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.
Flowers: April-August
Origin: Native
Growth Duration: Perennial
Conservation Status: Sensitive in Washington (WANHP)
Pollination: Bees, flies, butterflies, beetles
Tender, glabrous perennial from clustered, fleshy roots, the 1-several stems erect, 1-3 dm. tall.
Basal leaves long-petiolate, the blade cordate to ovate, entire to shallowly lobed, 2-5 cm. long and 1-5 cm. broad; cauline leaves alternate and short-petiolate below to sub-opposite and sessile above, ovate to elliptic-lanceolate.
Flowers 1-5 in the upper leaf axils, the pedicels up to 6 cm. long; sepals 5, greenish-yellow, 2-4 mm. long; petals 5, deep yellow, 4-7 mm. long; nectary scale glabrous, 0.7 mm. long, deltoid, the lateral edges attached full length; receptacle sub-globose, glabrous; stamens 15-30; pistils 7-25.
Achenes strongly compressed, 1.6-2 mm. long, smooth; stylar beak 0.7 mm. long, straight and slender.
PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Ranunculus populago in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database
WA Flora Checklist: Ranunculus populago checklist entry
OregonFlora: Ranunculus populago information
E-Flora BC: Ranunculus populago atlas page
CalPhotos: Ranunculus populago photos