Ranunculaceae
Ranunculus occidentalis

Western Buttercup

Upright, usually branched, hollow stem with soft hairs. Basal leaves with 1–3 in. petioles, softly hairy, oval to heart-shaped, divided into 3, again divided deeply or shallowly; stem leaves alternate, more deeply divided. Flowers top plant, 1/2–1 in. wide, yellow, 5–6 petals each about half as wide as long. Grows in moist soils, meadows, coastal bluffs, forests, from sea level to high elevations, sometimes in large colonies. Similar R. acris, a European escapee, is usually shorter, with leaves divided into 3 lobes, usually found in waste places or fields at low elevations.

  • Rarity: Common
  • Flowering Time: Early-Mid Spring
  • Life Cycle: Perennial
  • Height: 6--30 inches
  • Habitat: Meadow, Coastal, Disturbed, West-Side Forest, East-Side Forest
  • Found In: Siskiyous, Olympic Np, Crater Lake Np, East Gorge, N Cascades Np
  • Native: Yes

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