Stems erect or decumbent from short or long caudices, 4-27 cm, glabrous, each with 1-3 flowers. Roots slender, 0.4-1.6 mm thick. Basal leaves persistent, blades reniform or cordate to obovate or broadly oblong, lobed or 3-parted, 0.5-4.1 × 0.8-3.7 cm, segments again 1(-2)×-lobed, base obtuse to cordate, apices of segments rounded in outline. Flowers: pedicels glabrous; receptacle glabrous or sparsely pilose; sepals 4-8 × 2-6 mm, abaxially glabrous or pilose; petals 5-8, 6-16 × 4-16 mm; nectary scale glabrous. Heads of achenes cylindric or ovoid, 5-10 × 4-7 mm; achenes 1.4-2 × 1-1.6 mm, glabrous or sparsely pubescent; beak lanceolate or subulate, straight (sometimes curved when immature), 0.6-1.8 mm.

Distribution

Alta., B.C., N.W.T., Yukon, Alaska, Ariz., Calif., Colo., Idaho, Mont., N.Mex., Nev., Oreg., Utah, Wash., Wyo.

Discussion

Varieties 6 (5 in the flora).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Ultimate segments and sinuses of basal leaves acute or acuminate. > 2
1 Ultimate segments and sinuses of basal leaves rounded or obtuse (sometimes broadly rounded-acute). > 3
2 Leaf blade reniform, base truncate or cordate. Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. suksdorfii
2 Leaf blade obovate to broadly oblong, base obtuse or rounded. Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. eximius
3 Middle segments of many basal leaves lobed and toothed or 2×-lobed. Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. trisectus
3 Middle segments of basal leaves unlobed or 1×-lobed. > 4
4 Caudices with few or no persistent leaf bases; basal leaves always 3-parted; widespread in w North America. Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. eschscholtzii
4 Caudices densely clothed with persistent leaf bases; basal leaves sometimes parted but usually merely lobed; California and w Nevada. Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. oxynotus
... more about "Ranunculus eschscholtzii"
Alan T. Whittemore +
Schlechtendal +
Ranunculus sect. Marsypadenium +
Alta. +, B.C. +, N.W.T. +, Yukon +, Alaska +, Ariz. +, Calif. +, Colo. +, Idaho +, Mont. +, N.Mex. +, Nev. +, Oreg. +, Utah +, Wash. +  and Wyo. +
Animadv. Bot. Ranunc. Cand. +
Illustrated +
Ranunculus eschscholtzii +
Ranunculus sect. Epirotes +
species +