, apex rounded-obtuse. |
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2n | = 28. |
|
Ranunculus uncinatus |
Ranunculus platensis |
|
Phenology | Flowering spring–summer (Apr–Aug). | Flowering winter–spring (Feb–Apr). |
Habitat | Moist meadows or woods, often along streams | Weed in disturbed areas, usually near coast |
Elevation | 0-3400 m (0-11200 ft) | 0-200 m (0-700 ft) |
Distribution |
AK; AZ; CA; CO; ID; MT; NM; NV; OR; WA; WY; AB; BC
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AL; FL; GA; LA; MS; NC; TX; native to South America (s Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina) [Introduced in North America]
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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. Echinella |
Sibling taxa | ||
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) | A. Sprengel: in K. Sprengel, Syst. Veg. 5: 586. (1828) |
Web links |