Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus
Elliptical buttercup
(c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus (Elliptical buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by var. glaberrimus by elliptical leaves and bract structure.
Elliptical buttercup is a California native perennial found in northern Sierra Nevada eastern slope, northern Sierra Nevada East, and White and Inyo Mountains in moist, seepy slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 3,600 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in small, delicate clusters. Growing with slender stems 10 to 30 centimeters tall, it forms compact clumps in alpine and subalpine environments. Its basal leaves are distinctively elliptical, 1.5 to 5.2 centimeters long and up to 2 centimeters wide, with occasionally three wide, rounded teeth at the leaf tip and an acute to rounded point.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 37 sympatric species; distinguished from var. glaberrimus by elliptical leaves and bract structure
Habitat and range
Habitat: Moist, seepy slopes
Elevation: 1200-3600 m
California counties: Modoc, Nevada, Tulare, Siskiyou, Mono, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra, Placer
Outside California: to British Columbia, North Dakota
Bloom period
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus blooms Mar-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 glaberrimus var. ellipticus native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus bloom?
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus grow?
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus occurs in Modoc, Nevada, Tulare, Siskiyou, Mono, Lassen, Plumas, Sierra and other counties, at elevations of 1200-3600 m.
What plant family does Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus belong to?
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
What habitat does Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus grow in?
Ranunculus glaberrimus var. ellipticus grows in Moist, seepy slopes.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
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.