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Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus

not marked as a favorite taxon Ranunculus abortivus Linnaeus. Common name: Kidneyleaf Buttercup, Early Wood Buttercup. Phenology: (Feb-) Mar-Jun. Habitat: Bottomland and other moist forests, low fields, disturbed areas, lawns, roadsides. Distribution: NL (Labrador) to AK, south to FL, TX, and CO.

Glossary (beta!)

Subgenus: Auricomus. Section: Auricomus.

ID notes: A common plant, sometimes pretty weedy, in shady and sunny places, recognizable from its cordate, basal leaves that are broader than long, and with distinctive broad teeth that are flattish.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, Can, Fl2, FNA3, GrPl, GW2, K4, Mi, Mo3, NcTx, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Keener (1976); > Ranunculus abortivus L. var. abortivus — C, F, G, Il; > Ranunculus abortivus L. var. acrolasius Fernald — F, Il; > Ranunculus abortivus L. var. eucyclus Fernald — F; > Ranunculus abortivus L. var. indivisus Fernald — F. Basionym: Ranunculus abortivus L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Ranunculus abortivus - FNA3

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACW
  • Great Plains: FAC
  • Midwest: FACW
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ⓘ: 5

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image #1 of Ranunculus abortivus© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Ranunculus abortivus© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Ranunculus abortivus© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Ranunculus abortivus© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Ranunculus abortivus© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Ranunculus abortivus© Radford, Ahles and Bell | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect annual/biennial of low fields, disturbed areas, bottomlands, lawns, roadsides.

Stems: Stems occasionally branched, smooth (at least below).

Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, heart- or kidney-shaped, to 2 in. long, round-toothed; stem leaves alternate, mostly sessile, oblong-lance-shaped and irregularly deeply divided or lobed, the lobes linear to spatula-shaped and entire to toothed; all leaves mostly smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers terminating branches in groups of 1-3; yellow; about 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 yellow, broadly lance-shaped to triangular petals, 5 larger green sepals and a central cluster of green ovaries surrounded by a ring of stamens with bright yellow anthers.

Fruits: Fruit an oval cluster of tiny, flat, small-beaked achenes.

Comments:

Height: 6-24 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect annual/biennial of low fields, disturbed areas, bottomlands, lawns, roadsides.

stems: Stems occasionally branched, smooth (at least below).

leaves: Basal leaves petiolate, heart- or kidney-shaped, to 2 in. long, round-toothed; stem leaves alternate, mostly sessile, oblong-lance-shaped and irregularly deeply divided or lobed, the lobes linear to spatula-shaped and entire to toothed; all leaves mostly smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers terminating branches in groups of 1-3; yellow; about 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 5 yellow, broadly lance-shaped to triangular petals, 5 larger green sepals and a central cluster of green ovaries surrounded by a ring of stamens with bright yellow anthers.

fruits: Fruit an oval cluster of tiny, flat, small-beaked achenes.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: North America



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