Ranunculus
buttercup, crowfoot, water-buttercup
30 species
19 subspecies and varieties
19 subspecies and varieties
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Ranunculus abortivus – kidney-leaf buttercup
Distribution: Occurring in the northeastern region of Washington; Yukon Territory to the southern Rocky Mountains and Gulf Coast, east to the Atlantic coast.
Habitat: Montane forest understory and meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring in the northeastern region of Washington; Yukon Territory to the southern Rocky Mountains and Gulf Coast, east to the Atlantic coast.
Habitat: Montane forest understory and meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: July
Growth Duration: Biennial, Perennial
Ranunculus acris – meadow buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across the northern part of the U.S. and Canada to eastern North America.
Habitat: Moist to well-drained soil at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across the northern part of the U.S. and Canada to eastern North America.
Habitat: Moist to well-drained soil at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus alismifolius – plantain-leaved buttercup
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Swales, streambanks and moist meadows, low to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Swales, streambanks and moist meadows, low to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. alismellus – dwarf plantain-leaved buttercup
• var. alismifolius – plantain-leaved buttercup
• var. hartwegii – Hartweg's buttercup
Ranunculus aquatilis – white western buttercup, water crowfoot, white water crowfoot
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In sluggish streams, ponds, lakes, and mudflats at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: In sluggish streams, ponds, lakes, and mudflats at low to moderate elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. aquatilis – white water buttercup
• var. diffusus – water buttercup
Ranunculus arvensis – field buttercup, hungerweed
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Utah; also in areas of central and eastern U.S.
Habitat: Dry woodlands and waste ground.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Utah; also in areas of central and eastern U.S.
Habitat: Dry woodlands and waste ground.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Ranunculus basalticus – basalt buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where endemic to Kittitas, Yakima, and Klickitat counties.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, grassy slopes, and open Quercus garryana forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where endemic to Kittitas, Yakima, and Klickitat counties.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, grassy slopes, and open Quercus garryana forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus bulbosus – St. Anthony's-turnip, bulbous buttercup
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also widespread in eastern North America.
Habitat: Disturbed open areas at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, also widespread in eastern North America.
Habitat: Disturbed open areas at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus californicus – California buttercup
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest along the northwestern coast in Washington; British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Grassy bluffs along the coast.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest along the northwestern coast in Washington; British Columbia to California.
Habitat: Grassy bluffs along the coast.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. californicus – California buttercup
Ranunculus cardiophyllus – heart-leaf buttercup
Distribution: Reported from northeastern Washington, but no specimens have been seen; eastern British Columbia, south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona and New Mexico, east to Alberta and the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Wet to dry montane to subalpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Reported from northeastern Washington, but no specimens have been seen; eastern British Columbia, south in the Rocky Mountains to Arizona and New Mexico, east to Alberta and the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Wet to dry montane to subalpine meadows.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus eschscholtzii – subalpine buttercup
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Meadow and talus slopes at mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Meadow and talus slopes at mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. eschscholtzii – Eschscholtz buttercup
• var. suksdorfii – Suksdorf's buttercup
Ranunculus flabellaris – yellow water buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to northern California, east to the Rocky Mountain states and in central and eastern North America.
Habitat: Shallow ponds, mud flats and marshes at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to northern California, east to the Rocky Mountain states and in central and eastern North America.
Habitat: Shallow ponds, mud flats and marshes at low elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus flammula – creeping buttercup, lesser spearwort
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Mostly in mud, often where brackish, from sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east across most of North America to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Mostly in mud, often where brackish, from sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. flammula – creeping spearwort
• var. ovalis – creeping spearwort
• var. reptans – creeping spearwort
Ranunculus glaberrimus – sagebrush buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades in Washington, with disjunct populations in the northeast Olympic Mountains and Ross Lake area of Whatcom County; British Columbia to northern California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, shrub-steppe and ponderosa pine woodlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades in Washington, with disjunct populations in the northeast Olympic Mountains and Ross Lake area of Whatcom County; British Columbia to northern California, east to the Great Plains.
Habitat: Sagebrush desert, shrub-steppe and ponderosa pine woodlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. ellipticus – sagebrush buttercup
• var. glaberrimus – sagebrush buttercup
Ranunculus gmelinii – Gmelin's buttercup, small yellow water buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska south to Nevada, east to the Rocky Mountains, and across Canada to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Standing water up to 2 meters deep.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska south to Nevada, east to the Rocky Mountains, and across Canada to the Atlantic Coast.
Habitat: Standing water up to 2 meters deep.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus grayi – arctic buttercup
Distribution: Occurring in the Olympics and Cascades mountains in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to Alberta, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.
Habitat: Alpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring in the Olympics and Cascades mountains in Washington; Alaska to Oregon, east to Alberta, Montana, Wyoming and Colorado.
Habitat: Alpine.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus hebecarpus – downy buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Baja California, east to Idaho and Arizona.
Habitat: Moist to rather dry hillsides and woodlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to Baja California, east to Idaho and Arizona.
Habitat: Moist to rather dry hillsides and woodlands.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-May
Growth Duration: Annual
Ranunculus inamoenus – graceful buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washington; British Columbia to Nevada and Arizona, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, also in scattered areas of the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Mountain meadows and moist slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washington; British Columbia to Nevada and Arizona, east to Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico, also in scattered areas of the northern Great Plains.
Habitat: Mountain meadows and moist slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. inamoenus – unlovely buttercup
Ranunculus macounii – Macoun's buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains and central Canada; also in Canadian Maritimes.
Habitat: Riparian areas and wet meadows from lowlands to montane.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska south to California, east to the Rocky Mountains and northern Great Plains and central Canada; also in Canadian Maritimes.
Habitat: Riparian areas and wet meadows from lowlands to montane.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus muricatus – spiny-fruit buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Washington to California, east across North America in scattered locations.
Habitat: Ditches and other moist places, often on cultivated land.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Washington to California, east across North America in scattered locations.
Habitat: Ditches and other moist places, often on cultivated land.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Ranunculus occidentalis – western buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and east in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta and Nevada.
Habitat: Moist to well-drained soil, low to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest and east in the Columbia River Gorge in Washington; Alaska to California, east to Alberta and Nevada.
Habitat: Moist to well-drained soil, low to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. occidentalis – western buttercup
Ranunculus orthorhynchus – straight-beak buttercup
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southeastern Alaska to California, east to Idaho, western Montana, western Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada.
Habitat: Streambanks and moist fields to mountain meadows and slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; southeastern Alaska to California, east to Idaho, western Montana, western Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada.
Habitat: Streambanks and moist fields to mountain meadows and slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. orthorhynchus – straight-beak buttercup
• var. platyphyllus – straight-beak buttercup
Ranunculus parviflorus – small-flower buttercup
Distribution: Sparingly introduced to lowlands of west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California; also in the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, urbanized settings, and other disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Distribution: Sparingly introduced to lowlands of west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California; also in the southeastern U.S.
Habitat: Roadsides, fields, urbanized settings, and other disturbed areas.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Annual
Ranunculus pensylvanicus – Pennsylvania buttercup
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascade crest in Washington; Alaska to Washington, Idaho and Montana; also in eastern North America and scattered areas in the Southwest.
Habitat: Wet ground, especially along streams.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascade crest in Washington; Alaska to Washington, Idaho and Montana; also in eastern North America and scattered areas in the Southwest.
Habitat: Wet ground, especially along streams.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Ranunculus populago – mountain buttercup
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and western Montana.
Habitat: Wet areas at mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in southeastern Washington; Washington to California, east to Idaho and western Montana.
Habitat: Wet areas at mid- to high elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus pygmaeus – dwarf buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in north-central Washington; Alaska to Washington, Idaho and the Rocky Mountains, east across northern Canada to Greenland, and Europe.
Habitat: Alpine meadows and rock crevices, generally near snowbanks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in north-central Washington; Alaska to Washington, Idaho and the Rocky Mountains, east across northern Canada to Greenland, and Europe.
Habitat: Alpine meadows and rock crevices, generally near snowbanks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus repens – creeping buttercup
Distribution: Occurring throughout Washington, but more common west of the Cascades crest; Alaska to California and Utah, and from central plains of U.S. to Labrador.
Habitat: Wet meadows and fields, riparian corridors disturbed forest understory, lawns, and other disturbed areas where often moist.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring throughout Washington, but more common west of the Cascades crest; Alaska to California and Utah, and from central plains of U.S. to Labrador.
Habitat: Wet meadows and fields, riparian corridors disturbed forest understory, lawns, and other disturbed areas where often moist.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: April-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus sardous – hairy buttercup
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascade in Washington; British Columbia to northern California; also in the eastern United States, Europe, Australia and Pacific Islands.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields and open woods.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascade in Washington; British Columbia to northern California; also in the eastern United States, Europe, Australia and Pacific Islands.
Habitat: Disturbed areas, fields and open woods.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Biennial, Perennial
Ranunculus sceleratus – blister buttercup, celery-leaved buttercup, celery-leaved crowfoot
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout much of Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Moist meadows and boggy shoreland to semi-aquatic and often brackish areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed throughout much of Washington; widely distributed throughout much of North America.
Habitat: Moist meadows and boggy shoreland to semi-aquatic and often brackish areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-September
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. multifidus – celery-leaved buttercup
• var. sceleratus – celery-leaved buttercup
Ranunculus triternatus – Dalles Mountain buttercup, obscure buttercup
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where known from Klickitat County; south-central Washington to Wasco County, Oregon.
Habitat: Sagebrush slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: (December) January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in Washington, where known from Klickitat County; south-central Washington to Wasco County, Oregon.
Habitat: Sagebrush slopes.
Origin: Native
Flowers: (December) January-April
Growth Duration: Perennial
Ranunculus uncinatus – little buttercup
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Moist, usually shady areas, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; Alaska to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Moist, usually shady areas, sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Annual, Perennial
