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.
Flowers: April-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Not of concern
Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies, beetles
Stiff-hairy perennial from thickened roots, the several stems branched, erect to decumbent, 2-6 dm. tall.
Leaves mostly basal, long-petiolate, the blades pinnately compound, usually with 5 irregularly toothed or lobed, pointed leaflets; cauline leaves alternate, the divisions deep, the ultimate segments linear.
Pedicels single-flowered, up to 15 cm. long; sepals 6-9 mm. long, with soft hairs, usually reflexed, often purplish-tinged, early-deciduous; petals 5, yellow, 9-18 mm. long; nectary scale glabrous, fan-shaped, 0.5-1 mm. long, the lateral margins attached along the lower third; receptacle spherical, up to 7 mm. long, hairy; stamens 50-70; pistils 20-50.
Achenes elliptic-obovate, compressed, 3.5 mm. long, smooth; stylar beak straight, 2.5-4 mm. long.
Publication: Fl. Bor.-Amer. 1: 21. 1829.
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var. orthorhynchus – straight-beak buttercup
Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southeastern Alaska and British Columbia to California. -
var. platyphyllus – straight-beak buttercup Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, western Montana, western Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Ranunculus orthorhynchus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Ranunculus orthorhynchus checklist entry
OregonFlora: Ranunculus orthorhynchus information
E-Flora BC: Ranunculus orthorhynchus atlas page
CalPhotos: Ranunculus orthorhynchus photos
