Ranunculus hebecarpus
Delicate buttercup
(c) Adam J. Searcy, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus hebecarpus (Delicate buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by hooked-bristly fruits and tiny/absent petals.
Delicate buttercup is a California native annual found in northern California interior, California Ranges, Sierra Nevada Foothills, Sacramento Valley, Central Western, and Southwestern regions in grassland and open woodland at elevations of 50 to 900 meters. Flowering from March to May, this plant produces small white to yellow flowers with 0 to 5 petals measuring approximately 1.3 to 2 millimeters wide. Growing with erect stems 8 to 30 centimeters tall, it develops from a basal root system without a bulbous base. Its distinctive basal leaves are deeply three-parted, heart-shaped, with segments measuring 0.6 to 2.3 centimeters long and up to 3.5 centimeters wide, featuring acute-tipped lobes that may be entire or have 2 to 4 smaller dentate edges. The fruit is disk-like, approximately 1.7 to 2.3 millimeters wide, with a hooked beak and surfaces covered in tiny bristled papillae.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 41 sympatric species; distinguished by hooked-bristly fruits and tiny/absent petals
Habitat and range
Habitat: Grassland, open woodland
Elevation: 50-900 m
California counties: San Luis Obispo, Kern, Los Angeles, Humboldt, Yolo, Madera, Calaveras, Solano, San Benito, Lake, Napa, Santa Clara, Monterey, Marin, Butte, Contra Costa, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Siskiyou, Sacramento, Riverside, San Mateo, Tulare, Ventura, San Diego, Glenn, Tehama, San Bernardino, Alameda, Orange, Yuba, Stanislaus, Santa Cruz, Amador, Merced, Sutter, Nevada, Colusa, Tuolumne, Mendocino, Placer, Mariposa, El Dorado, Modoc, Trinity, Shasta, Sonoma
Outside California: to Washington, Baja California
Bloom period
Ranunculus hebecarpus blooms Mar-May.
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 hebecarpus native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus hebecarpus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ranunculus hebecarpus bloom?
Ranunculus hebecarpus blooms Mar-May.
Where in California does Ranunculus hebecarpus grow?
Ranunculus hebecarpus occurs in San Luis Obispo, Kern, Los Angeles, Humboldt, Yolo, Madera, Calaveras, Solano and other counties, at elevations of 50-900 m.
What plant family does Ranunculus hebecarpus belong to?
Ranunculus hebecarpus is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
What habitat does Ranunculus hebecarpus grow in?
Ranunculus hebecarpus grows in Grassland, open woodland.
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.