Buttercup (13)

Buttercups, the Ranunculus genus, are usually yellow and have five shiny petals but there are exceptions. They usually are found in moist environments, again there are exceptions. They are differentiated by their leaves, height and their location. See also Water Crowfoot.

	Sharpleaf Buttercup Ranunculus acriformis Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Photo taken on: July 14, 2006 Location: Rustler Gulch, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to subalpine Habitat: Moist meadows Grows to 2 feet with short hairs on the stems, tiny flowers and geranium-like leaves. Seed heads are hemispheric. Flora of North America reference.
	Snow Buttercup Ranunculus adoneus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Alpine Buttercup Photo taken on: July 7, 2015 Location: Cottonwood Pass, CO Life Zones: Subalpine and alpine Habitat: Talus, meadows near receding snow Stems grow to 8" with 1 or 2 large flowers. Leaves are divided into narrow segments. Flora of North America reference.
	Plantain Leafed Buttercup Ranunculus alismifolius Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Marsh Buttercup Photo taken on: June 3, 2007 Location: Snodgrass Mountain, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to subalpine Habitat: Moist meadows, wetlands Grows to 2 feet with broad, entire leaves and 5-12 petals. Can grow in large colonies soon after snow-melt. Flora of North America reference.
	Heart-Leaf Buttercup Ranunculus cardiophyllus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Photo taken on: June 2, 2006 Location: RMBL Gothic, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to subalpine Habitat: Moist meadows Grows 4" to 16" high. Stem leaves are split into slender lobes, basal leaves are fan or heart shaped with shallow lobes and long stalks. Flowers have five petals. Seed heads are cylindrical. Flora of North America reference.
	Alkali Buttercup Ranunculus cymbalaria (Halerpestes cymbalaria) Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Seaside Crowfoot, Marsh Buttercup Photo taken on: August 11, 2014 Location: Rio Chama, Abiquiu, NM Life Zones: Plains and foothills Habitat: Wet areas, bogs, stream sides Grows to less than 12" with erect flowering stems and runners that take root. Leaves are mostly roundish with scalloped edges. Flowers are small with five petals and produce a cylindrical seed-head. Flora of North America reference.
	Subalpine Buttercup Ranunculus eschscholtzii Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Eschscholtz's Buttercup Photo taken on: July 12, 2008 Location: South Baldy Trail, GV, CO Life Zones: Subalpine to alpine Habitat: Moist, open rocky areas, snow melt Can grow to 9" but is usually shorter. Basal leaves are deeply lobed. Flora of North America reference.
	Sagebrush Buttercup Ranunculus glaberrimus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Photo taken on: April 7, 2007 Location: Almont Triangle, GV, CO Life Zones: Plains to foothills Habitat: Moist slopes, sagebrush Grows 2" to 6" high with narrow to oval basal leaves and deeply lobed stem leaves. Blooms early in the season. Flowers have five petals with reddish sepals. Flora of North America reference.
	Graceful Buttercup Ranunculus inamoenus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Ugly Buttercup, Homely Buttercup Photo taken on: July 14, 2007 Location: Scarp Ridge, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to subalpine Habitat: Moist areas Grows to 12". Stem leaves are deeply lobed, rounded basal leaves are not. Flowers are small, sometimes lacking petals and produce cylindrical seed heads. Flora of North America reference.
	Macauley's Buttercup Ranunculus macauleyi Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Rocky Mountain Buttercup Photo taken on: July 12, 2008 Location: South Baldy Trail, GV, CO Life Zones: Subalpine to alpine Habitat: Meadows, near receding snow Grows from 3" to 6". The large flowers have long dark hairs on the bracts below the petals. The leaves are notched on the tip. Flora of North America reference.
	Macoun's Buttercup Ranunculus macounii Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Roughneck Buttercup Photo taken on: June 18, 2011 Location: Water Canyon Trail, Los Alamos, NM Life Zones: Plains to subalpine Habitat: Moist areas in woods, wet meadows Grows to 2 ½ feet prostrate or erect with a stout, hairy stem which often takes root at the leaf nodes. Leaves on the stem are finely hairy and divided into three leaflets which are further divided into three large-toothed lobes. The basal leaves have long stalks and are heart to kidney shaped. The seed head is round. Flora of North America reference.
	Tadpole Buttercup Ranunculus ranunculinus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Los Alamos Buttercup Photo taken on: May 7, 2005 Location: Almont Triangle, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane Habitat: Open rocky slopes, sagebrush Appears after snow-melt only a few inches high carpeting the slopes but plant soon gets tall and untidy. Leaves are dissected. Flowers have five petals. Flora of North America reference.
	Creeping Buttercup Ranunculus repens Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Creeping Crowfoot Photo taken on: September 2, 2007 Location: Lottis Creek, GV, CO Life Zones: Montane to subalpine Habitat: Moist areas Grows creeping to 20" with lightly hairy, dark green leaves divided into three leaflets. Flowers have five petals. It is non-native, invasive and considered a weed of concern in some states. Flora of North America reference.
	Woodland Buttercup Ranunculus uncinatus Family: Buttercup (Ranunculaceae) AKA: Hooked Buttercup Photo taken on: July 26, 2021 Location: Almont, GV, CO; Life Zones: Foothills to montane Habitat: Moist areas in woods and along streams Grows straggly to 2 feet, often drooping. Both basal and stem leaves are divided into three large-toothed leaflets. Uppermost leaves are narrow and undivided. Flowers are only 1/4" across and the seed head is round. The fruits have hooked beaks. Flora of North America reference.

Yellow Single Flowers