Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Eudicots: Ranunculales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ranunculus abortivus
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more about Kidneyleaf Buttercup from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
A common plant, sometimes pretty weedy, in shady and sunny places, recognizable from its cordate, basal leaves that are broader than long, and with distinctive broad teeth that are flattish, per Weakley's Flora (2022)
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ranunculus abortivus
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Ranunculus abortivus
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-13-011:
Ranunculus abortivus FAMILY Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ranunculus abortivus
COMMON NAME:
Kidneyleaf Buttercup, Early Wood Buttercup, Small-flowered Buttercup, Kidneyleaf Crowfoot
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913 pnd_raab_001_lvd
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_raab_008_lvd
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USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_raab_009_lvd
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JK Marlow jkm110329_207
March Greenville County SC
Petals less than 1/8" long, shorter than sepals, per Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998).
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JK Marlow jkm0304a_23
April Greenville County SC
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JK Marlow jkm0404j_37
April Greenville County SC
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JK Marlow jkm120406_639
April Greenville County SC
Cauline lvs mostly lobed or divided; basal not so, w reniform to cordate bases, per Weakley's Flora.
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JK Marlow jkm150406_051
April Greenville County SC
Erect annual 8-20" tall with stem & branches mostly smooth, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
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JK Marlow s040407_de
April Greenville County SC
Basal leaves normally kidney-shaped & long-stalked, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
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JK Marlow s040415_a
April Greenville County SC
Uppermost leaves mostly sessile & divided into 3-5 narrow lobes, per Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005).
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JK Marlow jkm211112_4931
November Greenville County SC
Tall Pines Wildlife Management Area
Cordate basal leaves that are broader than long, with distinctive broad teeth that are flattish, per Weakley's Flora (2022).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Ranunculus abortivus
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Ranunculus abortivus
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Ranunculus abortivus
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 076-13-011:
Ranunculus abortivus
FAMILY
Ranunculaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Ranunculus abortivus
1204
Forb
Winter annual
Habitat: Bottomland and other moist forests, low fields, disturbed areas, lawns, roadsides, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common (uncommon in Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
LEAVES:
Basal leaves simple; stem leaves deeply divided
Basal & alternate
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer
Yellow
Radially symmetrical
3-5 sepals
5 petals (usually), shorter than the sepals
Numerous stamens
Superior ovary
Bisexual
Flowers solitary in leaf axils
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer
Aggregate of achenes
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Newcomb's Wildflower Guide (Newcomb, 1977) p244
- Wildflowers of the Atlantic Southeast (Cotterman, Waitt, & Weakley, 2019) p261
- Wildflowers of the Eastern United States (Duncan & Duncan, 1999) p015
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p306
- Wildflowers of Tennessee (Carman, 2005) p040
- Wildflowers of Tennessee, the Ohio Valley, and the Southern Appalachians (Horn, Cathcart, Hemmerly, & Duhl, 2005) p061
- Wildflowers of the Southern Mountains (Smith, 1998) p048
- Weeds of Southern Turfgrasses (Murphy et al., 1992) p169
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