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Native Plant Propagation Guidelines:
forbs

Ranunculus occidentalis var. occidentalis (western buttercup)

Category: 
forbs

Photo by Rob Hagel

Perennial herb from a cluster of fibrous roots; stems 1 to several, erect or nearly so, 15-40 (60) cm tall, more or less hollow; plants variously hairy. Leaves: Basal broadly egg-shaped or semi-circular to kidney-shaped, the blades deeply three-lobed or parted, 1.5-5.5 cm long, 2-8 cm wide, the segments one to two times incised, the ultimate segments oblong or elliptic to oblanceolate or lanceolate, toothed, tips pointed to rounded, the stalks long, one to several times length of blade; stem leaves alternate, more deeply dissected, shorter-stalked, transitional to the three to seven parted lower bracts and entire upper bracts. Flowers: Inflorescences few- to many-flowered cymes terminal on main stem and branches; flower stalks to 10 cm long; receptacle smooth; petals five (6 -14), distinct, yellow, oblong to narrowly egg-shaped, 5-13 mm long, 1.5-8 mm wide, nectary on upper surface, the nectary scale smooth, almost 1 mm long; sepals 5, bent back 2-3 mm from base, early deciduous, greenish or pinkish-tinged, 4-7 mm long, 2-4 mm wide, long stiff-hairy; stamens 30 to 60; pistils 5 to 20. Fruits: Achenes, several to many in a hemispheric head 3-7 mm long, 5-9 mm wide, the achenes egg-shaped, 2.6-3.6 mm long, 1.8-3 mm wide, smooth, rarely stiff-hairy, margins prominent, not keeled; beaks persistent, lanceolate- to awl-shaped, somewhat flattened, 0.4-2.2 mm long, straight or curved (from Douglas et al., 1999). Photo by Rob Hagel.

Scientific Name: 

Ranunculus occidentalis Nutt. var. occidentalis (R. hexasepalus Benson; R. nelsonii [DC.] Benson, R. occidentalis var. brevistylis Greene)

Family: 
Ranunculaceae
English Name: 
western buttercup

Geographical Range and Habitat Requirements

Ecological Setting: 

Moist to mesic meadows, grassy slopes, coastal bluffs, shores, clearings, open forest from lowland to subalpine zones (Douglas et al., 1999).

Soil Texture: 
n/a
Nutrients: 

Nitrogen-medium soils (Klinka et al., 1989).

Soil Reaction and Salinity: 
n/a
Moisture Regime: 

Water-shedding or water-receiving sites (Klinka et al., 1989).

Shade Tolerance: 

Shade intolerant (Klinka et al., 1989).

Successional Status: 

Early seral, herbaceous and grassy communities (Klinka et al., 1989).

BEC Zone and GOE Community Status: 
n/a

Uses

Site Rehabilitation: 
n/a
Wildlife: 
n/a
Landscaping: 

Meadow communities or lawn conversions; borders (B. Costanzo, personal communication).

First Nations: 

      

Other Uses: 

                   

Seed Propagation

Flowering Time: 

            

Fruit Ripening Time: 

       

Seed Collection Time: 

                             

Crop Intervals: 

           

Number of Seeds per Kilogram: 

         

Seed Viability: 

         

Fruit and Seed Collection and Extraction: 

         

Seed Storage: 

           

Fruit/Seed Dormancy and Treatment: 

            

Vegetative Propagation

         

Outplanting Characteristics and Requirements

              

Seed and Cutting Propagation Techniques

          

Additional Information and Photos

For more information and pictures, visit the E-Flora BC website at www.eflora.bc.ca.

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