Ranunculus eschscholtzii
Eschscholtz's buttercup
(c) Jessica Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus eschscholtzii (Eschscholtz's buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by alpine species with varieties.
Eschscholtz's buttercup is a California native perennial herb found in alpine and subalpine habitats at elevations ranging from high mountain zones. Flowering from June to August, this plant produces small yellow flowers with 5 to 8 delicate petals 6 to 13 millimeters long. Growing with erect or decumbent stems 5 to 25 centimeters tall, it develops distinctive branching stems with deeply divided leaves. Its leaves feature rounded segment tips, with upper stem leaves becoming much-reduced and intricately parted. The fruit develops as a small lenticular body with a straight lanceolate beak approximately 1 to 2 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: Geographically isolated; alpine species with varieties
Habitat and range
California counties: Fresno, Mono, Inyo, Tulare, El Dorado, San Bernardino, Riverside, Tuolumne, Madera, Glenn, Siskiyou, Alpine, Mariposa, Shasta, Santa Barbara
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 eschscholtzii native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus eschscholtzii is native to California (recorded as native).
Where in California does Ranunculus eschscholtzii grow?
Ranunculus eschscholtzii occurs in Fresno, Mono, Inyo, Tulare, El Dorado, San Bernardino, Riverside, Tuolumne and other counties.
What plant family does Ranunculus eschscholtzii belong to?
Ranunculus eschscholtzii is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. eschscholtzii — Eschscholtz's buttercup
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. oxynotus — Eschscholtz's buttercup
- Ranunculus eschscholtzii var. suksdorfii — Suksdorf's buttercup
- Ranunculus flabellaris — Yellow water buttercup
- Ranunculus flammula — Creeping buttercup
- Ranunculus flammula var. flammula — Greater creeping spearwort
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.