[Buttercups: The Genus Ranunculus in the Columbia River Gorge of Oregon and Washington]

Alkali Buttercup, Seaside Buttercup, Shore Buttercup

Ranunculus cymbalaria

Synonyms: Cyrtorhyncha cymbalaria ssp. alpina, Halerpestes cymbalaria, Halerpestes cymbalaria ssp. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria ssp. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. alpinus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. typicus

Flower of Alkali Buttercup, Seaside Buttercup, Shore Buttercup: Ranunculus cymbalaria (Synonyms: Cyrtorhyncha cymbalaria ssp. alpina, Halerpestes cymbalaria, Halerpestes cymbalaria ssp. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria ssp. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. alpinus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. typicus)

The photo above shows a close-up of a flower of shore buttercup, photographed along the west bank of the Deschutes River near its mouth........September 3, 2000. Note the yellow petals and sepals.
Leaf of Alkali Buttercup, Seaside Buttercup, Shore Buttercup: Ranunculus cymbalaria (Synonyms: Cyrtorhyncha cymbalaria ssp. alpina, Halerpestes cymbalaria, Halerpestes cymbalaria ssp. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria ssp. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. alpinus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontana, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. saximontanus, Ranunculus cymbalaria var. typicus)The photo at right shows a basal leaf of shore buttercup. Photographed along the west bank of the Deschutes River near its mouth...........September 3, 2000.
Characteristics:

Shore buttercup is a perennial wildflower with one to several erect to prostrate stems from 10-40 cm long. Prostrate stems will root at the nodes. The herbage varies from smooth and hairless to being covered with somewhat appressed, long and soft hairs. The basal leaves have slender to stout petioles, ranging from 1-5 times longer than the blades. The blade (As seen at right.) is round to lanceolate or rhombic, all with a somewhat heart-shaped base. The blades range from 1.5-3.5 cm wide and long with several shallow to deeply cut teeth at the tip. The stem leaves are similar but reduced in size upwards on the stem.

The inflorescence consists of one to several flowers. If several, they are arranged in a bracteate cyme. The 5 greenish-yellow sepals measure from 2-4 mm long while the 5 yellowish petals are 3-8 mm long. The stamens number from 15-30.

Habitat:

Shore buttercup is found in moist ditches, marshes and mud flats.

Range:

Shore buttercup may be found from British Columbia south to Baja California and east to Alberta.

In the Columbia River Gorge it may be found between the elevations of 0'-300' from Dalton Point east to the Deschutes River.

Paul Slichter