Ranunculus californicus
California buttercup
Photo by Chez Brungraber
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus californicus (California buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by multiple varieties exist.
California buttercup is a native perennial herb found throughout California's diverse landscapes, including coastal ranges, central valley, and Sierra Nevada foothills in grasslands, woodland margins, and open meadows at elevations from 10 to 1,500 meters. Flowering from February to May, this plant produces bright yellow, glossy flowers 7 to 14 millimeters wide with multiple delicate petals. Growing 18 to 70 centimeters tall with slender, branching stems that remain upright, it forms dense clusters with intricate foliage. Its basal leaves are widely ovate, often three-lobed or deeply divided, with lower stem leaves showing complex, ternate structures that become increasingly dissected toward the plant's upper portions. Small disk-like fruits with thin curved beaks complete the buttercup's distinctive seasonal cycle.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; multiple varieties exist
Habitat and range
California counties: Humboldt, Placer, San Diego, Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Santa Barbara, Mendocino, Alameda, Mariposa, Madera, Riverside, Merced, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus, Fresno, Modoc, San Bernardino, Orange, Del Norte, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Sonoma, Monterey, Lassen, Contra Costa, San Mateo, Ventura, Napa, Marin, Yuba, San Joaquin, El Dorado, Amador, Sacramento, Trinity, Nevada, Calaveras, Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou, Colusa, Tuolumne, Tulare, Lake, Sutter, Yolo
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 californicus native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus californicus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ranunculus californicus grow?
Ranunculus californicus occurs in Humboldt, Placer, San Diego, Kern, Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, Solano, Santa Barbara and other counties.
What plant family does Ranunculus californicus belong to?
Ranunculus californicus is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ranunculus californicus var. californicus — Common buttercup
- Ranunculus californicus var. cuneatus — Common buttercup
- Ranunculus canus — Great valley buttercup
- Ranunculus canus var. canus — Hartweg's buttercup
- Ranunculus canus var. ludovicianus — Hartweg's buttercup
- Ranunculus cymbalaria — Alkali buttercup
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.