Ranunculus sceleratus var. sceleratus

Cursed buttercup

Family: Ranunculaceae · Type: annual · Native

Cursed buttercup is a native annual found in northern Coast Ranges, northern Sierra Nevada foothills, Central Valley, San Bernarddo Mountains, and Peninsular Ranges in pond and riverbank habitats at elevations below 1,800 meters. Flowering from April to June and again in October, this plant produces small yellow flowers in delicate clusters. Growing with slender, branching stems 10 to 40 centimeters tall, it spreads quickly in wet environments. Its leaves are distinctively lobed with segments that are crenate (scalloped) and can be undivided or further subdivided. The fruits develop with finely textured, transverse wrinkled surfaces that add a unique architectural quality to the plant.

Habitat: Ponds, riverbanks

Bloom period: Apr-Jun, Oct

Elevation: < 1800 m

Bioregions: NCo, n SNF, GV, SnBr, PR

California counties: Riverside, San Diego, Glenn, Butte, Shasta, Modoc, Merced, Santa Barbara

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.