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Ranunculus platensis growing along edge of bridge near Student Recreation Center.

Scanned image of a pressed and mounted herbarium specimen. Kristin Prejean

Showing the adaxial surface of a basal leaf. Kristin Prejean

Showing the abaxial surface of the basal leaf. Kristin Prejean

Hairs on the abaxial surface of a basal leaf. Kristin Prejean

Showing the adaxial surface of a lower cauline leaf. Kristin Prejean

Showing the abaxial surface of a lower cauline leaf. Kristin Prejean

Floral bract. Kristin Prejean

Floral bract showing trichomes. Kristin Prejean

A view of the flower from above, showing 2 of the 3 petals and 4 of the 5 stamens. Kristin Prejean

Single petal of Ranunculus platensis . Less than a mm in length, the tip is bright, waxy yellow. Kristin Prejean

Single petal of Ranunculus platensis, higher magnificatin. Kristin Prejean

Single petal of Ranunculus platensis, higher magnificatin. Kristin Prejean

Head of the achenes a top view. Kristin Prejean

A sessile head of achenes, lateral view. Kristin Prejean

Individual achenes showing faces and margin. Kristin Prejean

A side and marginal view of individual achenes. Kristin Prejean.

Basal leaves

Basal rosette of leaves, laxly and long-petioled, palmate and broader than long, blades 3-parted, suborbicular to reniform, margins dentate to lobulate, 0.8-1.7 x 1.2-2 cm

Cauline leaves

Proximal cauline leaves similar to basal leaves, but petioles shorter and blades reduced distally.

Ecology

Generally found in river floodplains, moist to wet fields, lawns, roadside ditches, sandy bottomland woods, and thickets. Weed in disturbed areas, usually near the coast.

Family

RANUNCULACEAE Jussieu (Crowfoot Family or Buttercup Family)

Flowering period

Winter to spring. February (March) to April.

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Flowers

Sessile, receptacle glabrous, sepals and petals three, the former green and the latter pale yellow both less than 2 mm long, sepals obovate and deciduous, petals spatulate, stamens ca. 5, carpels mostly 8-15.

Fruit

Heads of achenes hemispheric, 2-2.5 x 3-3.5 mm, achenes 8-15 per head, achenes lenticular, 1.3-1.7 x 1-1.3 mm, faces and proximal  margin maybe finely papillate hooked trichomes, beak being semiciruclar to deltate, to 0.5 mm long.

Habit and stem features

Low, slender, soft annual. The stems are weakly ascending to decumbent, 5-30 (-45) cm tall. Plant is glabrous and may be pilose.

Place of Species Publication

Ranunculus platensis A. Sprengel in K. Sprengel, Sysema. Vegetabilium 5:586.1828

References

Connell, D.S., and M. C. Johnson.  1970.  Manual of the Vascular Plants of Texas , Vol.6. Texas Research Foundation, Renner TX , pg. 645.

Godfrey, Robert K. and Jean W. Wooten. 1981. Aquatic and Wetland Plants of Southeastern United States: Dicotyledons. Athens Georgia, University of Georgia Press.

Thomas, R. Dale and Charles M. Allen. 1998. Atlas of the Vascular Flora of Louisiana Vol.3 Dicotyledons, Fagaceae - Zygopyllaceae. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Natural Heritage Program.

USDA, NRCS. 2005. The PLANTS Database. http://www.plants.usda.gov.

Whittemore, Alan T. and Bruce D. Parfitt. 1997. Ranunculaceae in vol.3. Flora of North America Committee, eds. Flora of North America North of Mexico. 1993+, 7+ vols. New York and Oxford. 

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Synonyms

none