Ranunculaceae: Ranunculus inamoenus
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Family Name
Ranunculaceae
Common Name
Graceful buttercup
Description
Ranunculus inamoenus is a perennial herbaceous plant typically growing 15 to 50 cm tall from a fibrous root system. The erect, slender stems are often sparsely hairy or nearly glabrous. Basal leaves have long petioles 4 to 10 cm long, with leaf blades 3 to 8 cm long and 3 to 8 cm wide. Cauline leaves are alternate and palmately lobed with three to five deeply cut lobes, ovate to narrowly lanceolate with pointed tips. Upper leaves are smaller, 1.5 to 5 cm long and wide, and may be sessile or have short petioles. Leaf and stem surfaces are generally smooth or with sparse hairs. Flowers are pale yellow, with five to seven petals that are broadly ovate to obovate, 8 to 14 mm long and 5 to 10 mm wide. The calyx consists of five lanceolate to ovate sepals, 3 to 5 mm long and 1.5 to 3 mm wide, typically glabrous or slightly hairy. Each flower contains numerous stamens (15 to 30), with filaments about 1.5 to 2.5 mm long and yellow anthers approximately 1 to 1.5 mm long. The flowers have 15 to 30 pistils, each 1.5 to 2.5 mm long, slender and slightly curved, tapering to a pointed tip. Fruits mature from June through July as clusters of small, flattened achenes about 2 to 2.5 mm long, oblong to slightly curved, turning from green to light brown or tan when mature. In South Dakota, graceful buttercup is native and found mainly in moist to wet habitats such as wet meadows, streambanks, and low-lying areas, scattered throughout suitable locations in the western part of the state.
Horticulture Notes
Seed Collection: Collect mature achenes in summer.
Germination: Seeds germinate best on moist soil. Plant ripe seeds from time of ripening into early spring.
Vegetative Propagation: By division of roots possible.
Soils: Prefers moist, well-drained soils.
Light: Full sun to partial shade.
Water: Prefers moderate moisture; not drought tolerant.
Additional Notes
Like many buttercups, graceful buttercup contains compounds that can be toxic if ingested in large quantities, so it is generally avoided by livestock. It provides early-season nectar for pollinators and contributes to the biodiversity of wetland and meadow ecosystems.