North Carolina Botanical Garden

Plant Index

Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Genus:
Family:

Ranunculus hispidus

Ranunculus hispidus Michx.

bristly buttercup, hairy buttercup, hispid buttercup

Image ID: 18575
Image by: Ware, Richard & Teresa
Image Collection: NCBG Digital Library

PLANT INDEX

ID_PLANT: RAHI
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ranunculus hispidus
Include in WOTAS: 1
Publish to Web: 1
Last Modified: 2017-12-31

GENUS INDEX

GENUS CODE: RANUN
GENUS SCIENTIFIC: Ranunculus
GENUS AUTHORITY: L.
GENUS COMMON: Buttercup
GENUS SUMMARY: A genus of about 550 species, perennial and annual herbs, nearly cosmopolitan (most diverse in temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere), here following the circumscription of Emadzade et al. (2010), with removal of numerous small genera more closely related to Myosurus and Trautvetteria. Subgeneric and sectional taxonomy follows Hörandl & Emadzade (2012). I am here following Duncans (1980) taxonomic entities, though recognizing some of his varieties as species; distributions given in many works for the R. hispidus complex are apparently garbled by differences in taxonomic concepts.
GENUS IDENTIFICATION: Identification notes: Mature or relatively mature achenes are necessary for the identification of some species. Shape and pubescence of the receptacle is also a frequently used taxonomic character, best judged by stripping off the achenes.
GENUS REFERENCES: Whittemore in FNA (1997); Hörandl & Emadzade (2012); Duncan (1980)=Z; Keener (1976)=Y; Keener & Hoot (1987)=X; Emadzade et al. (2010); Paun et al. (2005); Tamura in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). Keys adapted, in part, from C, GW, X, Y, and Z. [also see Ficaria and Halerpestes]

FAMILY INDEX

FAMILY CODE: RANUNC
FAMILY SCIENTIFIC: Ranunculaceae
FAMILY AUTHORITY: A.L. de Jussieu 1789
FAMILY COMMON: Buttercup Family
FAMILY SUMMARY: A family of about 62 genera and 2450 species, herbs, shrubs, and vines, primarily of temperate and boreal regions. Classsification of subfamilies and tribes follows Wang et al. (2009). Subfamilies and tribes follow Wang et al. (2009).
FAMILY REFERENCE: Whittemore & Parfitt in FNA (1997); Wang et al. (2009); Keener (1977); Tamura in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). [also see HYDRASTIDACEAE]

NCBG DESCRIPTIVES

INTRO: Erect to reclining, tufted perennial of rich moist forests, creek banks, somewhat dry woodlands and forests, bottomlands.
STEMS: Stems weak, slender, simple or with forking branches, usually densely hairy.
LEAVES: Leaves basal and alternate on the stem, petiolate, 1-5 in. long (and almost as wide), divided into 3 oval or diamond-shaped lobes/leaflets, with at least the terminal one stalked; lobes/leaflets are further lobed or at least toothed.
INFLORESCENCE:
FLOWERS: Flowers solitary on long, hairy, leafless stalks from upper leaf axils; bright yellow; 3/4-1 1/4 in. wide; consisting o 5 oblong-oval petals, 5 yellowish to light green spreading sepals that are shorter than the petals and visible between them, and a center of many yellow stamens plus a green, compound ovary; bases of the petals are green-streaked.
FRUITS: Fruit an oblong cluster of flattened, teardrop-shaped, beaked achenes.
COMMENTS:
HEIGHT: 1-2 ft.

DURATION: Perennial
HABIT: Herb

LEAF ARRANGEMENT: Alternate
LEAF COMPLEXITY: Simple
LEAF RETENTION:

FLORAL CHARACTERISTICS
SYMMETRY: Radial (Actinomorphic)
BLOOM TIME: Mar-Jun

Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
	x	x	x	x	x	x

BLOOM COLOR: Yellow

White	Red	Pink	Orange	Yellow	Green	Blue	Lavender	Purple	Violet	Brown	Not Applicable
				x

FRUITING PERIOD:

DISTRIBUTION
HABITAT TYPE: Bottomlands, Moist forests
NATIVE RANGE:

HORTICULTURAL
Plant Sale Text:

Bloom Table Text:

NCBG Location:

Cultural Notes:

SOIL MOISTURE: Dry, Average
LIGHT EXPOSURE: Part Shade, Shade
MINIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
MAXIMUM HARDINESS ZONE:
GERMINATION CODE:
WILDLIFE VALUE:
DEER RESISTANCE:

GRIM ACCESSIONS

acc_id	acc_num	acc_dt	coll_id	Action
4261	1992-0417			View
5041	1995-0160			View
5182	1995-0301			View
5807	1995-0933			View
6274	1995-1406			View

GRIM PLANTINGS

plt_num	acc_id	loc_num	pers_num	inst_dt	Action
6589	4261	200	NCBG staff	1993-03-01	View
7460	5041	202	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
7631	5182	203	NCBG staff	1992-01-01	View
8321	5807	204	NCBG staff	1993-01-01	View
8929	6274	2	NCBG staff	0000-00-00	View

USDA PLANTS DATABASE

USDA Symbol: RAHI
USDA Common Name: Bristly Buttercup
Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)
Distribution: USA (AL, AR, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, VT, WI, WV), CAN (LB, MB, NB, NT, ON, PE, QC)
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Forb/herb

NATIONAL WETLAND INDICATOR STATUS

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FAC				FAC	FACW		FAC	FAC

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers 2016 National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.3 (Lichvar, R.W., D.L. Banks, W.N. Kirchner, and N.C. Melvin. 2016. The National Wetland Plant List: 2016 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2016-30: 1-17. Published 28 April 2016. ISSN 2153 733X). Regions: AGCP-Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain, AK-Alaska, AW-Arid West, CB-Caribbean, EMP-Eastern Mountains and Piedmont, GP-Great Plains, HI-Hawaii, MW-Midwest, NCNE-Northcentral and Northeast, WMCV-Western Mountains, Valleys & Coast

2018 Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species of North Carolina

NHP ID	S RANK	ROUNDED S RANK	G RANK	ROUNDED G RANK	STATE STATUS	FEDERAL STATUS
20168	S5	S5	G5T5	T5	W6

This information is derived from the 2018 North Carolina Natural Heritage Program List of Rare Plant Species.

WEAKLEY FLORA

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ranunculus hispidus
COMMON NAME: Hispid Buttercup, Hairy Buttercup
SYNONYMY: [= GW, RAB, S, Va, W, Y; = R. hispidus var. hispidus - C, FNA, K, Mo, Pa, Z; > R. hispidus var. hispidus - F, G, WV; > R. hispidus var. falsus Fernald - F; > R. hispidus var. marilandicus (Poiret) L. Benson - G; > R. hispidus var. eurylobus L. Benson - F, G, WV]
PHENOLOGY: Mar-Jun.
HABITAT: Rich moist forests, creekbanks, mesic to dry woodlands and forests, bottomlands.
COMMENTS: MA and VT west to s. ON, n. IL, and se. KS, south to e. and c. NC, s. GA, s. AL, AR, and ne. OK. This species is tetraploid (n = 16).
RANGE MAP: Ranunculus hispidus.png

Key to Map Symbols

ABOUT FAMILY (Weakley Flora)
Ranunculaceae A.L. de Jussieu 1789 (Buttercup Family)
SUMMARY: A family of about 62 genera and 2450 species, herbs, shrubs, and vines, primarily of temperate and boreal regions. Classsification of subfamilies and tribes follows Wang et al. (2009). Subfamilies and tribes follow Wang et al. (2009).
REFERENCE: Whittemore & Parfitt in FNA (1997); Wang et al. (2009); Keener (1977); Tamura in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). [also see HYDRASTIDACEAE]

ABOUT GENUS (Weakley Flora)
Ranunculus L. (Buttercup)
SUMMARY: A genus of about 550 species, perennial and annual herbs, nearly cosmopolitan (most diverse in temperate and boreal regions of the Northern Hemisphere), here following the circumscription of Emadzade et al. (2010), with removal of numerous small genera more closely related to Myosurus and Trautvetteria. Subgeneric and sectional taxonomy follows Hörandl & Emadzade (2012). I am here following Duncans (1980) taxonomic entities, though recognizing some of his varieties as species; distributions given in many works for the R. hispidus complex are apparently garbled by differences in taxonomic concepts.
REFERENCE: Whittemore in FNA (1997); Hörandl & Emadzade (2012); Duncan (1980)=Z; Keener (1976)=Y; Keener & Hoot (1987)=X; Emadzade et al. (2010); Paun et al. (2005); Tamura in Kubitzki, Rohwer, & Bittrich (1993). Keys adapted, in part, from C, GW, X, Y, and Z. [also see Ficaria and Halerpestes]

HERBARIUM RESOURCES

SERNEC: Find Ranunculus hispidus in Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)
UNC SERNEC: Find Ranunculus hispidus in University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Herbarium - Southeast Regional Network of Experts and Collections (if available)

WEB RESOURCES

USDA: Find Ranunculus hispidus in USDA Plants
NPIN: Find Ranunculus hispidus in NPIN Database
FNA: Find Ranunculus hispidus in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Ranunculus hispidus

IMAGE USE RECORDS

ID IMAGE: 18575 - Primary Image FloraQuest Plant Detail Page (Landscape Preferred)
ID IMAGE1: 18575 - Primary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE2: 0 - Secondary Image WOTAS
ID IMAGE3: 18574 - Primary Image Plant Sale Sign (Landscape Only)
ID IMAGE4: 0 - Primary Image New Plant Sale Label (Portrait Only)