Bristly buttercup

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Bristly buttercup habit

Bristly buttercup

Bristly buttercup leaf

Bristly buttercup inflorescence

Bristly buttercup flower

Bristly buttercup leaf

Bristly buttercup flower

Bristly buttercup stem

Bristly buttercup leaves

Bristly buttercup leaf

Bristly buttercup with 6 petals

Bristly buttercup flowers

Morphology

Stem

Erect, stout, bristly-hairy.

Leaves

Alternate, 3-foliolate, broadly ovate-cordate in outline, 1 to 5.6 inches long, 1 to 8 inches wide; leaflets ovate to rhombic, 2- or 3-lobed or cleft, irregularly toothed; basal leaves largest; stalks 2 to 12 inches long, bristly-hairy; stem leaves short-stalked, blade in 3s, leaflets ovate to oblanceolate.

Inflorescence

1-8, from leaf axils.

Flower

About 1 inch across; sepals 5, yellowish-green, spreading or turned-down, egg-shaped, 1/5 to 1/3 inch long, outer surface stiff hairy; petals commonly 5, rarely more, egg-shaped to elliptic, 1/3 to 3/5 inch long, much longer than sepals, yellow, fading to white; stamens 40-70.

Fruit

Achenes, 15-60 in hemispheric to ovoid head 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick; achene obovate, flattened, 1/12 to 1/5 inch long, narrowly winged, beak awl-shaped, straight or curved.

Ecology

Habitat

Moist or dry, often rocky woods, marshes, pastures; sandstone, chert, igneous, acidic soils.

Distribution

East 1/5 of Kansas.

Practical Information

Toxicity

When consumed in large quantities, some Ranunculus species cause digestive tract irritation in livestock. Sheep are particularly susceptible.

Uses

Native Americans used the root to pack into the hole of an aching tooth to break up the tooth. The crushed roots of Some Ranunculus were used to treat arrow and gunshot wounds and juice from the leaves as a sedative or taken in tea to treat sore throats.

Additional Notes