Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus
Straight beaked buttercup
Photo: parent species Ranunculus orthorhynchus · (c) joergmlpts, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus (Straight beaked buttercup) is a native California herb in the Ranunculaceae family, recognized by red-backed petals and longest beak in the species.
Straight beaked buttercup is a California native perennial found in northwestern California, high Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, and Modoc Plateau in meadows and marshy areas at elevations below 2,200 meters. Flowering from March to August, this plant produces flowers with rounded petals 4 to 6 millimeters wide, featuring red undersides. Growing with delicate stems, it forms low clusters with distinctive deeply divided leaves. Its basal leaves are intricately structured with 3 to 5 leaflets, each divided into segments that are elliptic to linear in shape, creating a lacy, intricate foliage pattern. The distinctive fruit features a short beak 3 to 3.8 millimeters long, with an aggregate fruit 5 to 7 millimeters wide that is hemispheric or occasionally spherical.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 53 sympatric species; red-backed petals and longest beak in the species
Habitat and range
Habitat: Meadows, marshy areas
Elevation: < 2200 m
California counties: Mendocino, Solano, Fresno, Del Norte, Tehama, Glenn, Tuolumne, Tulare, Nevada, Modoc, Placer, Plumas, Butte, Trinity, Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Sierra, Mariposa, Siskiyou, El Dorado, Shasta, Alameda, Lassen, Napa, Yuba
Outside California: to Alaska
Bloom period
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus blooms Mar-Aug.
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 orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus native to California?
Yes. Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus bloom?
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus blooms Mar-Aug.
Where in California does Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus grow?
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus occurs in Mendocino, Solano, Fresno, Del Norte, Tehama, Glenn, Tuolumne, Tulare and other counties, at elevations of < 2200 m.
What plant family does Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus belong to?
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus is in the Ranunculaceae family, genus Ranunculus.
What habitat does Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus grow in?
Ranunculus orthorhynchus var. orthorhynchus grows in Meadows, marshy areas.
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.