Ranunculus californicus

Bentham

Pl. Hartw., 295. 1849.

Treatment appears in FNA Volume 3.

Stems erect to prostrate, never rooting nodally, hirsute, strigose, or glabrous, base not bulbous. Roots never tuberous. Basal leaf-blades broadly ovate or cordate in outline, 3-lobed or parted to 3-foliolate, 1.8-5.8 × 2.3-7.6 cm, leaflets or segments undivided or 1-2×-lobed or parted, ultimate segments linear to orbiculate, margins toothed, crenate, or entire, apex acute to rounded. Flowers: receptacle glabrous or rarely hispid; sepals reflexed 2-3 mm above base, 4-8 × 2-4 mm, pilose; petals 9-17, yellow, (6-) 7-14 × 2-6 mm. Heads of achenes globose or hemispheric, 3-7 × 4-9 mm; achenes 1.8-3.2 × 1.4-3.2 mm, glabrous, rarely hispid, margin forming narrow rib 0.1-0.2 mm wide; beak persistent, lanceolate, curved, 0.2-0.8 mm.

Discussion

Varieties 2 (2 in the flora).

In addition to the range given, localized populations of Ranunculus californicus have been reported recently from a few islands in the vicinity of Victoria (British Columbia and Washington) (M. F. Denton 1978; T. C. Brayshaw 1989). Those populations are small and introgress freely with R. occidentalis wherever they come together. Denton referred her specimens to R. californicus var. cuneatus; Brayshaw reported both varieties from the same small populations, but his data are consistent with populations of R. californicus var. cuneatus that are introgressing extensively with R. occidentalis. Although both Denton and Brayshaw treat R. californicus as a native species in that region, several reasons support the belief that it is introduced there. No reports of R. californicus in the area occur prior to 1978, although the area is quite well collected (especially Victoria, B. C. and the San Juan Islands, Washington); a long history of extensive marine trade between Victoria and San Francisco has resulted in the introduction of a number of other California species to the area; and for scattered small populations of R. californicus to have persisted for long periods in the face of free introgression from R. occidentalis seems unlikely. Given the small population size and the introgression from R. occidentalis, it is questionable whether R. californicus can persist in the area.

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Stems erect to decumbent, hirsute or glabrous; ultimate segments of basal leaf blades acute to rounded-acute at apex. Ranunculus californicus var. californicus
1 Stems prostrate, strigose; ultimate segments of basal leaf blades rounded to obtuse at apex. Ranunculus californicus var. cuneatus

"high" is not a number.

... more about "Ranunculus californicus"
not prolonged +
3-15 times as wide as thick +
0.18 cm1.8 mm <br />0.0018 m <br /> (0.32 cm3.2 mm <br />0.0032 m <br />) +
hispid +  and glabrous +
1.4mm;3.2mm +
acute +  and rounded +
Alan T. Whittemore +
Bentham +
not bulbous +
cuneate +, truncate +  and cordate +
persistent +
lanceolate +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.08 cm0.8 mm <br />8.0e-4 m <br />) +
large +  and small +
globose;cylindric +
1-50-flowered +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (25 cm250 mm <br />0.25 m <br />) +
Calif. +  and Oreg. +
showy +  and inconspicuous +
sessile +  and aggregate +
cylindric;obovoid;cylindric;obovoid;globose;lenticular;discoid +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
hemispheric;globose +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (0.9 cm9 mm <br />0.009 m <br />) +
axillary +  and terminal +
reniform +  and linear +
whorled +, opposite +  and alternate +
cauline +  and basal +
parted +  and lobed +
1.8 cm18 mm <br />0.018 m <br /> (5.8 cm58 mm <br />0.058 m <br />) +
2.3 cm23 mm <br />0.023 m <br /> (7.6 cm76 mm <br />0.076 m <br />) +
palmate +  and pinnate +
entire;crenate;entire;crenate;toothed +
0.1mm;0.2mm +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.7 cm7 mm <br />0.007 m <br />) +
distinct +
7mm;14mm +
conspicuous +
linear +  and orbiculate +
reduced +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (2.6 cm26 mm <br />0.026 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
4 +  and 250 +
Pl. Hartw., +
hispid +  and glabrous +
nodal +  and basal +
not arillate +  and stalked +
parted +, 1-2×-lobed +  and undivided +
white;yellow;white;yellow;purple;sometimes;green +
deciduous +
distinct +
oblong +  and elliptic ovate or lanceolate +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br />) +
(5-)10-many +
erect +  and prostrate +
glabrous +, strigose +  and hirsute +
persistent +
Ranunculus sect. Chrysanthe +
Ranunculus californicus +
Ranunculus sect. Ranunculus +
species +
perennial +  and annual +
glabrous +  and hispid +
herbaceous +  and woody +