Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis
Whitewater crowfoot
Photo: parent species Ranunculus aquatilis · (c) Rose Zappa, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Perennial · Native
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis (Whitewater crowfoot) is a native California perennial in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by aquatic habit, white petals, and dimorphic leaves diagnostic.
Whitewater crowfoot is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, the Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, Great Valley, central western California, Peninsular Ranges, and Great Basin in marshes, streams, ponds, and lakes at elevations below 2,000 meters. Flowering from February to June, this plant produces white flowers with delicate, multi-part structures. Growing with submersed stems that spread through aquatic environments, it has distinctive floating and underwater leaves. Its leaves are uniquely adapted, with floating leaves having a kidney-shaped form divided into three parts with fan-shaped or obovate segments, while underwater leaves are finely dissected into thread-like segments. The small fruits are approximately 1.6 to 2 millimeters wide with a tiny beak.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 57 sympatric species; aquatic habit, white petals, and dimorphic leaves diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Marshes, streams, ponds, lakes
Elevation: < 2000 m
California counties: Kern, Riverside, Modoc, Sonoma, Amador, Mariposa, Humboldt, Plumas, Alpine, Tuolumne, Monterey, El Dorado, Yuba, Butte, San Diego, Santa Clara, Lake, Shasta, Contra Costa, Madera, San Joaquin, San Mateo, Colusa, Tehama, Lassen, Mendocino, Siskiyou, Stanislaus, Calaveras
Outside California: North America, South America, Eurasia
Bloom period
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis blooms Feb-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Lasthenia: Ranunculus has separate petals around a central disk; Lasthenia has many tiny ray flowers around a disk (composite head).; vs Bowlesia: Ranunculus has glossy yellow petals in conspicuous flowers; Bowlesia has tiny white flowers in umbels with divided leaves.; vs Potentilla: Ranunculus has nectaries at petal bases and many pistils; Potentilla has no nectaries and styles attached to ovary sides.; vs Papaver: Ranunculus has 5 petals and many pistils; Papaver has 4 crinkled petals and a single large stigma disk.; vs Oxalis: Ranunculus has glossy separate petals; Oxalis has clover-like leaves and tubular flowers that close at night.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis bloom?
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis blooms Feb-Jun.
Where in California does Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis grow?
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis occurs in Kern, Riverside, Modoc, Sonoma, Amador, Mariposa, Humboldt, Plumas and other counties, at elevations of < 2000 m.
What plant family does Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis belong to?
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
What habitat does Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis grow in?
Ranunculus aquatilis var. aquatilis grows in Marshes, streams, ponds, lakes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-09-30
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.