California buttercup

California buttercup
File:Californiabuttercup.jpg
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
Order:	Ranunculales
Family:	Ranunculaceae
Genus:	Ranunculus
Species:	R. californicus
Binomial name
Ranunculus californicus Benth.

File:Ranunculus californicus in Sunol Regional Wilderness.jpg

California buttercup (Ranunculus californicus) in Sunol Regional Wilderness, northern California.

Ranunculus californicus, the California buttercup, is a flowering plant of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. It is a native of California, where it is common in many habitats, including chaparral and woodlands.

Its distribution extends across many habitats of California, north into Oregon and south into Baja California. Its reported locations include the islands between British Columbia and Washington, the Channel Islands of California, and the Sierra Nevada.

Description

Ranunculus californicus grows up to 70 centimetres (2.3 ft) in height. The bright yellow flower is roughly 1–2 centimetres (0.033–0.066 ft) in diameter and has 7 to 22 shiny, teardrop-shaped petals. Each flower grows on a long, green, leafless stem.

Varieties

• Ranunculus californicus var. californicus
• Ranunculus californicus var. cuneatus

Cultivation

Ranunculus californicus is cultivated as an ornamental plant, for use in native plant gardens.

See also

• List of California native plants

References

• Munz, Philip A. (2003). Introduction to Shore Wildflowers of California, Oregon, and Washington. Berkeley: University of California Press.

External links

• CalFlora Database: Ranunculus californicus (Botta's clarkia, punch bowl godetia)
• Jepson Manual eFlora (TJM2) treatment of Ranunculus californicus
• USDA Plants Profile: Ranunculus californicus (California buttercup)
• U.C. Photo gallery — Ranunculus californicus