Ranunculus canus
Great valley buttercup
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Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus canus (Great valley buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by has multiple varieties.
Great valley buttercup is a California native perennial herb found in valley and foothill grasslands at elevations near ground level. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white to yellow flowers 6 to 12 millimeters long with delicate, reflexed sepals. Growing with erect to somewhat decumbent stems 11 to 65 centimeters tall, it develops a distinctive branching structure. Its basal and lower stem leaves are broadly ovate, three-parted with deeply lobed segments, creating a complex and intricate leaf pattern. The fruits are small disk-like structures with a curved, short beak, characteristic of buttercup species.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; has multiple varieties
Habitat and range
California counties: Tulare, Kern, Butte, Shasta, Amador, Glenn, Fresno, Trinity, Monterey, San Bernardino, Alameda, Contra Costa, Sacramento, Sutter, Merced, San Benito, Yolo, Tehama, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Colusa, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Yuba, San Diego, Solano, El Dorado, Lassen, Napa, Calaveras, Sonoma, Santa Clara, Tuolumne, Lake, Siskiyou, Placer, Madera
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 canus native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus canus is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ranunculus canus grow?
Ranunculus canus occurs in Tulare, Kern, Butte, Shasta, Amador, Glenn, Fresno, Trinity and other counties.
What plant family does Ranunculus canus belong to?
Ranunculus canus is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ranunculus canus var. canus — Hartweg's buttercup
- Ranunculus canus var. ludovicianus — Hartweg's buttercup
- Ranunculus cymbalaria — Alkali buttercup
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii — Eschscholtz's buttercup
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. eschscholtzii — Eschscholtz's buttercup
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. oxynotus — Eschscholtz's 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.