Ranunculus pusillus Poiret. Common name: Low Spearwort, Small Spearwort. Phenology: Apr-Jun. Habitat: Marshes, ditches, other wet habitats. Distribution: S. NY south to c. peninsular FL, west to c. TX, north in the interior to OH, IN, and MO.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Fl2, FNA3, G, GW2, Il, K4, Mo3, NcTx, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S13, Tat, Tn, Tx, Va, W, WH3, WV, Keener (1976); > Ranunculus lindheimeri Engelm. — S; > Ranunculus oblongifolius Elliott — S, S13; > Ranunculus pusillus Poir. — S, S13; > Ranunculus pusillus Poir. var. angustifolius (Engelm.) L.D.Benson — NS; > Ranunculus pusillus Poir. var. pusillus — NS; > Ranunculus tener C.Mohr — S, S13; Ranunculus pusillus Poir. Basionym: Ranunculus pusillus Poir. 1804
Links to other floras: = Ranunculus pusillus - FNA3
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Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FACW
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
- Great Plains: OBL
- Midwest: OBL
- Northcentral & Northeast: OBL
Heliophily ⓘ: 6
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© Alan Cressler: Ranunculus pusillus, Gabbro Glades, Oconee National Forest, Jasper County, Georgia 1 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Weakley source | Original Image ⭷Feedback
Horticultural Information
Intro: Erect or ascending, colonial annual of marshes, ditches, depression pools and other shallowly seasonally flooded, muddy habitats.
Stems: Stems weak, simple or loosely branched, smooth and sometimes with a white-waxy coating.
Leaves: Basal leaves petiolate (winged-clasping base), lance-oval, 1/3-1 in. long, entire; upper leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, linear to narrowly oblong, sometimes remotely toothed.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers in terminal and axillary racemes; pale yellow; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 1-3 pale yellow petals, 5 slightly smaller yellowish-green sepals, and a central green, compound ovary ringed by a few stamens.
Fruits: Fruit a button-like clump of tiny, brown achenes.
Comments:
Height: 4-20 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect or ascending, colonial annual of marshes, ditches, depression pools and other shallowly seasonally flooded, muddy habitats.
stems: Stems weak, simple or loosely branched, smooth and sometimes with a white-waxy coating.
leaves: Basal leaves petiolate (winged-clasping base), lance-oval, 1/3-1 in. long, entire; upper leaves alternate, short-petiolate to sessile, linear to narrowly oblong, sometimes remotely toothed.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers in terminal and axillary racemes; pale yellow; less than 1/4 in. wide; consisting of 1-3 pale yellow petals, 5 slightly smaller yellowish-green sepals, and a central green, compound ovary ringed by a few stamens.
fruits: Fruit a button-like clump of tiny, brown achenes.
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cultural notes:
germination code:
native range:
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